Text Structure: Cause/Effect

Author's Note: This piece is a Cause/Effect piece about the book, "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn."

The book, "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn," starts off describing a poor family. They have to buy cheap food, rent an inexpensive flat and work almost all day to get by. However, it could be worse. They have shelter, they have at least enough food to not starve, and they are together. One of the only problems is that Johnny goes out and gets drunk on many occasions, he trys to drown his sorrows with drinking.

Everything seems to be normal, Francie is in a good school where she can strive, and the Nolan's life is fine, until Johnny dies. At just 32 years old, this event is so shocking and is the climax of the story. The Nolans are left thinking, could we have stopped him from doing this to himself? If we just would've stopped him from drinking, he would've been fine.  After this, Francie is forced to quit school and get her working papers, and begins working and making 10$ a week. Then Katie gives birth to a third Nolan child, Laurie with not enough money to buy important supplies for the baby. Finally, a happy ending comes, a police officer, Officer McShane takes interest in Katie, and creates a happy ending for all of them.  With his high salary, Francie gets to go to college and there is plenty of money left over for the baby, Neeley, Katie, and Officer McShane.

Had Johnny not died, the Nolans may have stayed poor, their lives may have stayed miserable, the baby may have died. This is why I think that Johnny's death was actually a good thing.