The author, Betty Smith, is the daughter of German immigrants and grew up in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, New York. Her experience is similar to that of the protagonist of this novel, Francie, and she also completed the initial accumulation of knowledge by self-study in her early years. She later entered university to study journalism, drama, writing and literature. "There is a Tree in Brooklyn" is its main work, which has been adapted into film, television, musicals and other forms, and has won Oscars.
"There Is a Tree in Brooklyn" tells how reading makes humble life noble, how knowledge changes people's cultivation and destiny, and how the power of the family supports children to realize their dreams. Brooklyn, New York, at the beginning of the twentieth century, was a peaceful paradise, and here, a young soul that should be carefree was forced to face a difficult life and taste the helplessness of growing up: her mother favored her brother, her father loved her but died young, her family was poor, and she was scorned at school... In the face of such a bumpy life, she was also depressed and sad, but she always maintained the belief that dignity and knowledge changed her destiny, and another door of life was finally opened for her.
This book is mainly about the story of the Francie family, and the big ones contain countless small stories, all of which revolve around one word: "moving." France, an 11-year-old girl who lives in a poor part of Brooklyn, like other Brooklyn children, would go out with her brother Nerey to pick up paper, metal, rubber, and other rags and sell them on Saturdays in exchange for a few coins. France was familiar with the price of every kind of waste and how to buy cheap moldy bread to share the responsibilities and save money for the family. She had always wanted to be a writer, and she had always wanted to have a book, but she couldn't copy one. The idea that she swore to work hard when she grew up, save money, and buy all the books she loved was a great consolation to her. Every weekend, she would hold a book and enjoy this comfortable and quiet time alone, immersed in reading. When France finished reading, dad also returned, and would help dad iron his clothes while chatting with dad. Dad was a useless singer, often drunk, but she still liked Dad, because in her eyes, Dad was handsome and handsome, more elegant and personable than other people's dads. France's mother, who maintains the household by scrubbing the floor and being a janitor, is the breadwinner of the family. She wants her children to live a little better, and she dreams of supporting her two children to go to college. Her grandmother, who had no culture and could not even read, suggested that France's mother read the Bible to her children, read Shakespeare, and tell folk tales and fairy tales so that the children would not sink even if they were in trouble. The Francie siblings had almost nothing materially, but unexpectedly possessed great spiritual wealth. France was close to her father and estranged from her mother, but it was this mother who knew her daughter best. When she was about to die giving birth to her third child, her mother confided in Her heart and said to Francie, "My brother didn't like to read, and if he really stopped school, he would never go back, and you are different, you will fight, you will fight, you will continue to insist." It's like the heavenly tree in the Taiping Ladder. In her hard life, Francie tasted the helplessness of growing up: the poverty of her family, the discrimination of her classmates, the injustice of society... Yet she was always like the tree that grew in the concrete floor, struggling to grow and persevere. In the end, With her dream, France eagerly absorbed knowledge from books, and finally was able to enter the university gates and leave her familiar hometown.
"There Is a Tree in Brooklyn" tells such a normal story, if you watch it, you will feel that life is meaningful and will add a sense of tenacity. You are upwards, and you will hear the vivid sound of the wind in your ears as you move forward. It does not rely on the bizarreness of the story, but on the quality of the story; Not by the novelty of the theme, but by the weight of the theme; Not by the grotesqueness of the characters, but by the authenticity and wealth of the characters, with a sincere heart will certainly benefit a lot.
This book is about dignity: Francie is a poor family. But no one wants to be poor, and poverty is not necessarily useless. Poverty can temper character, and everyone can not lose their backbone and fun when they are trapped and poor. Growing up under difficult conditions will give you another gift, and that is compassion. As mentioned in the novel, people usually have two ways to deal with their poverty background: "A person who has gone out of the bottom of society through his own hard struggle usually has two choices: after leaving the original environment, he can forget his roots; He can also never forget his origin after going beyond this environment, and be full of sympathy and understanding for those who are unfortunate to fall behind in the cruel struggle. "But not everyone has this sympathy and understanding. In the novel, it is written that many people who "stand in the glass room and throw stones" know that they are also from a poor background, but they take pleasure in trampling on the same kind. In the novel, it is written about a Nurse in Brooklyn who was originally from a very poor background, but he echoed the snobbish doctor and cursed the children of the poor. But after France's situation improved, she did not forget to return to the candy store and silently do a good deed, giving a lucky poor child a chance to win the jackpot. This is the difference between people and people in continuous growth.
About growing up: France's parents, as well as her grandmother, and aunt had a big influence on her. Francie had almost nothing materially, but unexpectedly possessed great spiritual wealth. This is valuable, and all of this stems from the family environment, and growing up can be a "song of innocence" reversed into a "song of experience, France has encountered a satyr, and emotionally deceived." But Francie never flinched, but with the strength she had cultivated in her childhood, she could not fail to lose her yearning for happiness and beauty, but stepped into the unknown future, constantly improved herself, realized her freedom, was able to do what she wanted to do, but often with a grateful heart, a compassionate heart, and treated those who experienced the same experience as her.
The little girl Francie of "There's a Tree in Brooklyn" reminds me of Westerfell, author of "When You Fly Like a Bird to Your Mountain." They have the same experience, and they also have the same tough personality as the grass growing on the cliff, just to constantly change themselves, enrich themselves, all the way forward, rain or shine, without the slightest fear of obstacles. But the most important thing about them is that they have changed their lives through the desire for knowledge, and they all love to read, and they regard reading as part of their lives. There is a belief that education through education is not the only way out, but the best way out. Yet in this materialistic age, many of us have become complacent, selfish, arrogant, blind to education, reading, and even denigration. I don't recognize the importance of reading. Nor do I read, but stand on my own narrow insight to criticize the vast unknown. Why are so many people in life dissatisfied with the status quo, complaining about the cry of life, but they can't change it, their hearts are higher than the sky, but they are not worthy. As the old saying goes, "If you can't eat the hardships of study, you must eat the hardships of life." When you are so ambitious and not down-to-earth, you cannot attain fulfillment and realize the desires in your heart. If you can calm down, read the book well, keep learning, sort out your current situation, and your own ability, and then do what you can, work hard to complete, step by step accumulation, every day will have a sense of fulfillment. As it goes, what you have to do will one day be able to achieve the so-called "one thing is done". Yet to live, to struggle, to love our lives. Loving all the joys and sorrows that life gives you is a fulfillment. The fullness of life is always there and is accessible to everyone. The key is your own choice.