Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal? Jeanette Winterson’s Memoir

Mara NardelliCl. 5ªB

Liceo Scientifico “A. Eintein”Cervignano del Friuli

Genre

The book is a memoir. (from French: mémoire: memoria, meaning memory or reminiscence).

Emotional impact as a structural element of the novel.

No chronological order, the storyline is dictated by the author's emotions.

Structure Analysis Structure: 15 chapters. The title of each chapter gives

a general idea of the content of the chapter and brings the reader to investigate and become an intelligent reader.

Dedication: J. Winterson’s 3 mothers: - Costance Winterson (adopted mother) – Ruth Rendell (literary mother) – Anne S. (probably her biological mother).

Narrator: first person omniscient narrator. Language: language of sense impression; readers are

involved into the reading process: the narrator makes you see, hear, smell.

Chapter 1The Wrong Crib

Chapter 2My Advice to Anybody Is: Get Born

It is a descriptive chapter. The narrator speaks about her native city: Manchester. She gives a description mainly from a geographical point of view. In the second part of the chapter, Jeanette gives information about her adoptive family.

It is an introductive and informative chapter. J. Winterson introduces the figure of her adoptive mother, Mrs. Winterson, and gives a clear idea of the difficult relationship with her.

Chapter 3In The Beginning Was The Word

This chapter emphasizes the importance of the word and with its title reminds the reader to the Bible, underlining the Christian education that Jeanette received.

She inserts a quote from a book she wrote when she was 25; this is a feature of postmodernism. All texts coexist and mingle, mixing their effects.

Chapter 4The Trouble With A Book . . .

In this chapter Jeanette tells the reader the consequences of reading a book. Reading allows new perspectives on the world, new points of view.

“Growing up is difficult” Inability to grow emotionally.

Chapter 5At Home

Jeanette in this chapter describes in detail her house. The place where she lives does not appear peaceful because of her bad relationship with her parents, who thought she was possessed. For this reason Jeanette discovered an alternative home: books. She speaks about the emotional bond between reader and books.

Chapter 6Church

Elim Pentecostal Church was the centre of Jeanette’s life for sixteen years. She describes this place with accuracy. She makes several considerations about love and religion.

Chapter 7Accrington

In this chapter there is the description of Accrington. She describes its streets, shops, supermarkets, schools, industries, hospitals and more.

“Accrington made its money out of cotton.”

Chapter 8The Apocalypse

In this chapter Jeanette speaks about two important topics: sexuality and religion.She gives the reader her mother's point of view about religion, life and death. The Apocalypse can refear to the discover by Mrs. Winterson of Jeanette's omosexuality.

Chapter 9English Literature A-Z

In this chapter, Jeanette describes her relationship with literature. She sees reading as the only means of salvation, consolation; books as friends, only source of help in her troubles.

Chapter 10This Is The Road

This chapter deals with jeanette’s admission at the University of Oxford and her plans for the future. Another topic discussed is the affirmation of women in society, her role and her rights.

Chapter 11Art and Lies

In this chapter is presented the parallelism between art and lies. As in previous chapters, Jeanette talks about her univesitary life, her idea of literature and her mother's beliefs.

Chapter 12The Night Sea Voyage

When Jeanette was child she thought that the drawer was a ship and the rug was a sea. She finds a "message in a bottle", her birth certificate. She doesn't investigate about this dark secret which has got repercussions on her life.

Chapter 13This Appointment Takes Place In The PastIn this chapter are resumed the topics of the previous chapter: consequences of her discovery. In addition she speaks about her love with Susie and the crucial appointment with her biological mother.Chapter 14

Strange MeetingDescription of the meeting with her biological mother. She feels a lot of emotions.

Chapter 15The Wound

Wound that strucks both Jeanette, Mrs Winterson and Anne S, but with different thickness and in different ways. Retraced his life during the course of her memoir, Jeanette finally feels at home.

CODA“When I began this book I had no idea how it wuold turn out. I was writing in real time. I was writing the past and discovering the future.”

Jeanette meets again her biological mother. She addresses two important topics:• Motherhood • Love that only a mother can give.

MAIN CHARACTERS:All the characters are described from Jeanette's point of view.