Analyze the final sentence of Winterson's Oranges. How do understand this as the conclusion to the text? What is the purpose of this sentence? Explain. Interpret. Due: Before class Tuesday; this is an optional post.
“‘This is Kindly Light calling Manchester, come in Manchester, this is Kindly Light.’” (Winterson 176) According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the word kindly as an adjective means, “Pertaining to nature or birth; exists or takes place according to natural laws; constant or congruent with nature; natural, as opposed to artificial.” As the book concludes, Little Jeanette’s mother resorts to using her radio broadcast communication system since she has been let down by the Society for the Lost and all that she had believed it to represent. Winterson finishes her novel with an illustration of Jeanette’s mother that conveys minimal change in her character throughout the piece. From the beginning of the book, Jeanette’s mother appears to devote herself so fully to her religious beliefs that she lets her concern and care for her daughter fall to the wayside. Even in the final scene of the piece, in which Jeanette is now an adult, she waits for her mother by the fireplace pondering, “Families, real ones…but I had no means of joining one, and no means of dismissing my own; she had tied a thread around my button, to tug when she pleased,” until her mother storms into the room, completely oblivious of her daughter’s presence as she had been throughout all of Little Jeanette’s life. (176)
I found the name Jeanette’s mother had given herself on her radio communication program to be tremendously ironic. In describing a person using the term “kindly,” one is suggesting that the individual is a compassionate and benevolent human-being who is in touch with themselves and the nature of humans. In my opinion, Jeanette’s mother is rather the opposite of the word kindly for she is too caught up in the concrete law and rules of her religious beliefs to embrace the nature of life and true existence of the others surrounding her. I also thought the fact that she deemed herself as a “light” to her other listeners was extremely unfitting for her character. Throughout all of Little Jeanette’s life she had been monopolized and manipulated by her mother; however, when she decides to become an individual in her own right and express her sexual independence she is left in the dark by her mother who abandons her in the name of her beliefs, leaving her daughter to pick up the pieces of her life in a state of complete obscurity.
Through my interpretation of Winterson’s concluding sentence of her novel, I felt that she was wrapping up her piece in a way in which she could emphasize the detached relationship of Jeanette and her mother, even in Jeanette’s adulthood, while still maintaining the book’s wittiness which had been a consistent element of her writing throughout the piece. I believe the purpose for the final line of Winterson’s novel is to display how far Jeanette has come in her life as an individual. She has succeeded in removing herself from her mother’s life of complete disillusionment, a life which we are reminded that her mother still continues to live as Winterson leaves her audience with the name “Kindly Light” resounding in the readers’ minds.
The last sentence of Jeanette Winterson’s Oranges Are Not The Only Fruit concludes the story in a very appropriate manner. After everything that has happened to Jeanette’s mother, that she considers troublesome, she resorts back to her usual ways without recognizing that her ideas are one sided and need evaluation. For example, Jeanette lists the things her mother has gone through saying, “Imagine my mother’s feelings; the Society for the Lost had been a bitter blow, the Morecambe guest house a terrible shock, but this the final straw” (176). This that Jeanette speaks of is finding out that Mrs. Butler has taken to drinking and is with a man who has “persuaded her to let him practice voodoo on some of the more senile patients” (176). And of course, after Jeanette’s mother having to deal with her daughter’s sexuality, she has nothing else to resort to that makes her feel safe and away from the dangers and destructions of society. We can understand this as the conclusion to the text because since this story is one about mothers and daughters, the relationship is not changed for the better. The mother stays in her belief system and shows the reader an unhappy ending. The purpose of this sentence is to show that sometimes mother and daughter relationships can never be fixed or corrected because one chooses not to try or change. Here, Jeanette’s mother hides behind her radio and ignores the changes of society and learning to deal with or accept them. The last sentence does not mention anything having to do with the people in the book. The purpose of this is to show that all of the events that happened prior to the talk on the radio are being ignored and not going to change, life is not going to change and now the only focus is this radio station. In regards to Jeanette, the last sentence shows her it is time to accept how life has turned out and move forward.
Jeanette Winterson ends her book Oranges with a single line from her mother, “‘This Kindly Light calling Manchester, come in Manchester, this is Kindly Light’” (Winterson 176). Jeanette’s mother’s world had come to a crashing halt. “…the society has just collapsed, and she needed something to take her mind off it. She said it was very difficult, but, she’s done it, just the same, and now she regularly spoke to Christians all over England” (Winterson 173). Her radio name was Kindly Light which is a very interesting choice for Jeanette’s mother. The Oxford English Dictionary defines kindly as “Pertaining to nature or birth; That is, exists or takes place according to natural laws; consonant or congruent with nature; natural, as opposed to artificial; and Naturally belonging to or connected with a person or thing; own, proper, suitable”. Kindly can be broken down in to kind and ly. The work Kind means “Abstract senses; Birth, origin, descent; To act according to one's nature; to do what is natural to one” (Oxford English Dictionary). Light is defined “as being itself an object of perception, cognized by means of the specific visual sensation indicated by the use of words like ‘bright’, ‘shining’, etc. Also, in particularized sense, an individual shining or appearance of light.” (Oxford English Dictionary). By this definition Jeanette’s mother is associating herself with the nature aspects of being a mother, kind, loving and nurturing. She was not nearly close to being anything like that for Jeanette. By giving herself a radio name Kindly Light is very ironic. She did nothing but inhibit Jeanette from developing as her own person. She refused to let Jeanette find her own “light”. Jeanette was desperate to find her own sense of individuality. Her mother thought that because of Jeanette’s different ways of life that she was possessed with a demon. And because of her experience with Jeanette and her demon she is a very well rounded and could help other parents deal with their demon possessed children. Instead of letting Jeanette find her own light her mother attempted to make her conform to what she wanted in a daughter. By naming herself Kindly Light she is attempting to be a light to other distressed Christians out there who need help. She wants to lead them into sense of being an individual through god. I think that Jeanette used this as her last line to wrap up her novel to show that there are times where the mother daughter relationship will not change. Jeanette’s mother is so immersed in her religion that she will not take the time to help her daughter grow into an individual. Even when her daughter comes back into her life it does not make a difference. Her daughter had moved out of her house and then when she came back nothing changed. It was still the same home environment that she had grown up in. This last sentence is Jeanette’s final acceptance that the relationship between her and her mother will never change.
I find the final sentence of the novel to be humorous and sad at the same time. This odd confusion of the reader's emotion is a tactic used by Winterson throughout the novel and in my opinion, is the great essence of the novel. When I think strictly about the subject matter of this book, it is a very sad story about a child who is rejected by her family and congregation based on her sexual orientation. However, Winterson's witty writing style made this otherwise sad story fun and relatable for anyone. Jeanette's journey through childhood and adolescence was entertaining and humorous even at the not so funny times in her life. The closing line of this novel is Winterson's humorous way of showing the reader that individuality is very important and even though others may not like your individuality, you need to embrace it and not worry as much about others. While we may not agree with Jeanette's mother's beliefs and the way she treated Jeanette, it doesn't change the fact that she sees herself as "kindly light." Jeanette realizes she just needs to let her mother be herself, so that Jeanette can be herself. Earlier in the novel, Jeanette says, "Everyone thinks their own situation is most tragic. I am no exception" (161). This quote underscores that it is hard to change someone's perception of themselves which is why Jeanette's mother feels that "Kindly Light" is a fitting nickname for herself.
“This is Kindly Light calling Manchester, come in Manchester, this is Kindly Light” (Winterson 176). I believe this final line of Jeanette Winterson’s book sums up Jeanette’s mother’s personality in a few words. When I first read the sentence, I was surprised and taken back. It is hard to believe that Jeanette’s mother would call herself “Kindly Light”. When looking at the word “Kindly”, I can not think of why Jeanette’s mother would choose a name like that. Jeanette’s mother is very cold, mean, and careless throughout the novel. I do not believe that kicking Jeanette out of the house, or ignoring the fact that Jeanette was deaf are “kind” acts. “Light” is also a very strange word to chose because Jeanette’s mother did not take anything “lightly” in the text. She “followed her beliefs” strongly, and if someone believed differently she would hate them strongly; it was her way or no way. I was very curious in why the book ended with this line; therefore, I googled “Kindly Light” and I discovered that there was a hymn titled “Lead, Kindly Light” written in 1833 by John Henry Newman. Newman was a young priest who traveled a lot; however, when in Italy he became very sick and could not travel for three weeks. Newman was very upset. This story reminds me of Jeanette’s mother because she loved to travel and do missionary work; she loved her Wigan work. The first section of Newman’s hymn contains six lines: "Lead, Kindly Light, amidst th'encircling gloom, Lead Thou me on! The night is dark, and I am far from home, Lead Thou me on! Keep Thou my feet; I do not ask to see The distant scene; one step enough for me”. After reading the hymn, I believe that Jeanette’s mother might of taken the name from this hymn. Jeanette’s mother wants to be righteous, and she believes that people should follow and respect her beliefs. She wants to guide others and be a leader; however, it is evident in the text that she is not very religious. Her mother is a hypocrite in a way because she claims she is holy and religious; however, she constantly mistreats her daughter. She does not stand by her daughter and love her unconditionally. She is also very judgmental. God tells us to love thy neighbor as thyself, but Jeanette’s mother judges everyone around her. Jeanette’s mother calls her neighbors “Next Door”, and she explains that they “buy everything from Maxi Ball’s Catalogue Seconds” (Winterson 5). The clothes at Maxi Ball were only purchased by “the desperate, the careless, [and] the poorest” (Winterson 5). Jeanette states that “[her] mother rather not eat than be seen at Maxi Ball’s” (Winterson 5). This example, of many, shows how “unreligious” Jeanette’s mother is. Someone who truly worshipped God and tried to be a good person would not label other individuals because of the clothes they wear. Jeanette’s mother should not be ashamed to shop at a store because “poorer” people shopped their. Jeanette’s mother chose a name that did not fit her at all; she chose a name that she wishes represented her; however, it is shocking to the reader to think that Jeanette’s mother would come up with such a name. I believe it is a strong conclusion for the book because it just reminds the reader how hypocritical Jeanette’s mother was, and it makes the reader imagine how Jeanette must have felt because of her mother’s actions; as the reader, I was shocked and completely taken back by the mother’s nickname, and I am sure Jeanette was also.
The last sentence in Jeanette Winterson’s Oranges Are Not The Only Fruit is spoken by Jeanette’s mother: “This is Kindly Light calling Manchester, come in Machester, this is Kindly Light” (176). This statement demonstrates Jeanette’s mother’s confidence and affirmation of her Christian identity; however, this statement is ironic, because Jeanette is able to see the darkness in her mother. At the end of the novel, Jeanette does not judge her mother; rather, she embraces her for her flaws.
On page 123, Jeanette says, “To the pure all things are pure. . .” Jeanette, being the moral and virtuous foundation in this novel, knows that her mother is imperfect. Her mother’s radio name “Kindly Light” is a direct correlation to how her mother views herself. Jeanette’s mother truly believes that she is an almost angelic figurehead. As a Christian woman and member of the church, she believes that she is a product of God’s glory; however, her actions towards Jeanette often come up short of how she defines herself. Jeanette realizes that ignorance is a defining quality of her mother; however, Jeanette does not judge her mother. She does not criticize her mother for the radio name as a statement. Jeanette is not like her mother. She is not judgmental and accepts her mother for who she is.
“‘This is Kindly Light calling Manchester, come in Manchester, this is Kindly Light.’” (Winterson 176) According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the word kindly as an adjective means, “Pertaining to nature or birth; exists or takes place according to natural laws; constant or congruent with nature; natural, as opposed to artificial.” As the book concludes, Little Jeanette’s mother resorts to using her radio broadcast communication system since she has been let down by the Society for the Lost and all that she had believed it to represent. Winterson finishes her novel with an illustration of Jeanette’s mother that conveys minimal change in her character throughout the piece. From the beginning of the book, Jeanette’s mother appears to devote herself so fully to her religious beliefs that she lets her concern and care for her daughter fall to the wayside. Even in the final scene of the piece, in which Jeanette is now an adult, she waits for her mother by the fireplace pondering, “Families, real ones…but I had no means of joining one, and no means of dismissing my own; she had tied a thread around my button, to tug when she pleased,” until her mother storms into the room, completely oblivious of her daughter’s presence as she had been throughout all of Little Jeanette’s life. (176)
ReplyDeleteI found the name Jeanette’s mother had given herself on her radio communication program to be tremendously ironic. In describing a person using the term “kindly,” one is suggesting that the individual is a compassionate and benevolent human-being who is in touch with themselves and the nature of humans. In my opinion, Jeanette’s mother is rather the opposite of the word kindly for she is too caught up in the concrete law and rules of her religious beliefs to embrace the nature of life and true existence of the others surrounding her. I also thought the fact that she deemed herself as a “light” to her other listeners was extremely unfitting for her character. Throughout all of Little Jeanette’s life she had been monopolized and manipulated by her mother; however, when she decides to become an individual in her own right and express her sexual independence she is left in the dark by her mother who abandons her in the name of her beliefs, leaving her daughter to pick up the pieces of her life in a state of complete obscurity.
Through my interpretation of Winterson’s concluding sentence of her novel, I felt that she was wrapping up her piece in a way in which she could emphasize the detached relationship of Jeanette and her mother, even in Jeanette’s adulthood, while still maintaining the book’s wittiness which had been a consistent element of her writing throughout the piece. I believe the purpose for the final line of Winterson’s novel is to display how far Jeanette has come in her life as an individual. She has succeeded in removing herself from her mother’s life of complete disillusionment, a life which we are reminded that her mother still continues to live as Winterson leaves her audience with the name “Kindly Light” resounding in the readers’ minds.
The last sentence of Jeanette Winterson’s Oranges Are Not The Only Fruit concludes the story in a very appropriate manner. After everything that has happened to Jeanette’s mother, that she considers troublesome, she resorts back to her usual ways without recognizing that her ideas are one sided and need evaluation. For example, Jeanette lists the things her mother has gone through saying, “Imagine my mother’s feelings; the Society for the Lost had been a bitter blow, the Morecambe guest house a terrible shock, but this the final straw” (176). This that Jeanette speaks of is finding out that Mrs. Butler has taken to drinking and is with a man who has “persuaded her to let him practice voodoo on some of the more senile patients” (176). And of course, after Jeanette’s mother having to deal with her daughter’s sexuality, she has nothing else to resort to that makes her feel safe and away from the dangers and destructions of society.
ReplyDeleteWe can understand this as the conclusion to the text because since this story is one about mothers and daughters, the relationship is not changed for the better. The mother stays in her belief system and shows the reader an unhappy ending. The purpose of this sentence is to show that sometimes mother and daughter relationships can never be fixed or corrected because one chooses not to try or change. Here, Jeanette’s mother hides behind her radio and ignores the changes of society and learning to deal with or accept them.
The last sentence does not mention anything having to do with the people in the book. The purpose of this is to show that all of the events that happened prior to the talk on the radio are being ignored and not going to change, life is not going to change and now the only focus is this radio station. In regards to Jeanette, the last sentence shows her it is time to accept how life has turned out and move forward.
Jeanette Winterson ends her book Oranges with a single line from her mother, “‘This Kindly Light calling Manchester, come in Manchester, this is Kindly Light’” (Winterson 176). Jeanette’s mother’s world had come to a crashing halt. “…the society has just collapsed, and she needed something to take her mind off it. She said it was very difficult, but, she’s done it, just the same, and now she regularly spoke to Christians all over England” (Winterson 173). Her radio name was Kindly Light which is a very interesting choice for Jeanette’s mother.
ReplyDeleteThe Oxford English Dictionary defines kindly as “Pertaining to nature or birth; That is, exists or takes place according to natural laws; consonant or congruent with nature; natural, as opposed to artificial; and Naturally belonging to or connected with a person or thing; own, proper, suitable”. Kindly can be broken down in to kind and ly. The work Kind means “Abstract senses; Birth, origin, descent; To act according to one's nature; to do what is natural to one” (Oxford English Dictionary). Light is defined “as being itself an object of perception, cognized by means of the specific visual sensation indicated by the use of words like ‘bright’, ‘shining’, etc. Also, in particularized sense, an individual shining or appearance of light.” (Oxford English Dictionary).
By this definition Jeanette’s mother is associating herself with the nature aspects of being a mother, kind, loving and nurturing. She was not nearly close to being anything like that for Jeanette. By giving herself a radio name Kindly Light is very ironic. She did nothing but inhibit Jeanette from developing as her own person. She refused to let Jeanette find her own “light”. Jeanette was desperate to find her own sense of individuality. Her mother thought that because of Jeanette’s different ways of life that she was possessed with a demon. And because of her experience with Jeanette and her demon she is a very well rounded and could help other parents deal with their demon possessed children. Instead of letting Jeanette find her own light her mother attempted to make her conform to what she wanted in a daughter. By naming herself Kindly Light she is attempting to be a light to other distressed Christians out there who need help. She wants to lead them into sense of being an individual through god.
I think that Jeanette used this as her last line to wrap up her novel to show that there are times where the mother daughter relationship will not change. Jeanette’s mother is so immersed in her religion that she will not take the time to help her daughter grow into an individual. Even when her daughter comes back into her life it does not make a difference. Her daughter had moved out of her house and then when she came back nothing changed. It was still the same home environment that she had grown up in. This last sentence is Jeanette’s final acceptance that the relationship between her and her mother will never change.
I find the final sentence of the novel to be humorous and sad at the same time. This odd confusion of the reader's emotion is a tactic used by Winterson throughout the novel and in my opinion, is the great essence of the novel. When I think strictly about the subject matter of this book, it is a very sad story about a child who is rejected by her family and congregation based on her sexual orientation. However, Winterson's witty writing style made this otherwise sad story fun and relatable for anyone. Jeanette's journey through childhood and adolescence was entertaining and humorous even at the not so funny times in her life. The closing line of this novel is Winterson's humorous way of showing the reader that individuality is very important and even though others may not like your individuality, you need to embrace it and not worry as much about others. While we may not agree with Jeanette's mother's beliefs and the way she treated Jeanette, it doesn't change the fact that she sees herself as "kindly light." Jeanette realizes she just needs to let her mother be herself, so that Jeanette can be herself. Earlier in the novel, Jeanette says, "Everyone thinks their own situation is most tragic. I am no exception" (161). This quote underscores that it is hard to change someone's perception of themselves which is why Jeanette's mother feels that "Kindly Light" is a fitting nickname for herself.
ReplyDelete“This is Kindly Light calling Manchester, come in Manchester, this is Kindly Light” (Winterson 176).
ReplyDeleteI believe this final line of Jeanette Winterson’s book sums up Jeanette’s mother’s personality in a few words. When I first read the sentence, I was surprised and taken back. It is hard to believe that Jeanette’s mother would call herself “Kindly Light”. When looking at the word “Kindly”, I can not think of why Jeanette’s mother would choose a name like that. Jeanette’s mother is very cold, mean, and careless throughout the novel. I do not believe that kicking Jeanette out of the house, or ignoring the fact that Jeanette was deaf are “kind” acts. “Light” is also a very strange word to chose because Jeanette’s mother did not take anything “lightly” in the text. She “followed her beliefs” strongly, and if someone believed differently she would hate them strongly; it was her way or no way. I was very curious in why the book ended with this line; therefore, I googled “Kindly Light” and I discovered that there was a hymn titled “Lead, Kindly Light” written in 1833 by John Henry Newman. Newman was a young priest who traveled a lot; however, when in Italy he became very sick and could not travel for three weeks. Newman was very upset. This story reminds me of Jeanette’s mother because she loved to travel and do missionary work; she loved her Wigan work. The first section of Newman’s hymn contains six lines: "Lead, Kindly Light, amidst th'encircling gloom, Lead Thou me on! The night is dark, and I am far from home, Lead Thou me on! Keep Thou my feet; I do not ask to see The distant scene; one step enough for me”. After reading the hymn, I believe that Jeanette’s mother might of taken the name from this hymn. Jeanette’s mother wants to be righteous, and she believes that people should follow and respect her beliefs. She wants to guide others and be a leader; however, it is evident in the text that she is not very religious. Her mother is a hypocrite in a way because she claims she is holy and religious; however, she constantly mistreats her daughter. She does not stand by her daughter and love her unconditionally. She is also very judgmental. God tells us to love thy neighbor as thyself, but Jeanette’s mother judges everyone around her. Jeanette’s mother calls her neighbors “Next Door”, and she explains that they “buy everything from Maxi Ball’s Catalogue Seconds” (Winterson 5). The clothes at Maxi Ball were only purchased by “the desperate, the careless, [and] the poorest” (Winterson 5). Jeanette states that “[her] mother rather not eat than be seen at Maxi Ball’s” (Winterson 5). This example, of many, shows how “unreligious” Jeanette’s mother is. Someone who truly worshipped God and tried to be a good person would not label other individuals because of the clothes they wear. Jeanette’s mother should not be ashamed to shop at a store because “poorer” people shopped their. Jeanette’s mother chose a name that did not fit her at all; she chose a name that she wishes represented her; however, it is shocking to the reader to think that Jeanette’s mother would come up with such a name. I believe it is a strong conclusion for the book because it just reminds the reader how hypocritical Jeanette’s mother was, and it makes the reader imagine how Jeanette must have felt because of her mother’s actions; as the reader, I was shocked and completely taken back by the mother’s nickname, and I am sure Jeanette was also.
Website used: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lead,_Kindly_Light
The last sentence in Jeanette Winterson’s Oranges Are Not The Only Fruit is spoken by Jeanette’s mother: “This is Kindly Light calling Manchester, come in Machester, this is Kindly Light” (176). This statement demonstrates Jeanette’s mother’s confidence and affirmation of her Christian identity; however, this statement is ironic, because Jeanette is able to see the darkness in her mother. At the end of the novel, Jeanette does not judge her mother; rather, she embraces her for her flaws.
ReplyDeleteOn page 123, Jeanette says, “To the pure all things are pure. . .” Jeanette, being the moral and virtuous foundation in this novel, knows that her mother is imperfect. Her mother’s radio name “Kindly Light” is a direct correlation to how her mother views herself. Jeanette’s mother truly believes that she is an almost angelic figurehead. As a Christian woman and member of the church, she believes that she is a product of God’s glory; however, her actions towards Jeanette often come up short of how she defines herself. Jeanette realizes that ignorance is a defining quality of her mother; however, Jeanette does not judge her mother. She does not criticize her mother for the radio name as a statement. Jeanette is not like her mother. She is not judgmental and accepts her mother for who she is.