Grows In Brooklyn

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In the novel A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, Betty Smith tells the story of Francie Nolan growing up in one of the poorest and roughest neighborhoods in Brooklyn, New York where she has to overcome and endure many difficulties. In the exposition, Francie and her younger brother Neeley live with their mother, Katie, and their father, Johnny. Katie is a hard working janitress, mainly supporting the family while Johnny is a singing waiter. Johnny is a caring and optimistic father, but drinks too much causing Francie and her brother to have to do many hard jobs simply to keep the family afloat. An example of this is how on every Sunday morning Francie and Neeley collect scrap junk in the streets of Williamsburg to sell to a junk shop. Furthermore, …show more content…
“A terrible panic that had no name came over her as she realized that many of the sweet babies in the world were born to become something like this old man one day. She had to get out of that place or it would happen to her. (Smith,17). This is the moment when Fransie realises she has to have a better future than her relatives. At that moment she sees what she is destined for and becomes determined to get out of poverty and illiteracy.
The rising action begins when Katie decides that Francie and Neeley need to go to school. Francie enjoys learning, but has hatred for her teachers since they are cruel to poor and immigrant children. This leads to Francie discovering a new school she wants to go to, and is enrolled. Francie enjoys this school much more and thrives, but during this time Johnny is drinking heavily. This affects the Nolan family extremely. The climax occurs when Francie’s father Johnny passes away due to his alcoholism. Johnny's death hits Francie especially hard considering that Francie was very attached to him. Moreover, Katie is pregnant with her third child when Johnny dies. The months leading up after Johnny's deaths are hard for the family, but Katie works hard to keep Katie and Neeley in school until they graduate 8th grade. In the end, Annie Laurie the newest member of the Nolan family is born healthy and happy in
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