Jodell
asked
Claire Fuller:
This question contains spoilers…
(view spoiler)[I don't understand many parts of Bitter Orange's so ill ask questions. Why did Peter stay in a monogamous relationship if there was no actual relations?how did the baby really die? Who was the father? Why did Clare lie so much? Who was actually telling the truth and who was not? Am I suppose to be this stumped? (hide spoiler)]
Claire Fuller
This answer contains spoilers…
(view spoiler)[Thanks for your questions. Firstly, I should say I deliberately leave lots of ambiguity in my novels to make readers do some thinking. So you can answer these questions yourself really - what do you think? And I'm probably only going to frustrate you with some more questions. But nevertheless, here we go:
Lots of people stay in monogamous relationships without any actual sexual relations. They love their partner, and maybe hope that one day things will change. Perhaps Peter was unable to 'perform' with someone else (only by himself)?
For all of the novel (even when Cara is telling her story) we're in Frances's head. Frances doesn't know how the baby really died, so the reader has to have that experience too. What do you think Frances believes? I think she'd tend to believe Peter's story. But maybe not.
The same goes for who was the father. What does Frances believe? She actually says towards the end that it really doesn't matter to her. It's a story. People have fathers, but we don't always have to know who they are.
I presume you mean Cara, and not Clare! Cara lies for all sorts of reasons: because she likes to be the centre of attention and her stories make her that. Because she wants to keep Frances as her audience. Because she thinks it makes her interesting. And if you believe that the baby dies in the way that Peter tells it, because she feels incredibly guilty.
It is a novel about stories and unreliable narrators. There's no answer to who was telling the truth and who wasn't.
Well, you are supposed to be stumped, but the lack of answers is supposed to make you the reader, think about what might be true/ real etc.
I hope that helps!
Claire (hide spoiler)]
Lots of people stay in monogamous relationships without any actual sexual relations. They love their partner, and maybe hope that one day things will change. Perhaps Peter was unable to 'perform' with someone else (only by himself)?
For all of the novel (even when Cara is telling her story) we're in Frances's head. Frances doesn't know how the baby really died, so the reader has to have that experience too. What do you think Frances believes? I think she'd tend to believe Peter's story. But maybe not.
The same goes for who was the father. What does Frances believe? She actually says towards the end that it really doesn't matter to her. It's a story. People have fathers, but we don't always have to know who they are.
I presume you mean Cara, and not Clare! Cara lies for all sorts of reasons: because she likes to be the centre of attention and her stories make her that. Because she wants to keep Frances as her audience. Because she thinks it makes her interesting. And if you believe that the baby dies in the way that Peter tells it, because she feels incredibly guilty.
It is a novel about stories and unreliable narrators. There's no answer to who was telling the truth and who wasn't.
Well, you are supposed to be stumped, but the lack of answers is supposed to make you the reader, think about what might be true/ real etc.
I hope that helps!
Claire (hide spoiler)]
More Answered Questions
Brittany
asked
Claire Fuller:
Thanks for liking my review of Swimming Lessons. Your book has ruined all other books for me at the moment. I am still in Flora and Ingrid's world. Thank you for loving readers and for writing a book that so beautifully honors readers. I was wondering what inspired you write about the 1970s and 80s? Both of your books have taken place around that time.
Laurie Reilly
asked
Claire Fuller:
Hi Claire, I was wondering... What inspired you to write Bitter Orange?
John
asked
Claire Fuller:
This question contains spoilers…
(view spoiler)[
Hello Claire.
I was wondering, do you know what happens to Peggy after the book's events? I was worried for example that she might be in trouble with the police after it was proven that Reuben didn't exist. I was also wondering if she would keep the baby.
Finally, how much of what she tells us about Reuben are simply her imagination (dreams perhaps?) and how much really happened?
Thanks.
(hide spoiler)]
I was wondering, do you know what happens to Peggy after the book's events? I was worried for example that she might be in trouble with the police after it was proven that Reuben didn't exist. I was also wondering if she would keep the baby.
Finally, how much of what she tells us about Reuben are simply her imagination (dreams perhaps?) and how much really happened?
Thanks. (hide spoiler)]
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