A Tree Grows in Brooklyn - Spoilers

[Brina]

It seems like we are all in agreement that this book was a winner. I want to thank Loretta who told me about the book and that I would like it. I am planning on reading the "sequel" Joy in the Morning sometime near the end of the year. You are all welcome to join me.

[Loretta]

So thrilled to see that everyone enjoyed the book as much as I did! 🤗

[Lynn, New School Classics]

We are rereading A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith for the August Revisit the Shelf group read. I am reading it for the first time. I am partially into Book Two. I am struck by the attitude towards children. The birth of a child is greeted with tears and lamentation. It is considered a great curse to be born, not as a hateful attitude toward the child, but out of pity over what the child must face. I am intrigued by the life story of Francie's maternal grandmother. Grandmother Rommely of an Austrian peasant family. I love her drive to better her children and her admiration of reading. Anyone else reading?

[Lynn, New School Classics]

Another set of thoughts I have are on the metaphorical title. Years ago I saw the movie, and when it was over I felt like the doomed father should have been the tree. He was so sad, shriveled, and alone. In my copy p. 84:

"Don't say that, " Katie held her baby tightly. "It's not better to die. 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 is making it strong. My children will be strong that way."

I am sure the "tree" is really Francie in the end, but this is the point where Francie's mother develops a steel will to survive. The metaphor seems to work on many levels. There is that line of strength flowing from Grandmother Rommely to Katie, on to Francie.

[Franky]

Lynn wrote: "Another set of thoughts I have are on the metaphorical title. Years ago I saw the movie, and when it was over I felt like the doomed father should have been the tree. He was so sad, shriveled, and ..."

Lynn, that's interesting you point out that quote and the significance of the title. I really love that quote and wrote it down when I read it . It's literally the quote I think is very symbolic of everything the characters go through.

[Franky]

I finished it a few days ago. It was a very powerful novel and I think Smith creates realistic characters and a picture of this time and place very eloquently, but I found the book sort of sad and heavy at points. I really felt bad for Francie at times as well as some of the other characters who have bad situations/are unlucky in life/deal with tragedy at some point, so I was glad I was reading another book at the same time to sort of balance everything out. I'm still reflecting and thinking about the novel, so I'll probably post more later.

[Lynn, New School Classics]

Franky wrote: "I finished it a few days ago. It was a very powerful novel and I think Smith creates realistic characters and a picture of this time and place very eloquently, but I found the book sort of sad and ..."

I agree. It is very powerfully written. Some memoirs seem sugar-coated, but this seems very clear-sighted. It is called "semi-autobiographical" in some articles I have read. For anyone who joins our thread I would highly recommend reading this article first posted by Katy:

https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytim...

Also, there is a fun quiz at the start of the thread.

[Lynn, New School Classics]

Betty Smith is interviewed about her inspiration and process for writing A Tree Grows in Brooklyn.

https://www.literaryladiesguide.com/l...

[Lynn, New School Classics]

I finished the book today. I had to take a week-long break in the middle. Johnny's slow but inevitable decline was just too hard for me to take emotionally. I finally came back to book and finished the last 200 pages or so in a day. It was so sad that Johnny just couldn't find his place in the world. It was so heartwarming that the Nolan family was able to rise and find good places, that satisfied them, in society.

I loved the last page when Francie says goodbye to her childhood home. I could really relate to her actions. We all have the home we grew up in. I had a specific moment in my life when I said goodbye to my grandparents' home and another when I said goodbye to my mother's home.

[Denise]

Hi, All! I have thoroughly enjoyed this discussion thread and reading everyone's comments and views. I first read this book in high school, MANY years ago and I have read it several times since. I love it more each time. The pacing is perfect and the feel is so real and vivid I am drawn in more and more with each read. A perfect "coming of age" at any age!

[Emily]

For some reason though this is a "quick read" I've been reading it pretty slowly and steadily. I'm really savoring it. The characters are so well done and there is so much sadness and sweetness in the book. Hoping to finish the last 100 pages tomorrow...
The scene with the women throwing stones at the one woman was the most frustrating one for me.

[C.R.]

Lynn wrote: "I finished the book today. I had to take a week-long break in the middle. Johnny's slow but inevitable decline was just too hard for me to take emotionally. I finally came back to book and finished..."

Lynn - I feel the same way about Johnny's decline. I find reading the book again difficult, because I know what lies ahead for him. Yet the book is so lovely, I will steel myself to continue.

[Emily]

I was so happy for Sissy at the end but then sad thinking how she could have gone to the hospital for all her previous children and maybe escaped some of that heartache. It's hard to know though since that would have changed the whole rest of her life.

[Lynn, New School Classics]

Emily wrote: "I was so happy for Sissy at the end but then sad thinking how she could have gone to the hospital for all her previous children and maybe escaped some of that heartache. It's hard to know though si..."

So true! Sissy's heartache with childbirth really exemplified the theme of the importance of education. It seemed like throughout the book the members of the family were taking one step after another to improve their lives.

[Mela]

I envy American teenagers that they have such great novels to read... [if you are interested, here my short review]

[C.R.]

I just finished the book last night. I am struck by its hopeful ending and the mother's strength of character. Katie pulls the family through difficult times almost single-handedly. The Nolans could not have prospered without her.

[Tami]

I finished yesterday morning. What a wonderful way to start my day. This book has been on my to-read list for years. It was a satisfying read on so many levels.

There is an Ailanthus altissima (tree of heaven) on the rental property next to me, and there are hundreds in my neighborhood. I've fought little tree sprouts for years! They come up in my grass, between the cracks in my sidewalks and patios, along the edges of my brick borders, and weave up through my chainlink fence. "Heaven" forbid if I miss one and it gets real roots! They also smell VERY bad if their stems are broken. The irony is so profound.

Funny how a book can change the way one looks at their own life, the lives around them, and their opinions of formerly frustrating deciduous tree species.

This was a wonderful read. It was thought-provoking, inspiring, and educational. There were so many lessons in it, but I agree that the power of education was the greatest lesson.

T

[Julia]

Truly bittersweet. The best part to me was near the end when Francie and Neeley realize they had “fun,” that Laurie’s secure life will lack something they had. Maybe they mean the bonds that suffering and sacrificing together build in a family. Johnny was fun but unreliable. McShane - is he reliable but no fun? I’m curious to know what others think.

Another meaningful moment was the narrator’s pointing out that Francie had her Katie moment where she’d sacrifice anything to be with Lee, without regard to the children who’d have to share in that sacrifice.

On another random note, I disagree with Katie’s view of first love. I don’t think there’s this ONE to whom we compare all others.

[Emily]

Julia wrote: "Truly bittersweet. The best part to me was near the end when Francie and Neeley realize they had “fun,” that Laurie’s secure life will lack something they had. Maybe they mean the bonds that suffer..."

I totally agree with that last statement. I found it not very believable too when I read it. I guess everyone has different experiences though.

[Shirley (stampartiste)]

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this story. I thought Betty Smith did such a wonderful job of bringing the reader into her world of early 1900s Brooklyn. It was amazing to see how many changes occurred in such a relatively short period of time. This was a great thing for the younger generation, but it also left the older generation (Johnny and Uncle Willie) working in dying professions. I couldn’t help but feel for the men in this story who struggled to support their families on so little and worked in such dehumanizing professions.

This book also reminded me of the mostly unheralded strength of women living under harsh conditions (not just in this setting, but also pioneer women, or women in war-torn zones, etc.) and keeping the family together. Katie was such an inspiration, and although I didn’t always see eye-to-eye with her attitudes and actions with her children, I understand her motivation. For example, when she chose to send Neely to high school and force Frances to go to work, she understood her children and knew that this was the best course for both of them (I’m not sure I could have had that discernment).

Like all parents, Mary Rommely and Katie Nolan both worked hard to give the next generation a better life. It reminds me of one of my favorite quotes about the hopes and wishes of parenting: “I must study politics and war, that our sons may have liberty to study mathematics and philosophy. Our sons ought to study mathematics and philosophy, geography, natural history and naval architecture, navigation, commerce and agriculture in order to give their children a right to study painting, poetry, music, architecture, statuary, tapestry and porcelain.” (John Adams, 1780). For Mary and Katie, the motivation was more fundamental: rise out of the cycle of poverty and despair.

There were just so many things to learn and contemplate in this story. I hope to get back to it soon.

[Lynn, New School Classics]

I have loved reading all the comments this last month. This book was sad, but ultimately such a joy to read.

[PattyMacDotComma]

I finished it in August but had to sit on it for a while to decide what to say. I know how I felt about it, but I wondered about others, so I looked at some of the one-star and two-star reviews. People thought it dwelled too much on poverty, it was long, it was repetitious, it was boring. I don't think any of them realised it was not fiction, but actually a memoir dressed up as fiction.

I had read Angela's Ashes years ago, which takes place in Brooklyn during the depression. It is even bleaker, so this was no surprise.

I was never bored. I enjoyed every mouthful of something delicious that they so rarely enjoyed, especially the little bowl of candies Francie had while reading on the fire escape - the highlight of her week!

I did write a review, if anyone's interested. I quoted Katie's bread recipes and Francie's magic number stories. What an imagination both Katie and Francie had! I didn't want to forget their inspirations.

Link to my review

[Lynn, New School Classics]

PattyMacDotComma wrote: "I finished it in August but had to sit on it for a while to decide what to say. I know how I felt about it, but I wondered about others, so I looked at some of the one-star and two-star reviews. Pe..."

You wrote a wonderful review. It really captures the spirit of the book.

[C.R.]

The so many wonderful comments on this thread inspired me to write a short review.

http://goodreads.com/review/show/2936...

[Lynn, New School Classics]

C.R. wrote: "The so many wonderful comments on this thread inspired me to write a short review.

http://goodreads.com/review/show/2936..."

Your review is lovely, absolutely poetic. I then noticed you are a professor and author. I'm so glad to have you commenting in this group.

[C.R.]

Thanks so much, Lynn. I'm glad to be part of this terrific group.

[Alia]

I appreciated the reading ambitions. Francie's mother read them "a page of the Bible and a page of Shakespeare" every day, and got through both like four times. Francie herself wanted to read every book in the local library in alphabetical order.