The Lemon Tree Symbol in As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow
Introduction
The lemon tree is the central symbol of Zoulfa Katouh’s As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow, appearing from the very first line to the final image. More than a decorative motif, it represents continuity, hope, and the unbreakable spirit of Syria. The symbol first appears in the epigraph—a line by Syrian poet Nizar Qabbani—and recurs through protests, personal memories, and a final seedling in Toronto. This analysis traces its literal appearances, examines how its meaning shifts across the story, and connects it to key characters and themes.
Literal Presence of Lemon Trees
The lemon tree manifests in several concrete forms throughout the novel:
- Epigraph: The book opens with Nizar Qabbani’s line, “Every lemon will bring forth a child and the lemons will never die out,” establishing the fruit as a metaphor for generational renewal.
- Protest sign: In Chapter 23, during the anniversary protest in Freedom Square, Salama sees a sign painted with the same Qabbani poem, linking the lemon to revolutionary defiance.
- Kenan’s scent: In Chapter 19, Salama learns that Kenan’s perpetual lemon scent is his father’s cologne, making the smell a tangible connection to family and memory.
- Dream of planting: In Chapter 26, Salama dreams of planting lemon trees in Germany, projecting hope into a future beyond war.
- Boat memory: In Chapter 39, as the refugees fight hypothermia, Salama and Kenan describe a Syria where “trees bear lemons golden as the sun,” preserving the image as a cultural touchstone.
- Balcony seedling: In the epilogue, four months after settling in Toronto, the couple tends a blue ceramic pot with a young lemon tree. The seedling pushes through the soil, symbolizing their new beginning.
Evolution of Meaning
The lemon tree’s meaning deepens as Salama’s journey unfolds:
- National resilience: The epigraph and protest sign ground the lemon in Syrian identity, suggesting the nation’s endurance despite atrocity.
- Personal hope: For Salama, lemons shift from abstract symbol to intimate anchor. Kenan’s lemon cologne becomes a comfort; her dream of planting trees in Germany transforms the symbol into a personal commitment to life.
- Overcoming trauma: In the epilogue, the seedling’s fragile growth mirrors Salama’s own recovery—still vulnerable, but alive. The lemon tree no longer represents an ideal Syria; it represents her Syria, carried into exile.
Connection to Characters and Themes
Salama Kassab
Salama’s relationship with the lemon symbol mirrors her arc from guilt-driven survival to choosing hope. The protest sign reminds her of her mother’s lemonade, linking the fruit to love and loss. In the epilogue, her words “Lemons take time, Kenan. We’re growing a tree. They need patience, just like change does” reveal her acceptance of slow, painful healing.
Kenan
Kenan’s lemon scent ties him to his imprisoned father, making the smell a reminder of duty and love. He carries the past without being consumed by it—qualities Salama learns to adopt. Their shared vision of lemon trees in a free Syria becomes a quiet covenant.
Khawf
Khawf, the hallucination of fear, actively works against the lemon tree’s hope. He tries to convince Salama that dreams are dangerous. The struggle between Khawf and the lemon tree represents the internal battle between trauma and resilience.
Layla and Hamza
Layla argues that survival is not enough—life must be lived. The lemon tree embodies her philosophy: it is not enough to flee; one must plant, grow, and nourish. Hamza’s promise to get Layla out is the catalyst for Salama’s flight, and the final seedling honors that promise.
Themes
- Hope and resilience: The lemon tree is the novel’s most consistent emblem of perseverance.
- Survival vs. living: The tree requires patience and care, opposing the mere instinct to escape.
- Trauma and guilt: The cologne and memory of lemonade evoke both pain and the courage to move forward.
- Sacrifice and duty: Salama’s eventual planting of the tree abroad honors the sacrifices made by Hamza and Layla.
- Resistance and documentation: The protest sign turns poetry into political defiance.
Four Study Questions with Answers
1. How does the epigraph’s lemon metaphor establish the novel’s central theme?
Answer: The epigraph “Every lemon will bring forth a child and the lemons will never die out” uses the fruit to represent generational continuity. By linking lemons to children, Qabbani suggests that life renews itself endlessly, even amid destruction. This metaphor primes readers to interpret the entire story as a testament to Syrian resilience, despite the siege of Homs.
2. Why does Kenan smell of lemons, and what does this reveal about his character?
Answer: In Chapter 19, Kenan reveals that his lemon scent comes from his father’s cologne. This detail shows that Kenan carries his father—a regime prisoner—with him every day. Rather than forgetting the past, he honors it through something as intimate as scent. It marks him as a character who refuses to let memory dissolve, a quality that eventually helps Salama hold onto her own hope.
3. How does the protest sign quoting Qabbani function within the story?
Answer: In Chapter 23, the sign appears during the anniversary protest at Freedom Square. It converts a private metaphor into a public rallying cry. The line—identical to the epigraph—creates a structural echo, reinforcing that the revolution is not just political but existential. For Salama, it also triggers a personal memory of her mother’s lemonade, blending revolutionary hope with familial love.
4. What does the final lemon tree seedling in Toronto symbolize for Salama and Kenan?
Answer: The seedling represents renewal after near-total loss. It is not a grand gesture but a fragile, slow-growing plant—mirroring their own recovery. Salama explicitly says, “It reminds me that as long as the lemon trees grow, hope will never die.” The tree roots the couple in their new home while still connecting them to Syria. It transforms the lemon from a symbol of what was lost into a symbol of what can still be grown.