The lemon plant symbolizes hope and believing within both Jolly’s and LaVaughn life. In the exposition, the seeds are planted in the lemon plant and you see the kids waiting for the plant to grow. LaVaughn says, I see / just an outline / against the sooty window / this little kid sitting beside an empty pot of dirt / and I guess he’s concentrating on praying” (Wolff 25). Just like the boy praying, the lemon plant supports that if you just believe something good will happen, good things might happen. The sooty window is able to help build the mood of hope by creating a positive connotation through looking out the sooty window into a boy praying. Not only does the boy have hope but LaVaughn has high hopes for going to college and being successful.
