1. Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal? Jeanette Winterson, 2011 Andrea Zanolla VB

2. Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal? Jeanette Winterson, 2011 Introduction Literary Genre: J. Winterson writes a novel and the judgement is personal since the novel is a memoir. Title: The words Happy and Normal emerges from the title. The peculiarity of the title lies in their opposition. Happy  no normal Normal  no happy Dedication:  Constance Winterson (adoptive mother);  Ruth Rendell (literal mother);  Ann S. (biological mother).

3. Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal? Jeanette Winterson, 2011 Chapter 1 - The Wrong Crib Topic:  Information about the novelist’s life  Description of adoption, parents, thinking about the choice to be a writer. Function:  Introduction  Informative chapter Chapter 2 – My Advice To Anybody Is: Get Born Topic:  Description of her native town: Manchester;  Information about her adoption, birth, adoptive parents, and her biological mother;  Reflection about the relationship happiness/life. Function:  Descriptive and argumentative chapter.

4. Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal? Jeanette Winterson, 2011 Chapter 3 – In The Beginning Was The Word Topic:  The novelist wants to tell the reader on how she reached the awareness and importance of the language.  Description of the parents’ behaviour during the reading of the Bible and her feelings. Function:  To communicate the importance and the power of language. Chapter 4 – Trouble With A Book… Topic:  The protagonist becomes novelist even if her mother attempts to stunt her imaginative growth with religion. Function:  Information about the protagonist’s relationship with books.

5. Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal? Jeanette Winterson, 2011 Chapter 5 – At Home Topic:  The novelist describes her home and what usually happens inside;  The novelist escapes from this sad place taking refuge in books. Function:  To communicate the important role of book in her life. Chapter 6 – Church Topic:  Reflection on the contradictions of religion: kindness/cruelty of dogma, simple happiness/no dancing,….  The absence of unconditional love in her life.  The protagonist falls in love with a girl; discovers a happiness which soon disappears. Function:  Love is without distinctions.

6. Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal? Jeanette Winterson, 2011 Chapter 7 – Accrington Topic:  Description of the town where the protagonist lived after the adoption. Function:  To tell the reader about the place of her birth. Chapter 8 – The Apocalypse Topic:  Mrs Winterson’s thought about religion and her idea about life and death.  The protagonist falls in love again with another girl and reveals this to her mother. Function:  To reflect on society, religion and homosexuality.

7. Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal? Jeanette Winterson, 2011 Chapter 9 – English Literature A-Z Topic:  Literature for the protagonist is a friend who can help her in “troubled waters”. Function:  To restate the importance that books have in the protagonist’s life. Chapter 10 – This Is The Road Topic:  The protagonist decides to apply to read at the University of Oxford.  The role of women in society. Function:  To show how she reached her goal;  Every woman is able to actualize her dreams if she wants.

8. Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal? Jeanette Winterson, 2011 Chapter 11 – Art and Lies Topic:  The books remain an important support in the protagonist’ s life despite she meets other negative adults (university tutor). Function:  To communicate the decision to close the relationship with her mother. Chapter 12 – This Night Sea Voyage Topic:  The title refers to something hidden (the secret of her birth).  The word Voyage refers to the protagonist’s inner voyage which allows her to find the balance of mind by means of the writing again. Function:  To show the importance of writing as a rehabilitation tool.

9. Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal? Jeanette Winterson, 2011 Chapter 13 – This Appointment Takes Place In The Past Topic:  Life appointments: a new love; father’s death; adoption research and biological mother’ letter. Function:  The writer reveals the mystery of her roots. Chapter 14 – Strange Meeting Topic:  The novelist meets her biological mother and speaks about her life.  The protagonist appeals to feelings to describe this crucial appointment. Function:  To explain the importance to know the roots of our life.

10. Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal? Jeanette Winterson, 2011 Chapter 15 – The Wound Topic:  The three women are wounded in different ways.  The wound will never disappear since defines the identity of a person. Function:  By means of the meeting with Ann, the novelist find the meaning of her life.