Chapter 18: Amalfi Lemons – Summary and Analysis
Spoiler Warning: This summary and analysis contains details from Chapter 18 of Swan Song by Elin Hilderbrand. If you have not yet read the chapter, proceed with caution.
Summary
Days after the Pink and White Party, Coco remains busy. Leslee reviews thank‑yous, notes a dead orchid, and asks about the skinny‑dipping. Coco runs errands for Bull’s breakfast meeting: she scours Nantucket for mangoes and fails to buy more than six morning buns at the bakery. Later she provisions nine stops for the household, picking up specialty foods, alcohol, and prescriptions (Ambien, Ativan for Leslee; Viagra for Bull). A package from Italy arrives: Amalfi lemons costing €284 that Leslee displays decoratively. Coco is appalled by the waste but stays silent.
While delivering the prescriptions, Coco hears Bull shouting. He calls her into his office; she fears he will try to seduce her, but instead Bull checks in on her well‑being, vents about his business struggles, and defends Leslee’s nature. He gives Coco the rest of the day off. Coco finishes putting away groceries, then lies to Kacy about having to detail Leslee’s car. She pilfers a bottle of Tanqueray, champagne, sugar packets, and two Amalfi lemons, then heads to the beach alone.
Key Events
- Leslee reviews thank‑yous from party guests and mentions a dead orchid.
- Coco struggles to find mangoes and morning buns for Bull’s breakfast meeting.
- Coco provisions nine different stores, including pharmacy pickups for Leslee and Bull.
- The Amalfi lemons arrive; Leslee displays them instead of using them.
- Coco overhears Bull shouting and is called into his office, fearing a seduction attempt.
- Bull instead asks how she is, vents about his business, and gives her the afternoon off.
- Coco lies to Kacy, steals alcohol and two lemons, and goes to the beach alone.
Character Development
Coco — Her inner conflict between enjoying luxury and being offended by waste deepens. She longs for order (neatly lining up groceries) and recalls her modest childhood. By stealing small items and taking time for herself, she begins to assert agency, yet she remains cautious about Bull’s intentions.
Leslee — Remains self‑absorbed, caring more about thanks and ornaments (lemons) than the labor behind them. Her nervous hair‑winding habit hints at suppressed anxiety.
Bull — Reveals a more complex side: not predatory, but protective of Leslee and worried about his business. He gives Coco genuine time off, though his motives remain unclear.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
Wealth and Waste — The Amalfi lemons epitomize conspicuous consumption: items bought solely for display, not utility. Coco’s internal reckoning shows the moral strain of serving such excess.
Class and Labor — Contrasts between Coco’s mother slicing ham at a deli and Leslee’s €284 lemons highlight the vast gulf between purposeful work and idle luxury. Coco’s “home editing” reflects her desire for the order she lacked as a child.
Power Dynamics — Coco fears sexual exploitation when Bull closes the door, but he asserts power through kindness and a day off. The moment blurs the line between genuine concern and control.
Escape — Coco’s solo beach outing, with stolen goods, represents a small rebellion. She reclaims time and pleasure from a job that consumes her.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter crystallizes Coco’s moral dilemma. She enjoys the perks of her job but is increasingly disturbed by the Richardsons’ waste. Bull’s unexpected generosity and the theft of the lemons set up future choices: will she continue to play along or act on her growing disillusionment? The chapter also deepens our understanding of Bull, complicating him as a potential ally or a more subtle manipulator.
Study Questions and Answers
1. Why does Coco decide not to say anything about the wastefulness of the Amalfi lemons?
Coco remains silent because she has become seduced by the luxuries of her new life—the king bed, driving Baby, ordering lobster salad sandwiches. She chooses to express disapproval passively by leaving the groceries for Leslee to put away.
2. What does Bull’s conversation with Coco reveal about his character?
Bull shows a protective, vulnerable side. He explains his business background, defends Leslee’s difficulty keeping female friends, and gives Coco a day off. He also vents about “snowflakes” and regulations, revealing a conservative worldview. The talk is not the expected seduction but a genuine check‑in—though it maintains his power.
3. Why does Coco steal the lemons and alcohol at the end of the chapter?
Coco steals as a form of small rebellion. She wants to enjoy something for herself after days of exhausting, thankless work. The act reclaims her agency and signals that she is not completely bought in to the Richardsons’ world—she will take what she feels she deserves.