Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit - Exodus Questions

 INDEPENDENT LESSON 10: EXODUS QUESTIONS

What are the similarities between the events of this chapter and the book of the Bible with the same name?

Jeanette is an orphan, like Moses, but more importantly, there is a reference to the children of Israel leaving Egypt in Exodus. Jeanette contrasts her own feeling of being out of her comfort zone with the Israelis leaving Egypt. Jeanette frames her own life experiences through what she knows and her world up and till then, i.e. religion and the bible.

Elsie Norris is an important character in the novel, what impression do you get of her on her first introduction? (p23)

A bit odd, but friendly and generally a nice person. Differs from the church on a few things and tends to have her own opinions even if she is a very religious person.

What does the episode with Jeanette's temporary deafness reveal about her mother and the church in general? Which members of the church are exceptions?

Jeanette's mother and the church are too zealous, to the point of ignoring the suffering of one of the children in the church. Mrs. Jewsbury and Elsie Norris are the only members who seem to care for Jeanette.

Are you surprised by Jeanette's mother's admiration for Jane Eyre?

The plot of Jane Eyre is very antithetical to what Jeanette's mother believes in, however, her mother could have been a lot more in sync with these ideas in her youth.

How would you evaluate Jeanette's mother's discharging of her parental duties during her daughter's illness?

Jeanette's mother doesn't seem to be able to put Jeanette before the church or her reputation, it's no wonder that Jeanette has hinted at growing apart from her as her mother seems to be more interested in making her a missionary than loving her like a daughter.

How does Elsie differ from Jeanette’s mother? In what important respect does she broaden Jeanette’s horizons?

Elsie seems to fill in where Jeanette's mother falls short in caring for Jeanette. Elsie provides support for Jeanette in a way her mother doesn't, she also broadens Jeanette's horizons as Elsie encourages her to be herself and provides an alternative to her mother's version of religion.

Why was the realization that “even the church was sometimes confused” such a difficult one for Jeanette to deal with?

The church has been everything Jeanette has ever known. She has also been taught from an early age that the church is always right. This is shown by Jeanette saying that the church is confused rather than wrong, it's easier to accept.

Why does Jeanette have trouble at school?

Jeanette's school expects her to leave all her religion at the doorstep and be like all the other kids, but Jeanette grew up in a very different society and religion is a part of her that she uses to understand the world. This clash causes Jeanette to do poorly in school as she can't meet the teacher's expectations, unreasonable as they are.

What curious secrets of Jeanette's mother's past are suggested by the old photo album?

Jeanette's mother seems to have been a lot more irreligious and might have even had a girlfriend och female lover at some point in time. This suggests that Jeanette's mother was a lot more liberal in her younger years.

What clues does this chapter give about why Jeanette was happy in her early childhood? Are there suggestions of this changing in Exodus?

Jeanette's childhood was happy in part due to her being blissfully unaware of alternatives to her life and she was very in line with what her mother and church expected of her. As Jeanette is exposed to other worldviews she grows into her own person and that creates friction with her mother and church.

Why is Jeanette's conversation with Mrs. Virtue, about her sampler, humorous?

Mrs. Virtue is trying to critique Jeanette's sampler and explain why the judges won't like it without admitting that it's the religious element and/or that it isn't a happy meadow with sheep or something similarly innocent. Jeanette calls Mrs. Virtue out on her bluff by rebuking her paper-thin arguments.

What does the final sentence of the chapter suggest about the growing differences between Jeanette and her mother?

Jeanette was very like her mother, or at least they were a pair. But as Jeanette grows up she changes her mind and personality, causing friction between the two. The line that no emotion is the final one hints at constant change and people constantly evolving like Jeanette.