Numbers Response

I personally have never had crazy dreams about getting married. Maybe a whole lot of falling from the sky and falling on the ground kind of dreams but not getting married. I think that the fact she is worried about marrying a pig is important. It's nice that she talks about a story that we can all relate to. Even I can relate to as a little girl thinking there would be a handsome prince out there for me. I never considered marrying a beast even on an accidental beast but Love is Blind (just like the Netflix show). I find it interesting how worried she is about marrying a beast. I feel like there are some things in life that you can't un-know. For example, Jeanette goes back and re-reads her mother's favorite book Jane Eyre because her mother tells Jeanette that Jane ends up with St John Rivers to do their missionary work. Instead, Jane goes back to stay with Mr. Rochester which completely changes what Jeanette believes about her mom. Kind of sad really because she then proceeds to listen to these old ladies talk about their unhappy marriages. I've struggled with wearing things I didn't want to wear when I was a kid way too many times so I can relate to Jeanette about that coat. Plus it was bright pink. I could never become that girly girl. It's just not in my bones. The fact that she gets offered a job makes me feel as if she is older now.

I think an important scene in this story is when Jeanette's coat rips and her mom goes with her to obtain a new one (78-79). Especially because of how she feels when she is wearing the coat. She relates it to the movie The Man in the Iron Mask. It is important to also note that her form of love that she has for Melanie is in the pure sense. She has a small crush for her as she constantly looks for her and feels unabashed about needing to get her to stay (83). Her mother forces her own observations on Jeanette and it makes it more complex for her because now she is starting to understand that she can't fit that mold that her mother wants her to fit. The more she talks about Melanie, the more unresponsive her mother becomes the idea of it (86). Which represents how black and white her mother believes in things. How she only believes in the good versus evil and the right and wrongs. Her mother also believes that love can just also be the cause of common symptoms. Her mother was so overcome with emotions for Pierre that she had done the deed and feeling so guilt-ridden, had gone to the doctors only to be diagnosed with a stomach ulcer (88). The final imagery that is extremely important is the storming of the winter palace (89). This refers to the storming of the conflict that Jeanette has headed her way.

Winterson, Jeanette.  “Oranges Are Not The Only Fruit”. Publisher Group West: Great Britain. 1985