Sunday, November 29, 2015
"Deuteronomy"?
"Deuteronomy" is the only chapter w/ a subtitle ("The Last Book of the Law"). Why is that? It's also the only chapter where there is no story/plot. It's at the center of the novel and seems to be more of an essay than a story. Essays generally have a thesis, they have an argument. What is the argument that is being made in this chapter? (Or arguments, more likely.) How does this chapter act as a transition between the first half and second half of the novel? What questions do you have about this chapter?
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I found it a bit odd why Jeanette would bring this essay in the middle of the book. Deuteronomy is the last book of the Mosaic law, and she writes that here the last book of the law. In this essay she uses the word "I" so the way I analyzed it was that she is trying to tell us something here as an outside view from her story based on the book. On page 93 i noticed she wrote "Everyone who tells a story tells it differently, just to remind us that everyone sees it differently." I analyzed this sentence towards the fifth book. The laws were passed down right, so how to we know they weren't changed over time ? because the five books are a story no.
ReplyDeleteFurthermore, in the last sentence, after giving various examples of stories in this essay of different points of views, she says "Here is some advice. If you want to keep you own teeth, make your own sandwiches. I think that Jeanette is thrying to tell us that no matter what story you hear, about religion and what not, becuase she does find it humorous in the book, in order to fully understand what is going on, you either have to witness the action that is being told or be in it physically.
In the second paragraph of Deuteronomy, it stars off by saying how the story in England is not the entire story, but its the way people make them. To me this means that people interpret different things in their own views and life styles. the example with England can be viewed one way by an American telling the story over and another by and Englishman telling the story over.
DeleteJeanette then further explains how difficult it can be to understand what is to the truth. To mean i have the same question. many things in this life one can argue are true but to me i cant because i was not there i did not witness it. But then again i would have to disagree with Jeanette theory here because there is proof in these stories. For example if someone were to tell me that 911 never happened its something Americans made up etc, i could argue saying yes it is true because i was not there i was to young to know what was going on, but then again there are videos, photos, interviews of first hand people who witnessed this tragedy. So the question to say that you cant believe what you hear i feel can only be applied to certain cases, like a story about a friend or within a community, but something like written laws ? how can you argue about that when its there, passed down, what was their reason to lie? if they were to change it wouldn't they be punished ?
What I found most interesting about this chapter was that it has really no connection to the rest of the book. It is something that stands on its own and makes its own points. the line that stood out to me the most was the last sentence, "If you want to keep your own teeth, make your own sandwiches...." I think what she is trying to say here is that if you want something to go your way then you have to do it yourself. You cant relay on other people to do things the way that you want them done. If you want something in life you have to go for it, work for and make it your own. Its not going to be handed to you and just because others think that it might be wrong or it might no be right does not mean anything. We are human beings that are able to do things for ourselves and make things brighter. Everyone has there own options and we can choose to follow in their footsteps and believe what they have to say or we can form our own and make something from that.
ReplyDeleteI think this chapter has a subtitle because it signifies Jeanette's life being controlled by her mother's of laws and how this is the final "law" and breaking point she will live with. It's almost like Jeanette's full coming out and foreshadowing herself in the chapter and the opinions/challenges she had to undergo.
ReplyDeletePage 93: "Claw it, chew it, rearrange it and at bedtime it's still a string full of knots" -- regardless of Jeanette's mother and Church community trying to change Jeanette, at the end of the day, Jeanette can't conform to the wants of others (including her mother's) and Jeanette will still be Jeanette aside from the demands.
Page 95: "Here is some of advice. If you want to keep your own teeth, make your own sandwiches...." -- If you want to be happy in life, choose to listen to what makes you happy and ignore everything else and the opinions of others the disagree with you. Know your own truth.
I believe that this essay is supposed to show that Jeanette is at the point where she cannot stay with the church any longer and she feels that she must move on with her life.The transition this chapter shows is that it's purpose is to show how different Jeanette has become after her relationship to Melanie. The essay states, that "people have never had a problem disposing of the past when it gets too difficult". This means that Jeanette can no longer stay with the past and only has to move on with her life. The essay explains that Jeanette can no longer rely on other people and must make all of her choices herself, since other people and their belief will hold her back.
ReplyDeleteThis chapter in the novel seemed to be quite contrasting from the rest. Just like the subtitle it had and the sequence it followed, Deuteronomy didn't exactly feel like an addition to this novel, more like an essay embedded. Jeanette used very strong diction while trying to explain how different people viewed the world. On page 93, she exclaims "The only thing for certain is how complicated it all is, like a string full of knots. It's all there but hard to find the beginning and impossible to fathom the end." Here, we see how concerned she is about the world she lives in. It seems as though she's at that phase in her life where she figures out more and more about herself and the people around her everyday. It is like she's included this essay kind of taking her into her emotions on how she really feels about the acceptance that she desperately longs for.
ReplyDeleteShe seems to be arguing that history will never be all facts. History can be molded and changed. History can be destroyed and twisted. Growing up I hadn't thought much about what happened when Christopher Columbus discovered the Americas until I grew older and read more into the Native American point of views. Location also plays a key factor in how history is told. For example in ex-Yugoslavian countries you'll hear all kinds of stories every person claiming to be the victim of war/genocide. In relation to the book Jeanette could easily be talking about the bible and its authenticity. She says that in order to know exactly what happened you had to be there. Words could easily be changed, holy books have been revised and changed. The words not written directly from their "authors" but by people who have heard these words passed between them. There are people who deny the stories of holy books and claim them as fiction while other put blind faith that these stories are facts.
ReplyDeleteOne part of this chapter that really caught my eye is the second paragraph on page 94. She starts to discuss how people get rid of the past when the going gets tuff. She gets into detail on how people do it. You can erase it or alter it if plan a is not possible. I feel like her argument is that people tend to try to forget things happen just because it was something negative in their lives. We shouldn't run away from our problems. You can find an example of this in the story between Jeanette and her mother. When an altercation happens between the two, her mother then acts like nothing happened and doesn't speak of if again. The problem disappears.
ReplyDeleteThis chapter acts as a transition to the story because now Jeanette is going to be herself and not push things away just cause her mother ignores it. She is going to stand up for herself, finish solving problems with her family. Not keep it all in and ignore what is right in front of her. This chapter is Jeanette confessing her issues and finding a way to solve it on her own.
A question I have about this chapter is why did she use so much historical examples? But I have a theory, maybe it's to show all the history people don't usual hear or know that has been "erased" from society. All the artifacts and documents historians burned and altered and somehow, somewhere, someone discovered the truth. The one piece of evidence found.
This, to me, is such an odd part of the book. I say this because it was just so sudden and stands out. Not to say that the rest of the book isn't as important but this one just stands out the most. I believe that it talks about time and stories and how as time changes so do the stories but what is not so changing is the belief in them OR the non-belief in the ever complicating changing of the stories and time itself. How people in the past have all these grand stories, these books and how people believed them as as time changed, so did they and with people passing away, it gives free reign for the people of the future to alter these stories but people themselves in the future might stick to the older versions which...
ReplyDeleteChapter 5, “Deuteronomy: The last book of the law" in oranges are not the only fruit is Jeanettes way of showing her authority and her voice. Its the chapter in which Jeannette ends with observing the law and wonderings about everything that has happened that has led to the moment she is in now. The argument being mentioned in Deuteronomy is that Israel proves to be unfaithful and lose the Promised Land, but they can repent and get restored, therefore I believe the argument in this chapter is even though Jeannette is creating a "sin" she as well can be forgiven. This chapter acts as a transition between the first half and second half of the novel because it is the point in which her views are being changed and tilted.
ReplyDeleteI believe in this chapter Jeanette was trying to prove a point. The writing style did not seem like a story but maybe a statement. For the entire story she rode the wave of her mother and the church community. It seemed like she has stepped out of this phase and is looking back at everything that has gone on from then til now. Its like shes studied and researched everything she was told to believe and has now made her own conclusion. she made a statement about what one may eat. The only way you can can know whats going in is if u make it your self. that statement goes for anything. You don't know the truth unless u experienced it, but if you and someone else has experienced the same thing, its possible that you both will have a totally different opinion about it. For me Jeanette proves her point in the chapter DENTERONOMY.
ReplyDeleteOn page 95, I noticed the statement " If you always eat out you can never be sure what's going in, and received information is nobody's exercise". I think Jeannette is trying to point out that regardless of what we may be told about anything, if we don't actually see what is going on for ourselves and know truthfully about the action at hand, we can never be fully sure what to believe since it is "nobody's exercise" to give the right information to you all the time. In my opinion, Jeannette included this small chapter in the middle of the story to remind the reader of the importance of believing in something and how you can't just blindly believe whatever it is your told since the information you get may not always be true to you and it's best to find your own path to find what you believe is true. This can be related to how Jeannete's mother forced Jeannete to believe certain things in their religion was good or bad and she ends up leaving her, working various jobs, and finding her own path that would lead her to happiness and not become negative.
ReplyDeleteIn "Deuteronomy" chapter, the author took a different approach from the other chapters in the story. This chapter was the only chapter I feel she spoke directly to the readers .Deuteronomy is the last book of the Mosaic Law, in my opinion I feel the author only gave this chapter an subtitle because she unlike the "The Last Book of the Law" ,Jeanett is questioning nature and law itself
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ReplyDeleteI think this chapter is a large transition in the book because this is when the cat is out the box so to say. After this chapter Jeanettes is more bold about her certainty of her sexuality and the church comes to find out exactly what that is.
ReplyDeleteThe book of deuteronomy in the bible consists of three sermons or speeches delivered to the Israelites by Moses shortly before they enter the Promised Land. The first sermon recapitulates the forty years of wilderness wanderings which have led to this moment, and ends with an exhortation to observe the law (or teachings) the second reminds the Israelites of the need for exclusive allegiance to one God and observance of the laws (or teachings) he has given them, and the third offers the comfort that even should Israel prove unfaithful and so lose the land, with repentance all can be restored.
I believe each sermon upholds a certain part of the entire book which is why deuteronomy is in the middle of the book and a large transition. The first part of the book was basically Jeanette growing up and telling of her childhood and what has happened in her life until this part of the book, or until this moment in the book. The second part of the book of deuteronomy can be compared to this book because after jeanette recapitulates the last years of "wilderness wanderings" of her childhood she somewhat tries to tell her mother of her sexuality and is reminded that this is evil and unnatural passion. She is reminded by her mother as well as the church goers of the laws of the bible and how important they are. She is reminded of what she is supposed to believe. Then in the third sermon where it basically says although one may have proved to be unfaithful they can still repent, this compares to the book because once the church knows of Jeanettes sexuality they offer her chances to repent this "awful" sin .