MovieChat Forums > Etz Limon (2008) Discussion > Metaphor in the Lemon Tree

Metaphor in the Lemon Tree

posted 12 years ago by chinguard
4 replies | jump to latest

A few things struck me when watching this the second time around.

Although Israel is a common Jewish name, the choice of it for the defence minister seems an odd and potentially confusing one - unless he is intended to directly represent the state of Israel. He is a rather bumbling character and certainly two-faced in his overtures to the media. The decision to uproot the trees doesn't come from anyone we ever see - in fact everyone seems to think it's a bad idea but are going along with it just because someone in the secret service has apparently made the decision, and therefore it must be right. The minister himself has no real opinion on the matter either way, and his patronising taste for Arab cuisine suggests no deep-rooted feelings against Arab culture. Likewise the somewhat foolish but well-meaning soldier, who guards the green line while practising abstract logic but is genuinely friendly to Salma when caught off-guard.

Mira (which interestingly means bitterness in Hebrew) meanwhile finds herself increasingly distanced from Israel, perhaps representing Israelis disenchantment with their political powers; in one telling scene her journalist friend reminds her, "I remember when you couldn't keep your hands off him"; "yes," she replies, "but the feelings pass and you're left with a hole". Just as some Israelis have begun to feel disillusioned with the actions of their Israel after the promising romance of Zionism. In the final scene Mira leaves her husband, and he is left standing in his beautiful garden surrounded by a three metre concrete wall.

Particularly interesting is the reaction of the children - both Mira's daughter and Salma's son live in America, and seem to tell of the distance and misunderstanding which exists in the Palestinian and Jewish diaspora communities - Salma's son advises her to leave her father's orchard behind and come to America where "life is much better!" - later, seeing her plight on TV he turns to his coworkers and exclaims "hey, that's my mum" - they tell him how beautiful she is and toast her while sitting around the bar, with no recognition of her suffering. Likewise Mira's daughter calls her on Skype to find her crying. Mira confesses that she is cracking up over the events surrounding her and her daughter informs her that she sounds very depressed and should ignore the situation, not go against Israel ("do you know what it would do to him?"), then ends the call saying "I love you, take care". Both children have no sympathy or even comprehension of the effect that the deadlock is having on their parents, the Israelis and Palestinians living in the conflict.

There may well be more that I missed, I was surprised to find how deep the film is, beneath the human story. Maybe others can fill in some other details.

[–] taijiquan12 12 years ago

This was a really well thought out post, and although I can't really say whether or not every last metaphor you saw in the movie was actually intended to be there, I can say that I definitely see how you developed some of these ideas watching it.

One observation you made that I liked was about the children being indifferent to the plight of the parents, in both cases separated by technology of one kind or another, giving a slight phrase of reassurance and then ending the brief conversation, without really getting an idea of what they're parents were going through (the son of Salma and the daughter of the Defense Minister's Wife).

There definitely is symbolism or the opportunity to look for it in this film, but it's not overtaken or ruled by the symbolism, it wasn't really heavy handed in my opinion.

"Bulls**t MR.Han Man!!"--Jim Kelly in Enter the Dragon

[–] chinguard 12 years ago

Thank you, taijiquan12.

[–] steve-ganot 12 years ago

Yes, the defense minister's name is symbolic. "Israel Navon" means "Israel is wise". The minister represents Israel, and his name emphasizes the country's rose-tinted view of itself -- wise, justified, defensive, enlightened, tough but liberal, peace-seeking, living with dangerous threats just beyond its borders, etc.

As you note, the minister seems two-faced and patronizing. He cultivates a peace-seeking, liberal image, but it proves to be a little thin, and he is blind to the actual effect he has on his neighbor. In the end, moral sensitivity always takes a backseat to security needs. And as you note, he isn't against Arab culture, but his relationship to it seems rather patronizing and superficial.

This is all very much part of the film's message -- a rather harsh critique of the Israeli security establishment (and, as you say, perhaps of Zionism itself).

Of course, the film doesn't only criticize one side and spare the other. The Palestinian government is shown to be rather deaf to Salma's plight and useless in helping her retain her lemon grove. She is also pressured by her own people to refuse the compensation that Israel offers. They force her into a decision that contradicts her own immediate interests and needs, and to suffer unnecessarily for essentially political reasons -- their own sense of what the conflict with Israel demands. And her lawyer, though he seems to have actual feelings for her, also uses her case to portray himself as the underdog hero in a legal-political battle with Israel, thereby advancing his own career. Thus, she is a victim of both sides, and of the conflict in general.

The overall message is that decency, justice, human relationships, simple pleasures, neighborly relations, etc. are all harmed by the forces of nationalism and militarism on both sides of the conflict.

[–] jerry4444 8 years ago

Woww, i'm so glad i came to this thread. The meanings of the names, mira and israel navon, i thought that was interesting.

And the disinterest of the younger generation too was interesting. I guess if you are able to escape or go elsewhere, why not? Not everyone is so lucky though.

Maybe i'm wrong in this, but do you think tje lemon trees represent palestine itself? Something that has been there since ages ago, only to be "invaded", left to die and eventually got rid of?

Also, the supreme's court judgement, instead if uprooting them, they'd be pruned. It's like a compromise that was made in the best interest of both sides. Neither party got what they wanted, but at least at that time, that was the best solution.

I wonder if i was seeing things, in the last scene, did one of the lemon trees have some green branches to it? I.e. Though they were cut doen, some survived, giving a sign of hope?