As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow

As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow is set against the backdrop of the Syrian Revolution, offering a fictionalized account of real events and challenges faced by Syrian citizens during the uprising. Since 2011, the civil war has caused havoc: “What started as a peaceful uprising against the president of Syria 12 years ago turned into a full-scale civil war” ("Why Has the Syrian War Lasted 12 Years?.” BBC, 2 May 2023). Under President Bashar al-Assad, Syrian citizens faced economic difficulties and political corruption, and began protesting in favor of democracy. The President and his army attacked “rebels”—protestors—with force. Since then, many uprisings have taken place in Syria, and other countries—including Russia, Iran, and Israel—have sent weapons and forces to help either side of the civil war. According to the BBC, “[The war] has left half a million people dead,” including over 20,000 children ("Why Has the Syrian War Lasted 12 Years?"). Still, the number does not account for people “who have died because they’ve had a lack of water, food, or other basic human rights” (“Why Has the Syrian War Lasted 12 Years?”).

In addition to these deaths, the Syrian War has caused upheaval and poor living conditions for survivors: