Themes in A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
• Poverty
• Impact it has on the lives of people
• Frugal save everything
• Leads to Johnny’s depression thought
himself as a failure, worthless
• Hunger, lack of the comforts of life
• Treatment in school
• Rich people take advantage of the poor
Themes in A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
•Education
• The way out of poverty
• Francie’s jobs
•Maturation (Growing up)
• Francie develops from an infant to a young
woman
• Overcoming the Struggles of Life
• Francie born sick grows to adulthood
• Francie finds a job overcame poverty
Symbols in A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
•The tree of heaven
• Pages 6 and 492 – 493
• Perseverance Hope
• Determination to overcome hardships
• Strength to survive despite hardships
• Can grow without care, love, sunlight, soil, or water
• Considered to be a weed unwanted
• Grows in poor areas
• Was chopped down but still lived
Symbols in A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
•Annie
• Fir tree
• Francie’s and Neely’s “pet”
• Cared for
• Wanted
• Died
1. How does Francie symbolize the tree of heaven?
2. Why did Betty Smith entitle her novel, A Tree Grows in
Brooklyn?
3. What does the title mean? What/who does it represent?