Winterson titles the eight chapters of her book like the first eight chapters of the Old Testament. In this way Winterson wants to illustrate connections between various texts. At the same time, the themes of Winterson's chapters are similar to those of the biblical books. For example, the biblical book of Genesis describes the beginnings of the world, man, and the tribes of Israel. Likewise, Winterson's chapter also tells of Jeanette's beginnings, describing Jeanette, her placement in her family, and her unique family life. Among the narrator's memories, there is moreover the fable about the princess and the hunchback. This story seems unrelated to Jeanette's world. However the princess/hunchback story is actually a retelling of what happens to Jeanette. The princess is so sensitive that she cannot rule, but after the hunchback gives the princess something to occupy her hours the princess forgets her pain. Likewise, Jeanette finds in mother's religion a way to avoid distress at a young age. Winterson tries to show Jeanette's attachment to her home and its beliefs in this first chapter.

The biblical book of Exodus contains the story of the escape of the people of Israel from Egypt. The Exodus chapter in Oranges deals with similar themes of flight. Jeanette is finally able to see below confines of her small home and its belief. Thanks to school, Jeanette comes into contact with ideas that are not those of her mother's. The opening scene of this chapter shows that Jeanette can't always follow her mother's ideas. While her mother listens to the radio for discussing the biology of snails, Jeanette thinks up a funny story about Mr. and Mrs. Snail and decides that her mother is not seeing clearly. Jeanette's belief that her mother could be partially incorrect on this, her first day of school, evidence Jeanette's eventual ideological separation from her mother.