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A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
This book was great!!!!!!!! It had everything and i mean everything! Even a little romance. Set in the early 1900's this book is about Francie Nolan whom we get to grow up with. As ur reading this even though the neighborhood is poor u find urself wanting to live in Brooklyn in the early 1900's. This book was too good to be true. I dont' ever really remember a chapter when i didn't like this book. I read it in fifth grade which might have been too young for even me, but it was great!
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
Even the weak small tree in the back yard can grow with only little sunlight. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith is a poignant novel that beautifully displays the themes of a growing family, often compared to a growing tree. The journeys of the Nolan family, all extensions included, are captured in five "books", each documenting a period of their lives. Mostly, the focus is on Francie, the book beginning when she is age eleven in the Williamsburg slums of Brooklyn, though there are also records of her early years and even her birth. When Francie is born and looks as if she might not live too long, her mother Katie is pitied for the sickly baby and she replies: "Who wants to die? Everything struggles to live. Look at that tree growing up there out of that grating. It gets no sun, and water only when it rains. It's growing out of sour earth. And it's strong because its hard struggle to live makes it strong" (93). Through this coming-of-age novel, Francie constantly exhibits her innermost thoughts concerning life, love, and her family from 1902 to 1919.After showing Brooklyn in the first book during the summer of 1912 as "serene", and quoting Francie's observations about the people who surround her, the path continues into lives of Francie's parents Katie and Johnny, beginning when they first met, and delving into their families. The tales of Katie's sisters Sissy, Evy, and Eliza and bits about Johnny's brothers Andy, Georgie, and Frankie are covered as well. Book Three begins when Francie is approximately age seven when the Nolan family moves to a new flat due to the accidents caused by an overwhelming amount of love from Sissy. Francie now begins a new adventure called school, which confronts her with both good and bad incidents. She painfully endures her beautiful father's death, and sees her mother's newest pregnancy, which is Johnny's child. She recognizes her mother's apparent love for Neeley over her, and learns that upon ending middle school she must get her working papers. Francie yearns for education but realizes that she must work to help her family and keep them afloat.Book Four begins with Francie learning the ropes of factory life and to appreciate the necessity of work. Annie Laurie, Francie's new sister, is born. She will not grow up in poverty as Francie and Neeley did, because of the nice, rich man who is courting Katie. Francie finds her first crush, her first love, her first heartbreak all in this section of the book. In Book Five Francie leaves the necessity of her life of work and prepares for a life of luxury thanks to Katie's new husband. The novel ends with Francie bidding adieu to her old town, her old life, and her old self.Throughout my journey of reading A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, I both laughed and cried, and realized that there were aspects of this book that I liked and ones that I disliked. I liked knowing about all the people in the family, and knowing their emotions rather than merely knowing about Francie alone. I liked growing up with Francie, and observing her ups and downs. Though all of this possibly could not have been written in a shorter length, I felt that the book was too long and that it dragged at certain points. While I enjoyed the writing style of Betty Smith, I think that some of the vignettes were unnecessary. I most liked the constant symbolism of the tree growing in the backyard. "The tree hadn't died. A new tree had grown from the stump and its trunk had grown along the ground until it reached a place where there were no wash lines above it. Then it had started to grow towards the sky again...It lived! And nothing could destroy it" (483).
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
This book has a way of being able to transport you right to the place and time. I read it as a sophomore in high school, and have reread it since. Unbelievable!If you want to read excellent description and authenticity par exelence, just read this book!
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
This is my favorite book ever!! A touching strory of a young girl, Francie Nolan and her life in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
I had always wanted to read this book and I finally bought it last month. I read it in 2 days and simply could not get enough of it. The characters and story touched me forever. It made me both cry and smile. It was without a doubt the greatest book I have ever read and one of the most beautifully written. When I was finished I found myself going back to read certain parts over. The part with the roses was my favorite. This is a truly wonderful book and I highly recommend it!
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
I grew up loving this movie and was worried the book would deminish my fond memories of the movie. In all actuallity it fullfilled my longing, from the movie version,of wanting to know more about each character. You could almost feel the author pouring her soul into this story as she captures all the romance and poignancy of the era in such a manner that you feel as if you could step right into the book and fit right in. The book was INCREDIBLY well written and detailed with out being verbose, repetative, or boring. This should be a required read in school for YA readers.