Oranges are not the Only Fruit is a novel written by Janette Winterson during the winter of 1983 and the spring of 1984. As the novelist tells  in the introduction, it is an experimental novel. It is organized into eight chapters, each having different functions and titles taken from the Octateuch which is a traditional name for the eight books of the Bible, comprising the Pentateuch, plus the Book of Joshua, Book of Judges and Book of Ruth.

The first chapter is the Genesis which means generation or origin. It deals with Janette’s early years of life, starting with her adoption.  It tells the origins of her religious education, of her life as a Chosen girl. Right from the Genesis, the intelligent reader can understand that her mother is the main figure of the novel with Janette.

On the other hand, in the Bible, the Genesis tells about the Jew population who were chosen by God as the “Chosen people” to help him spread his beliefs.

The second chapter is the Exodus which means going out or departure. In the novel it tells about Janette starting her education at school. In the Bible the Exodus deals with the Jewish departure from Egypt to the Holy land. As a consequence the novel takes reference to the Bible because Janette spends part of her life in another environment and experience new points of view.

Both the chapters analyse the concept of diversity. Janette is different from her mother right from her childhood since she doesn’t represent the perfect child the mother wants: she doesn’t answer correctly to all the religious questions of her mother. At school she is diverse and her teachers and schoolmates are afraid of her.