Sunday, April 13, 2008
Chapters 8-14...a brief description
The book "A Tree Grows In Brooklyn" is a book of survival. Every single chapter describes how the Nolan family sustains themselves with just 30 cents a day....oh yea this story takes place in the early 1900s, but still back then 30 cents was very little. Everything they eat is incorperated with bread and cheap spices. They mainly drink cofee which is dominantly mixed with water. Katie Nolan (the mom) has an ambition to save up 50 dollars by sparing 5 cents each day into a can placed into the darkest corner of their closet. The Nolan family are suffering because they really want to buy a home for themselves, so at least their children can inherit it and live a better life with less obligations. This was an ambition that Katie's mother Mary had. Unfortunatly, after saving 50 dollars each time, she was tricked because she couldn't read or write English. Every single generation of their family has been working or living in the house/land of another; they were never rich enough to rise to anything...that is why they came to America so they have a chance for their children's sake. Luckily Katie can speak English and write it. When Katie gave birth to a daughter (Francie), Katie's mom told her that she must be properly educated to live a successful live in America. So every single day, Katie read Francie a page from the Bible and a page from Shakespeare. And every single day, their father Johnny works less and drinks more.
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3 comments:
Hey, your post was really good. I especially like the last sentence, about how the father works less and drinks more. I feel bad for the characters in the story. They have such a small amount of money. They must have a lot of emotional strength to be able to survive all this time. Great blog
Yeah after so much inflation the dollar value has gone down, I would go on about this, but you might get distracted, I find realistic fiction good if the plot is good too.
Wow I am deeply saddened at how people can suffer so much and they never actually acheive what they truely hope for. I think that the mother at least has a pure heart for she was the only one who is trying to save thier family from poverty while the dead beat father goes off to drink.
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