A Tree Grows in Brooklyn

Katie goes to Neeley’s graduation and Sissy goes to Francie’s. This upsets Francie a little, but she knows if her father were alive, then he would have come to see her. Francie listens with hope to the principal’s speech, cries through the play she didn’t get to write, and then shuffles off to her classroom to pick up her report card and her desk items. She braces herself for the experience, because traditionally every girl graduate gets flowers on her desk, but Francie knows her desk will be empty since her family is so poor. She is pleasantly surprised to find flowers and a note from her father on her desk. She thinks this means her father is still alive, but Sissy explains her father had made the arrangements prior to his death. She then says goodbye to all her teachers, the principal, and the janitor. Some girls ask to sign her autograph book and tell her she should come hang out with them. For the first time, Francie realizes they actually like her.

Back at home, Francie and Sissy agree to tell Katie that the flowers are from Sissy, not Johnny, so that Katie doesn’t get depressed. Katie looks over Neeley and Francie’s report cards and worries over Francie’s bad grade in English. Francie insists they not “talk about it,” and at the urging of her sisters, Katie lets it go (355). They then head off to the ice cream parlor, where many of Francie and Neeley’s classmates are also celebrating. Amidst the din of the celebration, Katie worries over the impossibility of affording any further education for Francie and Neeley. She decides she will try to give Laurie better than she gave them. She thinks about Sergeant McShane and wonders about his life nowadays. Katie’s thoughts are interrupted by the check. All of Katie’s family waits to see if she will leave a tip. Evy is against it, and the kids are for it, though no one voices their opinion. When the time comes, Katie tips the waiter four times the expected tip, impressing Francie. Evy scolds her for being foolish, but Katie insists they need to feel “rich” once in a while (359). As they are about to leave, a boy named Albie approaches Francie and asks her to a movie. With Katie’s approval, Francie says yes.

Francie starts work at a factory and spends the whole morning getting teased by the other workers. Eventually, Mark, the utility boy, defends her. Francie laughs at him, gaining her co-workers’ respect. After that, they help her and joke with her instead of at her. Neeley also has a new job as an errand boy, and at the end of the first week the siblings combine their pay and get new bills at the bank so they can make a big show of their earnings to Katie. They present the money to her, and Neeley then reveals he also made some tip money and bought them some candy. Katie is overwhelmed and goes into the bedroom, where Francie is sure she is going to cry. 

All the workers at the factory Francie works at are laid off shortly after she starts. She decides to apply for a job as a file clerk. Her mother buys her a new outfit for the interview but refuses to let Francie bob her hair. Francie gets the job and is quickly promoted from file clerk to reader. Despite her efficiency as a worker, she is the most underpaid person on staff, unbeknownst to her. Besides not being financially compensated for her time and effort, Francie does not care for New York City like she thought she would. The pace is stressful, the bridge boring, and the people judgmental and competitive. There are two people she feels comfortable with at work, her boss and Miss Armstrong, the best paid reader and “the boss’s mistress,” but she mostly keeps to herself (378). One day, a man grabs Francie’s backside on the train and won’t let go. She reports this to her family, and while Sissy brushes it off as flattering, her mother tells her to start carrying a pin for such situations.

Francie is doing so well at her new job that she is offered the best reader position available, and her pay increases significantly. She hesitates to accept the position, however, since she wants to go to high school. She tells her boss she must discuss it with Katie and then she will give him her decision. She says nothing to Katie about the raise, waiting to see what Katie will decide about school. A week before classes begin, Katie announces that they only have money for one of the children to attend high school and that she has decided to send Neeley instead of Francie. Neeley bucks because he doesn’t want to go back and threatens to disappear. Francie is beside herself and accuses Katie of favoring Neeley. Katie sighs and defends her decision. She picks up Laurie and starts rocking her. This causes Francie to feel “pity,” so she apologizes (387). Katie accepts her apology, and they part ways, making a superficial agreement to forget about the fight.

When Christmas rolls around the following year, the Nolans are much less destitute than the year before. Francie and Neeley take Katie shopping for a hat and Laurie shopping for a Christmas outfit. Then Katie and Laurie go home while Neeley and Francie buy gifts for each other. Neeley wants spats, and Francie wants a black lace underwear set. They also buy a small tree to bring home and care for. Back at the house, they show off their new gifts to Katie. Francie shows her new underwear to Katie, hoping to get a rise out of her, but Katie acts as if it’s expected. They then go to mass in a beautiful church, where the priest says a few words in honor of Johnny, and Francie finds her faith in God restored.