Portrayal of The Protagonist in Jeanette Winterson's 'Oranges Are Not The Only Fruit'.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
PREFACE ...
TABLE OF CONTENTS ...
ABSTRACT ...
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
Background of the study ... Statement of the Problem ... Purpose of the Study ... Methods of Research ... Organization of the Thesis ...
CHAPTER TWO: POTRTRAYAL OF THE PROTAGONIST IN JEANETTE WINTERSON’S ORANGES ARE NOT THE ONLY FRUIT ...
CHAPTER THREE: CONCLUSION ...
BIBLIOGRAPHY ...
APPENDICES:
Synopsis of Oranges Are Not The Only Fruit ... Biography of Jeanette Winterson ...
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ABSTRACT
Dalam penulisan tugas akhir ini saya memutuskan untuk menganalisis salah satu novel karya Jeanette Winterson yang berjudul Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit.
Jeanette Winterson dikenal sebagai salah seorang penulis yang karya novelnya telah menerima beberapa penghargaan.
Novel Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit merupakan novel pertama Jeanette Winterson. Novel ini menceritakan sang protagonis yaitu Jeanette yang harus menghadapi berbagai masalah dalam kehidupannya. Jeanette diadopsi dan dibesarkan di sebuah keluarga Kristen fanatik yang mendoktrinasinya menjadi seorang penganut yang setia. Tapi tanpa disadari, Jeanette menjadi dikucilkan oleh teman-temannya karena kepercayaannya yang terlalu fanatis. Selain itu, Jeanette mulai menyadari bahwa pengalaman seksualitasnya tidak sesuai dengan kepercayaan yang dianutnya, sebagai akibatnya ia harus menghadapi berbagai cobaan yang akhirnya mengubah pandangannya terhadap ajaran yang telah membesarkannya dan ia mengambil keputusan untuk meninggalkan ajaran tersebut untuk hidup bebas sebagai seorang lesbian yang bebas.
Saya menemukan bahwa pengarang menggambarkan Jeanette dengan jelas sehingga saya dapat melihat karakteristik Jeanette yang patuh dan taat agama, dan kemudian berubah menjadi kritis, terus terang dan bersifat pemberontak. Semua
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Itu menjadi nnya seorang wanita yang berdikari yang menarik untuk dianalisis. Penokohan tersebut dilakukan melalui berbagai teknik seperti kata-kata dari sang protagonis, tindakannya, pikirannya, reaksinya dan melalui gaya bercerita melalui orang pertama.
Ada kemungkinan bahwa novel ini sebagian ditulis berdasarkan pengalaman hidup Jeanette Winterson sendiri. Nama sang protagonis yang sama dengan namanya sendiri, Jeanette, mungkin menunjukan bahwa seperti tokoh utama novel ini, Jeanette Winterson ingin bebas dan merdeka dalam menentukan nasibnya sendiri. Lagipula, ada kesamaan antara latar belakang kehidupan agamanya dengan latar belakang sang protagonis.
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APPENDICES
Summary of Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit
Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit tells the story of a growing up girl, named Jeanette, brought up by adoptive parents with an evangelical Christian community. She is educated at home, mostly learning to read the Bible. Jeanette's mother has adopted her because she want a child whom she will teach to serve God. As a child, Jeanette learns about the life of the church, its members and activities.
When Jeanette gets older, she becomes a successful evangelical preacher although she realizes that she sometimes disagrees with the teachings of her congregation. One day, she sees a compelling girl named Melanie, and they have a love affair. After her confession about her affair, the pastor publicly confronts Jeanette and Melanie about their affair. Melanie repents immediately but Jeanette does not. Because of Jeanette’s refusal to repent, the elders of the church attempt to exorcise the demons from her by pinning her down for fourteen hours.
Melanie studies in the university while Jeanette returns to her role as a preacher and she seems to return to her normal church activities until she meets Katy in Blackpool. Shortly afterwards, she and Katy begin to have a lesbian relationship. When this relationship is discovered, Jeanette is once again urged to renounce her sin. This time she refuses to give in to pressure from her mother and
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the church. Angry and unable to accept Jeanette’s lesbianism, her mother drives her away from home. Finally Jeanette decides to leave her family and the church. Jeanette sells ice cream and works in a funeral parlour. Not long afterwards, she gets a job in a psychiatry hospital and moves to another city.
Biography of Jeanette Winterson
Jeanette Winterson was born in Manchester, England in 1959 and adopted by Pantecostal parents who brought her up in Accrington, Lancashire, in the north of England. Her father was a factory worker, her mother stay at home. Her strict Pentecostal Evangelist background provides the background to her acclaimed first novel, Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit, published in 1985.
She wrote her first novel Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit, when she was 23. Her comic book with picture, Boating for Beginners was published in 1985. She adapted Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit for BBC Television in 1990.
Winterson graduated from St Catherine's College, Oxford, and moved to London, where she worked as an assistant editor at Pandora Press before publishing The Passion in 1987. She published Sexing the Cherry in 1989, Written on the Body in 1992, Art & Lies 1994, Art Objects (essays) in 1995, Gut Symmetris in 1997, The World and Other Places (short stories) in 1998, books for children, The. Powerbook in 2000 and Tanglewreck in 2006, The King of Capri in 2004, and her latest novel, Lighthousekeeping in 2004. <http://www.contemporarywriters.com/authors/?p=auth100>
One of the most original voices in British fiction to emerge during the 1980s, Jeanette Winterson was named as one of the 20 'Best of Young British
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Writers' in a promotion run jointly between the literary magazine Granta and the Book Marketing Council.
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CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study
I am interested in Jeanette Winterson’s works. Many critics and reviewers find her writing exciting, innovative, interesting, and intellectual. She is one of the most original voices in British fiction to emerge during the 1980s. She is a novelist who has won various awards around the world for her fiction. She received Whitbread First Novel Award in 1984. When she adapted one of her novels, Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit, for BBC television in 1990, she won the BAFTA award and Prix d’argent Best Script award in France. <http://www.contemporarywriters.com/authors/?p=auth100>
Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit is Jeanette Winterson’s most popular novel. It is about the experience of growing up and finding identity. Jeanette’s rebellion against her mother and church is seen as a typical confrontationbetween the younger and the older generations. Winterson introduces the reader to a new perspective of the world, especially on how one is supposed to go through one’s life.
I have decided to discuss the portrayal of the protagonist because I think we can learn a lot from her how to overcome difficulties in life. According to
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Shaw, the protagonist is ‘the leading character of a drama, novel, or other literary works. The person is not always a hero of a work, but he is always the principal and central character’ (Shaw, 1972:305).
In discussing the portrayal of the protagonist, I look into the characterization techniques in order to know how the author portrays the character. The techniques are based on Murphy’s theory; they are speech, reaction, and thought.
By analysing this literary work, the present writer hopes to discover more about Jeanette Winterson’s portrayal of the protagonist of the novel and her purpose in portraying the protagonist.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
After reading the novel, I would like to discuss the following points: 1. What are the characteristics of the protagonist?
2. How does the novelist portray the protagonist?
1.3 Purpose of the Study
Based on the statement of the problem above, I would like to show: 1. The characteristics of the protagonist.
2. How the novelist portrays the protagonist.
1.4 Method of Research
In this thesis, I use the library research. First, I read Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit by Jeanette Winterson as the primary text. After that, I explore further
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through other reference books and the Internet to obtain more relevant information about the topic. Finally, I analyse the primary text and draw the conclusion.
1.5 Organization of the thesis
The thesis consists of three chapters starting with the Introduction. In the Introduction, I will state the Background of the Study, the Statement of the Problem, the Purpose of the Study, the Method of Research and the Organization of the Thesis. In Chapter Two, I will present my analysis of Winterson’s portrayal of the protagonist of Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit. Chapter Three will contain the Conclusion of the analysis. The thesis ends with the Bibliography and the Appendices, which include the Biography of Jeanette Winterson and the Synopsis of Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit.
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CHAPTER THREE
CONCLUSION
After reading Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit and analysing the characteristics of Jeanette, the protagonist, I come to the conclusion that the novelist is successful in portraying the protagonist.
At first, Winterson portrays the protagonist as an innocent and obedient girl who is very religious. She is also portrayed as a dependent girl. These characteristics are mostly found in Chapter One and Chapter Two of the novel. Her obedience can be seen through her action whereas her devotion to religion can be seen through her thought. Speech in revealing that the protagonist is dependent. The novelist also uses reaction to describe that the protagonist is obedient.
The fact that the novelist uses various techniques helps the reader understand the protagonist’s changes from an innocent, obedient, religious, and dependent girl into a critical, persistent, secular and independent woman.
The novelist gives the reader a clear description of Jeanette’s characteristic as an independent young woman through her reaction when she has a dilemma. This happens when she must either admit her sin and repent or leave her parent’s house and leave on her own. Jeanette’s reaction towards the two choices clearly describes that she has become an independent young woman. All these techniques
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enable the reader to understand clearly the protagonist’s early characteristics as well as her changes inti a critical, persistent, secular, and independent.
Winterson has managed to present the characteristics of the protagonist very well; the presentation of Jeanette has given the readers a new perspective, particularly on the way one is supposed to go to one’s life.
Through the portrayal of the protagonist, the novelist succeed in showing that there are times when one’s way of life does not come up to one’s expectation. The novelist shows the reader reality through the novel that everyone is, at some time in their live, occasionally confronted with many choices. Sometimes one must choose whether to stay with ‘a ready-made’ world that maybe safe but which limits one’s freedom or to go beyond the conventional norms, which may sometimes be even beyond common sense.
Jeanette’s decision to leave home and live independently implicitly shows that one’s future lies in whatever decision one has made in one’s life. Although the novelist shows that the protagonist of Oranges are Not the Only Fruit wants to be independent, she never mentions explicitly that the reader should be independent like her protagonist, Jeanette.
Jeanette Winterson portrayal of the protagonist of Oranges are Not the Only Fruit gives the reader a clear understanding about how to deal with problems in life. It also contains a clue that one should be fully responsible for one’s own future. One needs a lot of courage, determination, and strong will to decide whatever path one wants to choose.
It is possible that this novel is partly base on the novelist’s life. It is not a coincidence that the novelist names her protagonist after her own first name,
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namely Jeanette; she may have wished to be as independent as Jeanette in deciding what she wants to be. Moreover, her strict Pentecostal Evangelist background provides the background of this novel.
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
Reference
• Murphy, M. J. Understanding Unseens: An Introduction to English Poetry and the English Novel for Overseas Students. Oxford: Alden Press, 1972 • Shaw, Harry. Dictionary of Literary Terms. New York: McGraw Hill
Book Company, 1972.
Internet Sites
• British Council Arts. 2006. Jeanette Winterson. 11 September 2006 <http://www.contemporarywriters.com/authors/?p=auth100> • Pedalo. Jeanette Winterson Page. 23 November 2005.
<http://www.jeanettewinterson.com/pages/content/index.asp?PageID= 50>
• Sparknotes. Sparknotes: Oranges are Not the Only Fruit. 23 November 2005.
<http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/oranges/>
Primary Text
• Winterson, Jeanette. 1997. Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit. New York: Grove Press.
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Shaw, the protagonist is ‘the leading character of a drama, novel, or other literary works. The person is not always a hero of a work, but he is always the principal and central character’ (Shaw, 1972:305).
In discussing the portrayal of the protagonist, I look into the characterization techniques in order to know how the author portrays the character. The techniques are based on Murphy’s theory; they are speech, reaction, and thought.
By analysing this literary work, the present writer hopes to discover more about Jeanette Winterson’s portrayal of the protagonist of the novel and her purpose in portraying the protagonist.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
After reading the novel, I would like to discuss the following points: 1. What are the characteristics of the protagonist?
2. How does the novelist portray the protagonist?
1.3 Purpose of the Study
Based on the statement of the problem above, I would like to show: 1. The characteristics of the protagonist.
2. How the novelist portrays the protagonist.
1.4 Method of Research
In this thesis, I use the library research. First, I read Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit by Jeanette Winterson as the primary text. After that, I explore further
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through other reference books and the Internet to obtain more relevant information about the topic. Finally, I analyse the primary text and draw the conclusion.
1.5 Organization of the thesis
The thesis consists of three chapters starting with the Introduction. In the Introduction, I will state the Background of the Study, the Statement of the Problem, the Purpose of the Study, the Method of Research and the Organization of the Thesis. In Chapter Two, I will present my analysis of Winterson’s portrayal of the protagonist of Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit. Chapter Three will contain the Conclusion of the analysis. The thesis ends with the Bibliography and the Appendices, which include the Biography of Jeanette Winterson and the Synopsis of Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit.
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CHAPTER THREE
CONCLUSION
After reading Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit and analysing the characteristics of Jeanette, the protagonist, I come to the conclusion that the novelist is successful in portraying the protagonist.
At first, Winterson portrays the protagonist as an innocent and obedient girl who is very religious. She is also portrayed as a dependent girl. These characteristics are mostly found in Chapter One and Chapter Two of the novel. Her obedience can be seen through her action whereas her devotion to religion can be seen through her thought. Speech in revealing that the protagonist is dependent. The novelist also uses reaction to describe that the protagonist is obedient.
The fact that the novelist uses various techniques helps the reader understand the protagonist’s changes from an innocent, obedient, religious, and dependent girl into a critical, persistent, secular and independent woman.
The novelist gives the reader a clear description of Jeanette’s characteristic as an independent young woman through her reaction when she has a dilemma. This happens when she must either admit her sin and repent or leave her parent’s house and leave on her own. Jeanette’s reaction towards the two choices clearly describes that she has become an independent young woman. All these techniques
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enable the reader to understand clearly the protagonist’s early characteristics as well as her changes inti a critical, persistent, secular, and independent.
Winterson has managed to present the characteristics of the protagonist very well; the presentation of Jeanette has given the readers a new perspective, particularly on the way one is supposed to go to one’s life.
Through the portrayal of the protagonist, the novelist succeed in showing that there are times when one’s way of life does not come up to one’s expectation. The novelist shows the reader reality through the novel that everyone is, at some time in their live, occasionally confronted with many choices. Sometimes one must choose whether to stay with ‘a ready-made’ world that maybe safe but which limits one’s freedom or to go beyond the conventional norms, which may sometimes be even beyond common sense.
Jeanette’s decision to leave home and live independently implicitly shows that one’s future lies in whatever decision one has made in one’s life. Although the novelist shows that the protagonist of Oranges are Not the Only Fruit wants to be independent, she never mentions explicitly that the reader should be independent like her protagonist, Jeanette.
Jeanette Winterson portrayal of the protagonist of Oranges are Not the Only Fruit gives the reader a clear understanding about how to deal with problems in life. It also contains a clue that one should be fully responsible for one’s own future. One needs a lot of courage, determination, and strong will to decide whatever path one wants to choose.
It is possible that this novel is partly base on the novelist’s life. It is not a coincidence that the novelist names her protagonist after her own first name,
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namely Jeanette; she may have wished to be as independent as Jeanette in deciding what she wants to be. Moreover, her strict Pentecostal Evangelist background provides the background of this novel.
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
Reference
• Murphy, M. J. Understanding Unseens: An Introduction to English Poetry and the English Novel for Overseas Students. Oxford: Alden Press, 1972 • Shaw, Harry. Dictionary of Literary Terms. New York: McGraw Hill
Book Company, 1972.
Internet Sites
• British Council Arts. 2006. Jeanette Winterson. 11 September 2006 <http://www.contemporarywriters.com/authors/?p=auth100> • Pedalo. Jeanette Winterson Page. 23 November 2005.
<http://www.jeanettewinterson.com/pages/content/index.asp?PageID= 50>
• Sparknotes. Sparknotes: Oranges are Not the Only Fruit. 23 November 2005.
<http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/oranges/>
Primary Text
• Winterson, Jeanette. 1997. Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit. New York: Grove Press.