A Tree Grows in A Tree Grows in BrooklynBrooklyn

By Betty SmithBy Betty Smith

Presentation by Abby SharpPresentation by Abby Sharp

HISTORICAL HISTORICAL BACKGROUNDBACKGROUND

1900-19191900-1919The Progressive EraThe Progressive Era

Presidents:Presidents: Theodore Theodore

Roosevelt (1901-Roosevelt (1901-1909) 1909) P.P.

William Taft William Taft (1909-1913) (1909-1913) R.R.

Woodrow Wilson Woodrow Wilson (1913-1921) (1913-1921) D.D.

Controversies of EraControversies of Era

LegalLegal:: Women’s Women’s

suffrage was a suffrage was a major issue in major issue in the early 1900s the early 1900s (Jennings 26).(Jennings 26).

Controversies of EraControversies of Era MedicalMedical:: “ “In 1918, a In 1918, a

pandemic of pandemic of influenza hit the influenza hit the world, causing world, causing more deaths than more deaths than in WWI” in WWI” (Poindexter).(Poindexter).

Economics of the EraEconomics of the Era

In the late 1800s In the late 1800s and early 1900s, and early 1900s, America became America became a more urban a more urban industrialized industrialized nation (Issacson nation (Issacson 56).56).

Lifestyles of the EraLifestyles of the Era

WorkWork:: Spring of 1911- A Spring of 1911- A

fire broke out in the fire broke out in the Triangle Shirtwaist Triangle Shirtwaist factory; 146 factory; 146 teenage women teenage women (workers) perished (workers) perished (“Tables”).(“Tables”).

Lifestyles of the EraLifestyles of the Era

FamilyFamily:: Many children had Many children had

to quit school to to quit school to work in order to work in order to help support their help support their families (Jennings families (Jennings 21).21).

Lifestyles of the EraLifestyles of the Era

EducationEducation:: “ “In 1900, the In 1900, the

average average American only American only had five years had five years of schooling” of schooling” (Jennings 16).(Jennings 16).

Gender Roles of the EraGender Roles of the Era

EducationEducation:: The number of The number of

women who were women who were choosing higher choosing higher education instead of education instead of marriage increased marriage increased (DuBose 79).(DuBose 79).

PLOT BLURBPLOT BLURB

Nolan familyNolan family: Katie, Johnny, : Katie, Johnny, Francie, Neeley and AnnieFrancie, Neeley and Annie

They live in povertyThey live in poverty Johnny is an Johnny is an

alcoholic and often alcoholic and often shames the familyshames the family

Francie likes Francie likes learning and she is learning and she is a good studenta good student

Johnny dies on Johnny dies on Christmas, before Christmas, before Annie is bornAnnie is born

Francie and Neeley Francie and Neeley must work (finished must work (finished 88thth grade) grade)

Neeley (mom’s Neeley (mom’s favorite) gets to go favorite) gets to go to high schoolto high school

Katie marries a Katie marries a wealthy man and wealthy man and Francie is finally Francie is finally able to go to able to go to collegecollege

CHARACTER CHARACTER LIFE DECISIONSLIFE DECISIONS

Francie decides to leave her townFrancie decides to leave her townKatie decides to send Neeley to school Katie decides to send Neeley to school

and Francie to workand Francie to workJohnny decides to put alcohol ahead of Johnny decides to put alcohol ahead of

his family’s welfarehis family’s welfare

Francie decides to leave Francie decides to leave town to start a better lifetown to start a better life

Francie realizes that Francie realizes that she has to leave or she has to leave or “suddenly she “suddenly she would be a would be a disgusting old disgusting old woman without woman without teeth” (Smith 15).teeth” (Smith 15).

Historical ConnectionHistorical Connection

The number of The number of women who were women who were choosing higher choosing higher education instead education instead of marriage of marriage increased increased (DuBose 79).(DuBose 79).

Katie’s decision to send Katie’s decision to send Neeley back to school Neeley back to school

Katie wants Francie Katie wants Francie to work because to work because Francie “will find Francie “will find her way back to her way back to education, while education, while Neeley does not Neeley does not want to go to want to go to school” (Smith 250).school” (Smith 250).

Historical ConnectionHistorical Connection

Many children Many children had to quit had to quit school to work school to work in order to help in order to help support their support their families families (Jennings 21).(Jennings 21).

Johnny decides to put Johnny decides to put alcohol ahead of his familyalcohol ahead of his family

On his twenty- first On his twenty- first birthday, “Johnny’s birthday, “Johnny’s drinking problem drinking problem brings shame on brings shame on the family and the family and forces the family to forces the family to move (Smith 302).move (Smith 302).

Historical ConnectionHistorical Connection ““One of the major One of the major

factors leading to the factors leading to the prohibition of prohibition of alcohol… was the alcohol… was the increase in men increase in men spending their spending their salaries on liquor…” salaries on liquor…” (“Tables”).(“Tables”).

MOTIFSMOTIFSLife and GrowthLife and Growth

LoveLove

Life and GrowthLife and Growth Francie sees that “a new Francie sees that “a new

tree had grown from the tree had grown from the stump and its trunk had stump and its trunk had grown along the ground grown along the ground until it reached a place until it reached a place where there were no where there were no wash lines above it. Then wash lines above it. Then it started to grown toward it started to grown toward the sky” (Smith 483).the sky” (Smith 483).

LoveLove With regards to With regards to

Johnny, Johnny, “Francie “Francie kissed his kissed his cheek softly cheek softly and said that and said that she loved her she loved her papa so much” papa so much” (Smith 34).(Smith 34).

INTERPRETIVE INTERPRETIVE QUESTIONQUESTION

Do you think that American Do you think that American children today are more or less children today are more or less likely to suffer from abuse and likely to suffer from abuse and

poverty than Francie?poverty than Francie?

Children today Children today are less likely to are less likely to suffer from suffer from poverty and poverty and abuseabuse

There are more There are more laws in place to laws in place to protect childrenprotect children

Nonexistent in Nonexistent in the early 1900s, the early 1900s, labor laws, labor laws, truancy laws, and truancy laws, and child protective child protective services now services now lessen the lessen the exploitation of exploitation of childrenchildren

Textual Support #1Textual Support #1 One example of One example of

Francie’s Francie’s exploitation is when exploitation is when “Francie needed to “Francie needed to go back to work in go back to work in order for her to help order for her to help her mother pay the her mother pay the bills” (Smith 249).bills” (Smith 249).

Textual Support #2Textual Support #2 In the case of a In the case of a

potential abduction, potential abduction, Smith writes, “The man Smith writes, “The man came up to Francie and came up to Francie and was about to take her was about to take her away with him until her away with him until her mother came to her mother came to her rescue” (Smith 170).rescue” (Smith 170).

Textual Support #3Textual Support #3 In addition to In addition to

Francie working to Francie working to help support her help support her family, “…kids family, “…kids collected money collected money for the family by for the family by trading in old junk” trading in old junk” (Smith 15).(Smith 15).

AUTHOR FOCUS & AUTHOR FOCUS & ORB CONNECTIONORB CONNECTION

Author FocusAuthor Focus White wrote 70 plays White wrote 70 plays

before writing a novelbefore writing a novel She wrote 4 novels She wrote 4 novels Born in 1896 to Austrian Born in 1896 to Austrian

immigrantsimmigrants As a child, she was As a child, she was

“bookish” and had a close “bookish” and had a close relationship with her relationship with her fatherfather

After father died, White After father died, White had to work (8had to work (8thth grade) grade)

When old enough, she When old enough, she left NY and enrolled in left NY and enrolled in Univ. of MichiganUniv. of Michigan

Met her 1Met her 1stst husband there husband there She had 2 daughters… She had 2 daughters…

went back to school when went back to school when they were olderthey were older

Became famous in 1945 Became famous in 1945 (movie of novel)(movie of novel)

Died at 72- best known Died at 72- best known for her 1for her 1stst novel novel

ORB Connection #1ORB Connection #1 ““She [Elizabeth] was a She [Elizabeth] was a

bookish child and bookish child and developed an early developed an early love for the theater, love for the theater, influenced by her actor influenced by her actor father….the Wehners father….the Wehners led a marginal led a marginal existence, especially existence, especially after the death of the after the death of the father” (Jones).father” (Jones).

Francie also Francie also enjoyed school and enjoyed school and readingreading

Francie also had a Francie also had a close relationship close relationship with her fatherwith her father

Nolans also Nolans also devastated by devastated by fathers’ deathfathers’ death

ORB Connection#2ORB Connection#2 After her father’s After her father’s

death, “Elizabeth, death, “Elizabeth, later known as later known as Betty, had to quit Betty, had to quit school after the school after the eighth grade and eighth grade and find work” find work” (Dawson 422).(Dawson 422).

Francie was Francie was unable to continue unable to continue school school

She also had to She also had to work to support the work to support the familyfamily

Francie fought to Francie fought to return to school, return to school, like Whitelike White

LITERARY LITERARY CRITICISMCRITICISM

Criticism #1Criticism #1 ““A Tree Grows in A Tree Grows in

Brooklyn Brooklyn is a is a profoundly profoundly moving novel, an moving novel, an honest and true honest and true one. It cuts right one. It cuts right to the heart of to the heart of life” (“Tree”).life” (“Tree”).

I disagreeI disagree (somewhat):(somewhat):

Moving Moving storystory

Outdated Outdated issuesissues

Criticism #2Criticism #2 ““This is the This is the

first novel of first novel of uncommon uncommon skill and skill and almost almost uncontrollable uncontrollable vitality and vitality and zest for life” zest for life” (Prescott 423).(Prescott 423).

I agreeI agree:: Novel well- Novel well-

writtenwritten Reader cares Reader cares

about about characterscharacters

Francie = tree Francie = tree (strength and (strength and growth)growth)

Transcendence of Transcendence of ThemesThemes

““The journey of the The journey of the protagonist is heroic. Francie protagonist is heroic. Francie clearly identifies with the clearly identifies with the Tree of Heaven in her urge to Tree of Heaven in her urge to continue to develop into a continue to develop into a young woman that she can young woman that she can be proud of. Smith’s use of be proud of. Smith’s use of the tree as a symbol of the tree as a symbol of Francie’s growth is effective Francie’s growth is effective and powerful” (Prescott).and powerful” (Prescott).

This concludes my This concludes my presentation…presentation…

THANK YOU!THANK YOU!