A Tree Grows in Brooklyn Education Quotes

How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)

Quote #4

Francie loved that school. It meant that she had to walk forty-eight blocks each day but she loved to walk, too […] It was a good thing that she got herself into this other school. It showed her that there were other worlds beside the world she had been born into and that these other worlds were not unattainable. (72-77)

Some people believe that traveling is often the best teacher. This is the case for Francie, even though she didn’t have to travel far to see a whole new world of opportunity—just over one neighborhood. Have you ever gone somewhere and been amazed by how differently some people live?

Quote #5

[Papa] had the same idea that Katie’s mother, Mary Rommely, had about education. He wanted to teach his children all that he knew so that at fourteen or fifteen, they would know as much as he knew at thirty. He figured they could go on from there picking up their own knowledge and, according to his calculations, when they reached thirty, they would be twice as smart as he had been at thirty. (25.3)

The Nolan children are surrounded by people who value education. Since Grandma, Mama, and Papa all value education, chances are good that they will pass this on to their children.

Quote #6

Francie was ten years old when she first found an outlet in writing. What she wrote was of little consequence. What was important was that the attempt to write stories kept her straight on the dividing line between truth and fiction. If she had not found this outlet in writing, she might have grown up to be a tremendous liar. (26.34-35)

What’s the difference between a fiction writer and a liar? Turns out a writer just writes the lies instead. This little piece of advice is really huge for Francie.