Deuteronomy

Question 1

Plot summary for Deuteronomy

Answer 1

This chapter is at the centre of the novel and is a crucial point in Jeanette’s life. Jeanette refuses to reduce events and her love life with Melanie into a single interpretation. She refuses to restrict her story and make it fit into a specific frame of reference - this helps her to hold on to her identity at a point when it is threatened by the authority of the church. ​

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Question 2

Metanarrative for Deuteronomy

Answer 2

This chapter moves away from the main narrative – it is a philosophical reflection on the nature of history, fiction, truth and understanding. A reflection on the process of storytelling. ​

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Reflects on current status of history as factual, objective, realistic and undeniably true reporting of the past. The writer challenges this notion. Explores the dichotomy between ‘history’ (fact) and ‘storytelling’ (fiction) and disrupts this division. Criticises that history is simply a select number of events made to ‘fit’ and form a cohesive narrative – historical fact involves a process of organising, ordering and controlling. It is also selective – fact only becomes ‘fact’ when we eliminate other events.

Question 3

Poems linked to Deuteronomy

Answer 3

History
Sub
The Virgin’s Memo

Question 4

Link to the Bible story in Deuteronomy

Answer 4

Restates the 10 commandments and records the final events in the life of Moses

Question 5

Key quotes from Deuteronomy