Friday, April 07, 2006

Tree Grows in Brooklyn: 7 & 8


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Originally uploaded by barbfecteau.
Chapter 7 is chock-full of back-story.

Now we find out how Johnny and Katie Nolan met - a scenario that has been played out hundreds of times in the very halls of BHS. Some of us are Hildys; some of us are Katies.

We meet Francie's Grandma Mary and her devil husband. We meet Sissy, full of big heart and easy virtue, and her many husbands. We briefly meet Sister Ursula (formerly Eliza) the hairy-faced nun. And Aunt Evy, with her whiny husband, who wants her children to be musical - but draws the line at foot worship. (And if that doesn't convince you to read chapter 7 nothing will!)

Chapter 8 is so short because it introduces us to the "live fast, die young, leave a good looking corpse" Nolan boys and their strange, strange mother.

I loved the last three paragraphs of this chapter where it describes how all those forbearers are visible in Francie and the description of "the one different thing such as that which makes no two fingerprints on the face of the earth alike." I sort of fell into that sentence for awhile. But I will refrain from writing all the wispy thoughts about individuality that came up. Good bit to remember for an essay though.

At this point I should admit that I don't know what the essay questions are as I write this and I am probably not going to look at them while I am writing because I really want to read these books for fun. And, frankly, to read a book for any other reason is a chore and a half. So read for fun and I promise, the essay will come easily.

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