The Influence of the Family Members on the Life of
Francie Nolan by Betty Smith
by Lillian Bonar
Essay: The Influence of the Family Members on the Life of Francie Nolan by Betty Smith
Pages: 11
Rating: 3 stars
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The Influence of the Family Members on the Life of Francie Nolan
The main character in A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith, is certainly the brilliant and resourceful Francie
Nolan, however, three other characters in the novel deserve credit for guiding Francie through her troublesome
childhood. Francie Nolan grows up in the slums of Williamsburg, Brooklyn in the early 1900s. Despite Francie’s
lifestyle of poverty and distress, she manages to work several respectable jobs, attend college and, fall in love.
Although Francie works hard, she would not have been able to survive without the encouragement and support of
Johnny Nolan, Sissy Rommely and Katie Nolan.
Francie’s father, Johnny Nolan, is a loving man who always supports and entertains his only daughter. However,
Johnny Nolan is a useless dreamer, he continuously tells tall tales about a better life, but instead of turning his
dreams into reality, he resorts to drinking to escape his stress. Although Francie hates her father’s constant
drinking, his loving charm wins her heart over. Francie enjoys listening to Johnny’s exciting rambling late at night
after a hard day’s work. Many nights he confides in Francie and makes promises he cannot keep such as, “I’m
going to take you on a trip just you and me. We will go down south where the cotton blossoms grow" (24).
Although Francie knows that Johnny will not be able to keep these promises, she admires her father for trying to
bring happiness into her life. In Francie’s mind Johnny is the only family member that truly understands her as a
person. Johnny knows Francie has the determination and the intelligence to make something of herself in life.
Because of his great faith in Francie, he allows Francie to attend an elementary ...