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A Lesson I Learned From “A Tree Grows In Brooklyn”
A novel I related to in many ways
Great literature can change your view of the world. It can touch your heart, open your mind, and teach you life lessons. There will be things you’ll remember long after you’ve put the book down.
One book that I read as a girl was A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. This book was so great, it was in a Bugs Bunny cartoon, A Hare Grows in Manhattan. As a child who loved The Bunny, after seeing the reference, I decided I wanted to read the book.
Just like those cartoons introduced me to the beauty of classical music, they introduced me to a wonderful work of fiction.
I related to the novel in many ways.
No, my father was not an alcoholic, and my parents were not as impoverished as the main characters in the book, but I related to growing up in New York City and empathized with the fully-fleshed characters. And my parents, like those in the book, were working-class immigrants.
Like Francie Nolan, I was a “bookish” little girl, more likely to be captivated by my fantasies than reality. I also had a little brother who was far more extroverted. I also found beauty in the small bits of nature found within the city, and I also remember best girlfriends sometimes held hands when they strolled down…
