“A Tree Grows in Brooklyn” by Betty Smith – Plowing Through the Cracks of Poverty

Though there were certainly many notable passages in Betty Smith’s life, perhaps the time that has marked her the most remains her childhood; at the turn of the century, her family of German immigrants made their way to the Brooklyn borough, where an everyday struggle for survival ensued. 

Smith even went as far as writing a book titled A Tree Grows in Brooklyn based on her experiences, and as it happens, it became one of the most renowned coming-of-age tales. 

The story basically follows a young girl, Francie Nolan, as she grows from a young girl to a young woman in the poor Brooklyn borough with her parents, in the process discovering many truths about life, both beautiful and brutal.

It’s not for nothing that this book became renowned worldwide, and one of main factors contributing to its success is the level at which the characters are developed, especially Francie herself. 

She is a bit of a shy and lonely kid stuck in the grasp of poverty, but nevertheless she manages to find riches in her daily life, whether it be in her parents bringing pencils back home or the opportunity to sleep in the from room to observe the busy street below.

She is a very smart, wise and insightful girl whose whole take on life is nothing short of inspiring, even making the reader feel guilty for fretting over what are minor problems in comparison to her solitary life. Virtually all of the characters we meet in this novel are fighting some kind of battle, whether it is personal, psychological, financial or physical.

There are a lot of enthralling details here and there about Francie and her family’s daily life, recounting all the tricks they had to pull out of their sleeves in order to make it from one day to the next and make ends meet. 

We actually get to experience what it was like to live in the same situation as her, something that is sure to shock those who have never had to contend with true poverty.

All things considered, I believe that virtually every aspect of this book is a resounding success; the characters are interesting and believable, the setting and daily life are described in very enthralling ways, and the story itself has many twists and turns that keep you turning one page after the next. 

It doesn’t matter whether you prefer to read for entertainment or are always searching for a deeper meaning; A Tree Grows in Brooklyn delivers on all fronts.

---

Betty Smith (December 15, 1896 - January 17, 1972) Born on December 15, 1896, Betty Smith was the daughter of German immigrants and grew up in a poor area of Brooklyn, an experience she drew upon to write A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. She wrote a number of other novels through her lifetime, in addition to which she even dabbled in the world of theater before receiving the Rockefeller and Dramatists Guild Fellowships.