Lemons

Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 2017

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.

Download PDF

Summary

Background

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Chapters 1-12

Chapters 13-19

Chapters 20-30

Chapters 31-39

Chapters 40-53

Character Analysis

Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

Tools

Beta

Discussion Questions

Themes

Navigating Grief

Grief is a complex and intense emotion that can last for months or years and shows itself in endless forms. People react to grief in their own unique ways, and there is no right or wrong way to grieve. For the characters in Lemons, each is grieving their own losses in their own ways. Lemonade’s grief is the focus of the novel and of her growth as a character.

Within days of arriving in Willow Creek, Lemonade begins learning things about her mother that she never knew: “It feels weird to hear about Mama this way. It’s like I thought I knew her better than anyone in the whole entire world, and now I find out I don’t know lots of things about her” (32). The feeling is unsettling at first, but it isn’t long before these memories become a source of comfort instead. Lemonade does not want to lose her connection to her mother and keeps it by repeating her name, striving to live up to her own name that her mother gave her, and asking questions about how her mother used to be. She discovers one of her mother’s old toys, a precious stuffed rabbit, and puts it on her bed. She takes a photograph of her mother and stashes it under her mattress. Lemonade surrounds herself with her mother’s memory. Even still, she does not like to think about the fact that her mother is gone, and it takes time for her to fully accept this fact: “I try not to think about it because when I do, the sadness pulls me in so deep sometimes it feels like I’ll never find my way out” (76).

From Mrs. Dickerson, Lemonade learns about being grateful for the time she had with her mother, and from Debbie, Lemonade learns about optimism for the future. Because of Charlie, Lemonade has a living connection to her mother and her family heritage, and the talks they have help Lemonade trust and believe in Charlie. Charlie is dealing with his own grief, and for the most part, he remains silent about it, but he soon realizes that opening up will help Lemonade. He begins telling her about his regrets. As time goes on, Lemonade begins to use the memories of her mother to smile rather than cry, and she makes lemonade out of the most horrible experience of her life, just as her mother tells her in a dream: “Remember that with every loss, something meaningful and very special can blossom […] if you allow it to” (277).

Names and Legacy

Names are of particular significance in Lemons, and the story’s protagonist has a unique name that carries the story’s core theme within it. Names not only help to define a person, but they also act as a source of motivation and responsibility that arises out of a need to live up to one’s name. The name that Lemonade is given is one of her remaining connections to her mother, and she sees in her mother the same resilience that she knows is within herself somewhere. Tobin’s name carries its own significance, and Charlie is referred to as such until Lemonade feels that they have truly become a family. At that point, she begins calling him Grandfather.

Before she died, Lemonade’s mother told her, “You are my Lemonade. You are strong and smart and will always find a way to make sweet whatever bad comes your way” (205). Lemonade has always been able to live up to her name, but since her mother died, she has been swallowed up by grief and feels she has lost the part of herself that made her adventurous, spirited, and free. Tobin is a perceptive person and sees something within Lemonade that she no longer can, and he helps her find it by inspiring her with Bigfoot investigations. Lemonade’s frustration with herself in feeling stuck and as though she is sinking in quicksand makes her lash out with anger and sarcasm, and her warmer side is at times difficult to access. Lemonade is insightful and examines her own personal challenges before working to overcome them. Soon, she feels like herself again and embraces her new beginning.

Tobin’s name, which means “God is good,” carries its own special significance that reaches beyond the novel itself. Tobin was the name of Melissa Savage’s son, who died in 2012; his name is repeated in each of her novels as a way of keeping it alive. This sentiment is reflected in Lemonade, who regularly recites her mother’s name to stay connected to it. Tobin wants to make a name for himself as a Bigfoot investigator, in part to impress his father but also to make a lasting impact on the field of cryptozoology. Ironically, it is Lemonade who makes most of the discoveries, but she is more than happy to share the spotlight with Tobin, knowing her opportunities for discovery were all because of him.

Creating New Love From Old Loss

Loss is the central catalyst of the novel’s plot and the reason why Lemonade moves to Willow Creek. After her mother’s death, Lemonade feels isolated, alone, and angry. She is in a new place, around new people, and doesn’t know where to put her feet to stay grounded. Lemonade lost her mother, who was her only family, and is naturally resistant to the idea of having to start over when that was not something she ever expected. Lemonade is not the only person who has experienced loss; Charlie, Tobin, Debbie, and Mrs. Dickerson are all familiar with the experience, and each has their own way of coping with it. Mrs. Dickerson’s loneliness is clear in the way she is always calling the kids over for cookies, but she is also filled with wisdom. Tobin and Debbie eventually recover their lost love, while Lemonade and Charlie learn to rely on one another and form a new family.

As time passes, Lemonade becomes accustomed to and settled in her new life. She opens up to the people she has now, who clearly care about her and want the best for her. With helpful advice from Debbie about optimism and from Mrs. Dickerson about being grateful for time spent with loved ones, Lemonade learns to open her arms again. She embraces her new family, however unconventional it may be: “One giant hug. It feels warm and safe and comfortable and familiar. It feels like a family. Maybe not by blood, but by choice” (204). Lemonade and Debbie share a bonding moment while Charlie is in the hospital, and Debbie styles Lemonade’s hair for her. Although Lemonade’s mother cannot be replaced, Lemonade is learning to be grateful for the people who have stepped up to take care of her. After Charlie teaches her to ride a bike, she celebrates with her new family, and the moment signifies a change in Lemonade’s perspective and in her life. Charlie tells Lemonade that he would follow her anywhere, and Lemonade feels safe holding his “strong and tough, but kind” hand (177). Tobin and Lemonade have their squabbles and their differences, but they also share a love of adventure and an unspoken understanding with one another that bonds them for life. When Lemonade thinks of her mother, she feels grateful for the strength that she gave her because it helped Lemonade overcome her loss and open up to something new—a family built upon their shared experiences of grief and loss.