Chapter 47 🌝

Hello everyone. I'll be answering a few questions on the last chapter of The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake today. 

1. What does the last image of the trees have to do with Rose and her family?

Tbh I have no clue. But I guess, if it were to be in reference to Rose's family, it would probably symbolize her family members, though I can't really put my finger on what portrays whom. Rose's description included 3 different groups of trees and how they're affected by the environment around them. 
Lol I'm just making things up as I go at this point but I think the trees that grew closest to the edge of the island represent both Joseph and Paul. I feel like the natural biotic factors that test the trees symbolize their powers and how much it has impacted their lives and the condition of the tree eventually falling into the ocean implies the after-math of how they've handled their powers. 
Joseph has the ability to transform and be physically absorbed in furniture. And because he is an introvert by nature, he dwelled into his powers too much and made it his haven to escape from reality. This has caused him and his family a lot of pain and because he chose this path, you can see how hard it is, for him especially, to live a life of normalcy. Hes become too accustomed to this that he has 'fallen into the ocean' and is complacent in this way. 

Paul, on the other hand, is too scared to explore his gift. He actively avoids it and this has made him a 'safe' person. Although he is happy to live in oblivion, you can't deny how much this has affected him. So many of his family members have been admitted in the hospital and he still refuses to enter. Sure, he anxiously waits in the parking lot and calls his specialist friends for help but he still wasn't there. He has conformed to his fear of the unknown and has too, 'fallen into the ocean'. 

I don't like Paul's character. He reminds me of Charles Bovary.

2. How do you interpret the last line of the novel?

"Was it so different than the choice of a card-table chair, except my choice meant I could stay in this world and his didn't?"

Ok I've been wondering this since the first time I read this line cos man, this is deep. I feel like this line was meant to show how Rose tried to rationalize her brother's choices. Since this chapter focuses on the dynamic of Joseph and Rose's relationship and how they've came to somewhat a mutual understanding towards the end of the novel, Rose paralleled her situation with Joseph's by comparing how much she could benefit from her gift and how Joseph benefited from his. 
Rose, who got so used to processed snacks and food, eventually took it as something enjoyable, and something she can still enjoy up till now. She also questioned how different this is from Joseph, who was also in such comfort by using his powers to be alone, chose to stay that way, because he too, takes it as something 'enjoyable'. 
So although Joseph's choices has lead him to end up on a hospital bed, Rose has reason to relate to this because in her mind, they're not quite different after all. 

3. What did you like and dislike most about the Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake? 

I love the subtlety of how the author portrays sadness, fear and joy in this novel. Though it was hard at first to understand given that there are none of these "" to indicate a dialogue, I thought it was a smart detail to show that the story was told from the POV of a 9 year old girl. I wouldn't recommend this to my less patient friends hahah but for those who would like insight of what it feels like to live in a world of detachment from a number of different views, best give this one a read.