The story begins in 1912. Francie Nolan is an impoverished 11 year old girl living in the slums of Williamsburg in Brooklyn, New York. She lives with her proud and hardworking mother, Katie, her ten year old brother, Neeley, and her alcoholic father, Johnny. To escape the hardships of her poverty, Francie relies on her imagination and lessons from books. The book details Francie's life from years one to 17.
Betty Smith never shies from describing poverty. Every aspect, from hunger to lack of opportunity, is grounded in detail. The extent of Smith's descriptions make the situations more genuine and nonfictional.
My favorite character in this bildungsroman is Katie, one of the most resourceful, proud, and hopeful mothers in all of literature. When the Nolans hit rock bottom, Katie takes on more work. She creates games to distract the children from the big picture: how destitute they are. Katie makes Francie and Neeley feel rich by always having one luxury: coffee. Katie insists that her children get an education before they begin to work for the money the family so desperately needs, and Katie takes on more work (even though she is pregnant). Lastly, Katie refuses charity because she knows that, somehow, she will pull herself and her family out of hardship (and she does). So far in my reading, Katie is my favorite fictional mother.
The growing tree metaphor is powerful. There is a type of tree outside Francie's window that locals call the "Tree of Heaven." Once its seeds hit any ground (even heaps of garbage and cement), seedlings manage to sprout. The seedlings struggle for sunlight and oxygen, but they manage to grow strong and resilient. This is Francie and Neeley's lives; they fight for sustenance and eventually receive it, at first little by little and then all at once.
I saw many parallels between Francie and Scout from To Kill a Mockingbird. I'm planning on re-reading TKAM soon anyway, so when I do, I promise an in-depth comparison and analysis of both girls.
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn is an absolute triumph in every sense: in its writing, in its plot, in the truth of its descriptions, and in its relatable protagonist; five out of five stars.
