The Role of Trees In A Tree Grows In Brooklyn Brooklyn Manga 12th Grade

Hope in the face of hardship is a recurring theme in much of literature today. As human beings, it is in our DNA to survive---despite circumstances that make it difficult to do so. A human beings innate ability to survive shows itself in the way our bodies interpret danger or difficulty---it is in our blood to crawl and struggle toward the sky regardless of the ground from which we may start from, like trees. In Betty Smith’s novel, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, the use of trees allows the reader to interpret the main characters, Francie Nolan, growth as she comes of age. In turn, this allows to reader to understand the strength inherent in all human beings, in addition to the personal strength that one must find within themselves in order to survive the world.

The tree referred to in the story is called the Tree of Heaven by some who live in Francie Nolan’s neighborhood. Like Francie, this tree finds a way to grow wherever it is planted, despite the difficulty and impossibility of it all. The Tree of Heaven only grows in the poor part of Brooklyn, where Francie lives. This fact highlights the concept that there is true grit in the poorest parts of society, where people live day by day, and cannot afford even basic necessities. In...