Johnny’s drinking problem gets worse and the Nolans move after he makes some bad decisions on his twenty-first birthday that bring shame to their family. The stress of living in poverty and having children causes Johnny to become weaker and undependable while Katie’s fighting instinct kicks in. A year after Francie is born, Katie gives birth to a boy, Neeley who will be her favorite child. However, their lives become more stressful when Katie becomes pregnant. Johnny and Katie Nolan support themselves by working as janitors in a public school. They fell in love and got married within six months.

When Katie danced with him for the first time, she made up her mind to endure any hardship if it meant she could be with him forever. Katie worked at a factory, while her friend Hildy O’Dair dated a young boy named Johnny Nolan. The beginning of Book II flashes back to a summer in 1900 when Katie and Johnny first met. His girlfriend Katie works as a janitor in the building where they live to help pay rent. Johnny Nolan, a young Irish man, sings and works as a waiter for extra money. Although they live among poor families, the Nolans are happy because they are surrounded by love and warmth from friends and family members. Her neighborhood is filled with people who love each other and spend their time together happily. The book opens on a Saturday afternoon when Francie goes to collect junk for pennies. She lives with her family in a tenement house in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. ‘A Tree Grows in Brooklyn’ is set in 1912, and tells the story of Francie Nolan. 1-Page Summary of A Tree Grows In Brooklyn

Smith betty a tree grows in brooklyn