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Betty Smith's Novel A Tree Grows In Brooklyn

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Betty Smith had written things before and after writing A Tree Grows In Brooklyn, but that is what she is really remembered for. That is no surprise, as it was a big success. She was a one-hit wonder with her book A Tree Grows In Brooklyn, because of it’s resemblance to her life, it being hard for her subsequent books to compare with, and it being relatable to its readers. A Tree Grows In Brooklyn might have done so well because of how much it resembles Smith's life. Basing a story on thing that happened in real life makes the story more realistic and easier for the reader to understand and relate too. Both Smith and the main character, Francie, were born in the Williamsburg Section of Brooklyn. They both left school when they were fourteen years old to work. Both of them had step dads. There are many more similarity you can notice between the two. It is possible, that her own life was the only thing she could really write about, and the books that she wrote after weren’t as successful because they weren't inspired by her life as much, or at all. …show more content…

Her later books “do not repeat the material or power of the first”(ProQuest). The book was an “immediate best seller”(ProQuest). In 1943 Twentieth Century Fox had purchased the film rights. Half of that money went to the book's publisher Harper & Brothers. The movie was released in 1945. The movie itself appears to be good. It is rated 8.2/10 by IMDb, and 100% by Rotten Tomatoes. None of her other books were turned into movies. Not only did the movie come out that year, but by the end of 1945 she had made close to $110,000 from the three million copies of the book that were sold (CliffsNotes). That is way better compared to the average book, and even best sellers. This is very hard to compete with, which would be one of the reasons why it is her one hit. She had released a total of 4

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It provides a profound window into one of the most incredible stories to ever be told. As a reader you feel like a silent member of the family as Jeanette describes the events in such vivid detail and emotion. The raw emotion you feel from the words on a page are amplified tenfold as the movie brings the novel alive. The brilliance from the movie shines in the director’s choice of cuts, shots and music selection. A problem that most books turned novel is that the director tries to make the movie their own as opposed to building the movie on the foundation the book has already provided.

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The general idea of the only man on earth pinned against a diseased population was still evident through all the hollywood extras. All in all, I would recommend both book and movie to anyone who

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In the novel A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, Betty Smith teaches the readers about the importance of virtues through Francie Nolan who demonstrates the virtues of hope, love, and conscience. Francie demonstrates the virtue of hope on various occasions such as in chapter two when she visits the library where she ponders about her future and discusses her hopes and dreams of owning lots of books, as well as having her own library and adding to the two books she and Neeley shared; the “Bible” and the “Complete Works of Shakespeare”. She hoped to one day own a home with a parlor and her own freshly-sharpened pencils and bowl full of fresh nasturtiums opposed to rubber plants. She has high ambitions for her future. She also exhibited the virtue of

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Most of her novels depict families struggling to survive on a low income. Another idea Smith explores in her novels is what part women should take in the world. In Smith’s lifetime, women were granted the right to vote and other significant rights that many did not agree on. In her books she created strong female leads that defy the bubble women were placed in at the time. Smith’s novels became highly popular with many Americans because she depicted the struggles of life in poverty that many people could relate to.

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Firstly, in my opinion I think it has more details than the movie. The book has the same characters but in the book there is three sisters. The book had details that felt so real. It described everything, the setting and the mood.

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