Childhood Quote by Jeanette Winterson
““She had other favourite lines. Our gas oven blew up. The repairman came out and said he didn't like the look of it, which was unsurprising as the oven and the wall were black. Mrs Winterson replied, 'It's a fault to heaven, a fault against the dead, and a fault to nature.' That is a heavy load for a gas oven to bear. She liked that phrase and it was more than once used towards me; when some well-wisher asked how I was, Mrs W looked down and sighed, 'She's a fault to heaven, a fault against the dead, and a fault to nature.' This was even worse for me than it had been for the gas oven. I was particularly worried about the 'dead' part, and wondered which buried and unfortunate relative I had so offended.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: Written on Glass by Jeanette Winterson, 1995
The narrator uses a metaphor of a faulty oven to express deep personal guilt and existential burden.
In simple terms: A broken oven becomes a symbol for feeling condemned by fate.
Key Takeaway
Acknowledge guilt but don’t let it define you.
Themes
guilt
existentialism
metaphor
Mood
reflective
melancholic
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- grief counseling
- writing therapy
- family discussions
Key Concepts
responsibility
family legacy
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you translate personal pain into symbols?
- Can humor soften heavy emotions?
A Different Perspective
The metaphor may over‑dramaticize ordinary mishaps.
