A Tree Grows in Brooklyn tells the story of Francie, a young girl growing up in Brooklyn during the early 20th century. Francie's mother is a hard worker who cleans houses for a living. Her father is a singing waiter who drinks too much. Much of the story involves the effects of alcoholism on Francie's father and the people around him. He suffers from
alcohol withdrawals and makes himself sicker and sicker through his drinking. Francie is a lonely girl who escapes to her fire escape to read. The tree growing outside her apartment makes her feel like she is somewhere other than the bustling streets on Brooklyn. Francie is like the tree. While she may seem small and fragile, she is surprisingly resilient and withstands challenges such as starting school with no friends, seeing her father die, and being heartbroken by her first love. Francie survives hunger and disease while her neighbor dies of tuberculosis. Sickness and strife surround Francie. She relies on the books in her library to show her the world outside of Brooklyn.Â
Betty Smith's novel is believed to be mostly autobiographical. This coming of age story was popular with my entire discussion group. We began our discussion with general impressions of the book. Did we like it? Did we hate it? Who were our favorite characters? Everyone in my group agreed on one thing: this is a book that transcends time. Battles fought by Francie's family and friends are battles faced today by millions of people. A hundred years have not changed the fact that people are still facing alcoholism, sexism, grief, and poverty. One of the most insightful comments from discussion was when one of my peers mentioned that she wished her mother had read this book. I often wonder what my mother would say about the books I read. I think she would have liked this one. My classmate wished her mother had read this book because her mother had a similar experience to Francie. She grew up in a low-income household and her father passed away at a young age. This comment inspired conversation about grief and how adolescents understand death. Books about death are important for young people because they need to feel like they are not alone when they lose someone close to them. Our discussion was meaningful and I felt as though I had known my group members for years. We talked about the books we read growing up and wondered how this one escaped us. Chatting about A Tree Grows in Brooklyn was a positive experience that I will remember fondly.
Reference
Smith, B. (1943). A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. New York, NY: HarperCollins.