AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra
in English Letters
By
LUKY ANGGRAINI Student Number 994214172
Student Registration Number: 990051120106120172
ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS
FACULTY OF LETTERS SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The deepest gratitude goes to the Creator, Allah S.W.T for His Blessing
and Love. Without He, I would be nothing.
I would like to express my thanks to my advisor, Dewi Widyastuti, S.Pd., M.Hum. for her advice, corrections, support, and patience in helping me to finish
this thesis. I would also like to thank to my co-advisor, Adventina Putranti, S.S., M.Hum. for reading, giving support and advice for the betterment of this thesis.
To all the lectures and staff of English Letters Department Sanata Dharma University, thanks for their help and guidance during my long time study.
I am very grateful to these kind people, for their great contribution to
support me in finishing this thesis. I would like to thank to my beloved parents. Though one is missing now, I know that both are perfect for always giving me a
never-ending love, patience, spirit, and understanding. I thank to my brother who always makes anything easier.
My thanks also go to my beloved fellows for their great support, love and
pray. I thank to Upik and Nonie for their companionship and support all along the way. I also thank to Renny and her family for their sharing many things in the
hardest times. I will never forget the rest of Jumz Session, Siwi, Woeland, Budi, and also Meli for being there to share with. I wish also to thank the 99ers, Fina, Nina, Nia, Obet, Sidiq, Reygan, Desi, Citra, Joko, Seto and others that I can not
mention one by one. Last, I have to give my gratitude to Wida, Vita, and the entire library staff of Sanata Dharma University.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGE OF TITLE... i
PAGE OF APPROVAL... ii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS... iii
MOTTO PAGE... iv
DEDICATION PAGE... v
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS... vi
TABLE OF CONTENTS... vii
ABSTRACT... ix
ABSTRAK... x
CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION... 1
A. Background of the Study... 1
B. Problem Formulation... 4
C. Objectives of the Study... 5
D. Definition of Terms... 6
CHAPTER II THEORETICAL REVIEW... 8
A. Review of Related Studies... 8
B. Review of Related Theories... 10
1. Theory of Character and Characterization... 10
2. The Relation between Literature and Society... 13
3. Theory of Psychology... 14
a. The Influence of Family... 15
b. How Family Influences One’s Personality... 16
c. Environmental Influence... 17
d. How Environment Influences One’s Personality... 17
C. Theoretical Framework... 18
CHAPTER III METHODOLOGY... 19
A. Object of the Study... 19
B. Approach... 20
C. Method of the Study... 21
CHAPTER IV ANALYSIS... 22
A. The Description of Society and Characters in the Family... 22
1. The Condition of Society in the Novel... 23
2. The Characters in the Family... 27
a. Katie Nolan... 28
b. Johnny Nolan... 29
c. Sissy Rommely... 30
1 Francie’s Character Development under the Influences of
Society... 32 2. Francie’s Character Development under the Influences of
Her Family... 37
ABSTRACT
Luky Anggraini: A Study on the Influence of Society and Family towards Francie’s Character Development in Betty Smith’s A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. English Letters Study Programme, Department of English Letters, Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma University.
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn is the novel of Francie Nolan’s survival among the hard life in Brooklyn. It is about her struggle both mentally and physically. She has to suffer from the bad treatment done by those in higher economic status and highly educated. Taking the lessons she gets from her family and society, Francie grows into a mature young woman.
The aim of this thesis is firstly to know the characters in the family as well as the society that influence Francie. Secondly, to understand their influences and third is to give a clear explanation on how Francie Nolan grows under those influences.
In writing this thesis, the writer conducts library research and uses psychological approach to analyze this novel. The writer will analyze the novel in the following steps. First, she summarizes the characters of the family and the condition in society that play a big role in influencing Francie’s character development. Second, she search for the influences of both family and society and the third, she relates their influences on Francie’s character development.
ABSTRAK
Luky Anggraini: A Study on the Influence of Society and Family towards Francie’s Character Development in Betty Smith’s A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. Jurusan Sastra Inggris, Fakultas Sastra, Universitas Sanata Dharma.
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn adalah novel yang berkisah tentang perjuangan fisik dan mental seorang Francie Nolan menghadapi kehidupan keras di Brooklyn. Oleh karena kerasnya kehidupan tersebut, dia dan keluarganya harus mengalami pengalaman menyakitkan karena adanya kesenjangan status dan ekonomi di masyarakat. Belajar dari pengalaman, Francie tumbuh menjadi seorang gadis muda yang bermotivasi tinggi.
Tujuan penulisan ini adalah untuk mengetahui anggota-anggota keluarga dan keadaan masyarakat yang mempengaruhi perkembangan jiwa Francie. Kedua, ini bertujuan untuk memahami pengaruhnya dan yang ketiga adalah untuk mengetahui secara jelas bagaimana Francie tumbuh di bawah pengaruh tersebut.
Dalam penulisan skripsi ini, penulis menggunakan studi pustaka dan menggunakan pendekatan psikologi untuk menganalisis novel ini. Penulis akan menganalisa dengan tahapan-tahapan sebagai berikut. Pertama, dengan meringkas tokoh-tokoh di keluarga dan keadaan masyarakat yang berperan membentu perkembangan jiwa Francie Nolan. Kedua, penulis mencari pengaruh-pengaruhnya dan yang ketiga menghubungkan pengaruh itu terhadap perkembangan jiwa Francie.
CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION
A. Background of the study
All human beings are the “product” of society and family as well, meaning that what they do and what they get are the process of their learning from both.
The values in society and family, consciously or unconsciously, help someone to develop himself. Family becomes the first non formal educator while society is
the second.
As the first educator, family plays a big role in helping an infant to develop his characteristics. It is the family that teaches him to talk, to behave, and
even to mingle with the society. Martin and Stendler in their book, Child Behavior and Development, write that parents behavior create a climate or atmosphere in
the home which has an influence upon the child’s development (1959: 312-313). In his book, Child Development, Craig states that there are two ways of looking at styles of parenting. The first way is to observe the particular behavior
and attitudes the parents and resulting behavior of the children. The parents’ behavior affects the child behavior in at least three ways. First, the parents serve
as models for the child to identify with and imitate. Second, most parents have specific expectations about the way they want the children to respond and behave. Finally, parents control the rewards and discipline the child receives (1979: 411).
When talking about the influence of society, Jersild in his book Child Psychology writes that it is clear that from the time of birth, even while a child is
beings. Interwoven with the child’s earliest experiences and expectations, and
intimacy connected with his survival from day to day are associations with other human beings and their activities.
Martin and Stendler wrote the learning process gained by a child as a
member of society as follows.
Every society teaches its children what to say, when to say it, how to say it, and whom to talk to. Similarly, children in every society must learn what and what not to wear, when to wear it, how to put on clothing, how to take care of clothing, what parts of the body must be covered, and many other customs of dress. Learning the accepted ways of behaving for each of these categories makes the child a member of society. This learning process begins at birth and continues throughout the life-time of every individual (1959: 165).
As family and society are two elements that influence the main character’s
development so the writer wants to explore their influences by using psychological theories. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn is largely an autobiographical
work of the author, Betty Smith. She is known as an essayist and a writer of some fiction books and plays. The writer is interested in analyzing A Tree Grows in Brooklyn as the object of study because it is Smith’s first novel and very popular
since it gained both praise and criticisms. She was interrogated about her purpose for the book. Some accused that it was overtly political, pro-union, compassionate
toward the poor, and sexually libelous. Besides, the writer chooses the novel because she is interested in discussing the main character’s development, from an innocent little girl into a more mature smart woman. The development is the result
of her learning as the member of society and family.
The family as the first non formal education plays a big role in developing
mother, who is a hard worker, emphasizes the idea of education for her children
that helps them to be more than just ordinary Brooklyn kids. She exhibits the self-reliance, determination and fearless pride to hold her family together. As results, she is both breadwinner and caretaker for the family.
The society where Francie lives also influences her much. It is the society that indirectly “teaches” her to be herself. Her existence in the middle of society
does not mean that she has to follow what most people do. When seeing the people stoning a pregnant woman, Francie on the other hand sympathize her by telling that the cruelty of the stoning action will not be tolerated. Although in
some cases she cannot accept the values in the society, Francie is still able to be a little girl who mingles well.
The writer is interested to analyze the society and family as well as the characteristics because they are closely related. Society and family have important roles in influencing someone’s characteristics and sometimes the influence of the
society can be represented by the presence of other people.
Wellek and Warren in their book Theory of Literature state that
Literature is an expression of society and is actually determined by or dependent on its social setting, on social change and development. Literary devices as symbolism used in the literary work represent social conventions and norms that are arisen only in society (1956: 96).
The above statement emphasizes that society is really important in literary works because one’s characteristics can be formed or influenced by his society.
Rohrberger and Woods, Jr. in their book Reading and Writing about Literature state that the setting never exists by itself and it explains the characters and the
environment such as nature and society’s moral value influences the character
development. That is why society is closely related to someone’s character development because its culture and values become important in his learning process.
Since the novel portrays the life of Francie Nolan, the writer is interested in exploring her changes of characteristics under the influence of her family and
society. Focusing on the condition of society and family’s influences, the writer would like to find out how they influence Francie’s character development from the beginning to the end of the story.
B. Problem Formulation
Related to the background of the study about the relationship between society and family toward the main character’s development, the writer formulates the problem into these following questions.
1. How are the society and family, as the influence of Francie’s character development, described?
2. How do Francie’s characteristics develop under the influences of her
family and society?
C. Objectives of the study
By answering the problem formulation above, the writer intends to identify the society and her family that give influences on her character
to reveal Francie’s character development under the influences of her family and
society that surround her life.
D. Definition of Terms 1. Society
Elizabeth Langland in her book, Society in the Novel, states that society is
an animation of an outside world which have tended to obscure the formal variety of social presentation in novels (1984: 4). So, the society in real life and in literary works are almost the same because the author usually describes the society of his
work based on the society in real life.
Langland explains that society in the novels or literary works does not
depend on points of absolute fidelity to an outside world in details such as costume, setting, and locality because a novel’s society does not aim at a faithful mirror of any concrete, existent thing (1984: 5). In conclusion, “society portrayed
in the novels might be the real description of society where an author lives”.
2. Character Development
According to Barnet in his book, Literature for Composition, the term character also means personality that is the mental and moral qualities of a figure
while the term development according to Craig’s Child Development can be defined as the changes in thought and behavior of a person influenced by either biological or environment factors (1979: 9). Further, Craig conveys that there are
influenced by biological factors. However, there are also developments that
depend highly on the environment, for example one’s personality development (1979: 10). Briefly, character development is the changes in thought and behavior undergone by someone under the influences of either biological or environmental
factors.
4. Family
The definition of family, found in Beebe’s Interpersonal Communication Relating Others, is a social group having specified roles and status (e.g. husband,
wife, father, mother, son, and daughter) with ties of blood, marriage or adoption, which usually shares common residences and cooperate economically (1996:
376). It is also defined as a unit made up of any number persons who live in relationship with one another over time in a common living space and are usually, but not always, united by marriage and kinship (1996: 377). Further, Beebe
describes four types of family. Family as the first educator for a child plays its roles as a set of examples that help him to grow what it is expected. Not all the members of the family exert equal influence on the child. How much influence a
family member will have depends upon the emotional relationship between him and the child. Seen from the size, family can be categorized into four. The first is
natural family which consists of a mother and a father, and their biological children. The second is blended family, which also consists of two adults and their children, but the children may be the products of other marriage or unions.
child. The last is extended family which includes relatives, such as aunts, uncles,
CHAPTER II
THEORETICAL REVIEW
A. Review of Related Studies
The writer finds several criticisms both about the novel and the author. Most of them praise the novel that it is a good realistic story. Barbara H. states
that this book is not only about Francie and her alcoholic father but it is more about a young girl “coming of age” in Brooklyn in the early 1900s. Although that description sounds so bland, Francie had more to deal with than an alcoholic
father: extreme poverty, a mother who had hardened herself somewhat to deal with the blows of life and who loved Francie’s brother, Neely, more than she did
Francie, a love of learning yet a need to quit school to work to support the family
<http://barbarah.wordpress.com/2007/05/22/book-review-a-tree-grows-in-brooklyn/>.
T.E. Phoenix, AZE in www.teenink.com gives his comment about the book that is sad and joyful.
When I read this book for the umpteenth time, I feel the same surprise, sadness and joy wash over me as I did the first time I joined the Nolan family. I feel my face burn in shame with Francie's when a girl she idolizes gibes her and spits in her face. I feel her terror when a young man attempts to rape her, then relief when her mother shoots him before he can do more harm. With her, I feel a tear forming as she learns her beloved father has passed away. I smile when she has her first story printed, a great achievement for a girl who never had anything to call her own.
Emilie Coulter states that the novel is so poignant and honest that it creates
a big stir when it was published 50 years ago. Smith’s frankness is alarming to
some of the more gentle society, but the book’s humor and pathos ensures its
place in the realm of classics and the hearts of readers, both young and old (www.book-summary-review.com/A-Tree-Grows-in-Brooklyn). She also comments about the characteristics of Francie Nolan, the main character in the
novel.
Francie Nolan, avid reader, penny-candy connoisseur, and adroit observer of human nature, has much to ponder in colorful, turn-of-the-century Brooklyn. She grows up with a sweet, tragic father, a severely realistic mother, and an aunt who gives her love too freely--to men, and to a brother who will always be the favored child. Francie learns early the meaning of hunger and the value of a penny. She is her father's child--romantic and hungry for beauty. But she is her mother's child, too--deeply practical and in constant need of truth. Like the Tree of Heaven that grows out of cement or through cellar gratings, resourceful Francie struggles against all odds to survive and thrive.
Several newspapers also give their comments about the book. Popular Library as one of the book’s publishers puts some of these comments in the novel. Cleveland News state that than novel is simple and sympathetic. It has a special
touch that goes far beyond the Brooklyn poor society as the main setting. The story is also full of and irresistible and ever-warm appeal (1962: 1).
Worcester Telegram also put praise their quotation as quoted below,
B. Review of Related Theories
1. Theory of Character and Characterization
When talking about society in the novel, readers cannot separate from the discussion of the characters involved. Langland says that we cannot predefine
society but must define it novel by novel. The flexible details of individual societies in novels help underscore the paradigms of society (1986: 6).
According to Abrams in A Glossary of Literary Terms, there were two definitions of characters, “First, the character is a literary genre: a short, and usually witty, sketch in prose of distinctive type of person”. “Second, characters
are the persons, in dramatic or narrative work, endowed with moral and dispositional qualities that are expressed in what they say- the dialogue- and what
they do- the action” (1971: 20-21).
Literature for Composition stated that character has two meanings: (1) A
figure in literary work, and (2) Personality, that is, the mental and moral qualities
of a figure, as when we say that X’s character is strong, or weak, or immoral, or whatever. Thus, in writing about a character (a figure), you write about the character’s character (personality, traits, characteristics) (Barnet, 1988: 71).
Ian Milligan in The Novel in English: An Introduction divided the characters into two categories. There are major characters and secondary
Koesnosubroto wrote in his book, The Anatomy of Prose Fiction, that on
the basis of their importance, characters are categorized into: 1. Major Character or Main Character
A major character can be the center of the story. He or she is the most
important character in the story. Usually the acts of the story are focused to this character from the beginning to the ending parts. The core of the story is
highlighted to this character’s experiences. 2. Minor Character
Minor characters appear in a certain thing, just necessarily to become the
background of the major characters. Their role are less important than the major character (1988: 67).
Considering the internal complexity, characters can be divided into, 1. Round Character
This character often appears on the center of the story and looks like real
human beings. With his/her complex aspects in temperaments and motivations, sometimes he/she surprises the readers with unexpected behavior. The author develops round characters fully and the characters grow and change during the
story.
2. Flat Character
According to E.M. Forster in Aspect of the Novel, a flat character (type or
two dimensional) is built around “a single idea or quantity” and is presented in outline and without much individualizing detail and so can be fairly and adequately described in a single phrase or sentence. A round character is complex
in temperament and motivation and is respected with subtle particularity; thus he is as difficult to describe with any adequacy as a person in a real life, and like
most people, he is capable of surprising us
Rohrberger and Woods, Jr. in their book, Reading and Writing about Literature state that characters have particular personalities and physical attributes
that distinguish them from other characters. The process by which an author creates a character is called characterization. There are two principle ways an
author can characterize the character in the story. He can use: 1. Direct means to describe physical appearance.
2. Dramatic means and places her in situations to show what she is by the
way she behaves or speaks (1971: 20).
Characterization as stated in the book is the process by which an author creates a character, the devices by which he makes us believe a character is the
particular type of person he is (1971: 180).
Stanton states that a character’s reason for behaving as he does is his
motivation. His specific motivation is his immediate reason perhaps unconscious, for any particular speech or act. His basic motivation is an aspect of his general character: it is continuing desire or intention that governs him throughout the
evidence of all is the character’s own dialogue and behavior. Through our
knowledge of the characters, we understand their action; through their action we understand the characters (1965: 17-18).
2. The Relation between Literature and Psychology
Literary works cannot be separated from psychological aspects since the inner side of the characters can be analyzed by psychological theory such as personality, behavior, morality, emotion, etc. As the media of expressing the writer’s imagination, literature involves psychology as the tool to reveal the
characterization.
In Theory of Literature, Wellek and Warren state that there are four
aspects that can be learned in literature from psychological point of view (1956: 81). The four aspects are the writer, as type and as individual, the creative process, the psychological types and laws presented within the works of literature, and the
effect of literature upon its readers.
Since psychology is a body of knowledge which studies human psyche, the most related element of literature to psychology is its human or human-like
characters. Referring to Barnet’s explanation about character in Literature for Composition that a character is a figure with specific mental and moral qualities.
3. Theory of Psychology
Martin and Stendler in their book, Child Behavior and Development, wrote that as a living organism, a child is sensitive to his surroundings. Since he is equipped by nature to hear, to feel, to taste, and to smell so that he becomes
acquainted with the world where he lives (1959: 11).
Being an active organism too, a child does not merely let this world come
to him. An infant does not wait until the object is placed directly in front of his eyes. He keeps exploring visually the people and objects around him which results in his capability of putting himself in contact with the outside world.
Hurlock also supports this theory. She states in her book Child Development that an individual’s personality pattern is the product of learning
during the course of social relationships with people both within and outside his home. Furthermore, she describes that there are three major factors which determine the development of one’s personality pattern. The first is the
individual’s heredity endowment, the second is early experiences within one’s family, and the third is important events outside one’s home environment. Thus, personality pattern comes from interaction of two. In other words, behavior
learned in childhood may later be changed by direct training or by altering one’s environment (1974: 19).
Analyzing an individual’s personality, it is necessary to see factors that may influence his or her personality. Hurlock states that people may have the roles in influencing one’s personality development. She classifies the people into
Pikunas in his book, Human Development states that family functions as
(1) providing affection, support, and companionship, (2) bearing and raising children, (3) teaching and transmitting culture, religion, economics, and morals to the young, (4) developing personalities, and (5) dividing and discharging labor
within the family and outside (p. 61)
a. The Influence of Family
The pattern of personality is composed of traits which shows the individual’s uniqueness as shown in his behavior and thoughts. Hurlock points out that the pattern is “founded on the person’s hereditary endowment”, which is
shaped by environmental experiences in the home and later, outside the home. Thus, human personality indeed develops and changes continuously
throughout the life-span. Its development is most remarkable during the childhood years and is determined largely by the parent-child relationship. This is also remarked by Kalish who states that “later in life other people also become
important, but the parents are the most influential figures in the first few years and the usually remain so” (1973: 205).
It is true that parents are regarded as the most influencing factor in the
personality development of a child. This is because the child’s first social environment is the home in which he lives. The home and the family will
determine his first attitudes toward people and social activities. In other words, children’s early social experiences take place in home. From the early experiences children get in their homes, they acquire their attitudes, values, and patterns of
experiences play the dominant role in shaping the children’s personality patterns.
Hurlock stresses that “the pattern of personality development in the young child is established primarily within the framework of his relationship with the parents. During the children earliest years the parents constitute the chief social influences
which the child experiences (1974: 352).
b. How Family Influences One’s Personality
Hurlock states that there are two ways how family influences personality development of a child (1974: 352-353).
(i) Direct Influence
The direct influence can come from “the child-training methods the parents used to shape the personality pattern” or from “the communication of
interests, attitudes, and values between family members” (Hurlock, 1974: 352). Through the child-training methods, parents can direct their children to conform to the approved pattern they like or that of the social group with which they are
identified. While through communication, parents may transmit values and attitudes by telling their children how they should feel and behave in different situations or by showing the qualities of other people, things, and situations that
their children should value. (ii) Indirect Influence
The indirect influence comes from the “identification with family members whom children admire, respect, and love, and whom they either consciously or unconsciously imitate (Hurlock, 1974: 353). It happens commonly
Children may develop a personality pattern similar to that of their parents. For
example: children with warm and affectionate parents usually became social person and will show warmth and affection for people outside the home as well as in it.
c. Environmental Influence
Besides family’s influence, one’s personality is also shaped and influenced
by the environment in which the individual lives. This means that people outside the home may have a role to shape one’s personality (1974: 234). The social attitudes and behavior of children might be influenced by the children with whom
they associate.
Adults outside the home may also affect young children’s social attitudes
and behavior. When the children associate with people older than them, they will strive to keep up with them, and by doing so, develop more mature patterns of behavior than their age mates (1974: 234).
d. How Environment Influences One’s Personality
Hurlock explains that the ways environment influences one’s personality pattern can be as follows:
(i) Studies of models
This is done by providing models for the individual to follow. It may occur
Indirectly, the environment influence the individual by setting the models
for him to imitate and by making the models become so prestigious that the individual will want to imitate them.
(ii) Studies of learning opportunities
The shaping pattern from environment can come from learning. The learning may be “inner-directed” or “outer-directed”. In inner directed learning,
the learner takes ‘initiative in putting forth the effort needed to achieve an end result that he feels is valuable to him” (1974: 83). While the outer directed learning is “instructed by someone else who motivates the learner to continue his
practice until he has mastered the desired pattern of behavior” (1974: 84).
C. Theoretical Framework
In solving the problems stated in the first chapter, the writer needs some theories to support them. The theory of character and characterization is used to
answer the first problem, which is, the family members and the society or environment that give influences on Francie’s character development. This theory is also used to answer the third problem formulation about the character
development of the main character. The theory of Relation between Literature and Psychology will give the writer information about the close relationship between
psychology and literature as issued in this study. The writer also applies theory of Psychology, about the factors influencing someone’s personality, to answer the second and third problem formulation on the character development as the result
CHAPTER III METHODOLOGY
A. Object of the Study
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn is largely an autobiographical novel of the
author, Betty Smith. Her parents were German immigrants. Like Francie Nolan in
the story, Smith also went to college without a high school diploma. As her first novel, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn gained more popularity than any of other Smith’s books. Her novels include Tomorrow Will Be Better (1947), Maggie Now
(1958), and Joy in the Morning (1963). She also wrote many plays before her death in 1972. People of all classes in society were reading the book when it first
came out. Oprah Winfrey called the book as one of ten books that deeply affected her life (www.sparknotes.com/lit/brooklyn/content).
Harper and Brothers firstly published A Tree Grows in Brooklyn in 1943
and it contained of 430 pages. It takes place in Williamsburg, Brooklyn between 1900 and 1918. The writer uses the first edition novel in this thesis. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn is mainly about Francie Nolan, an eleven-year girl growing up in the
slum area of Brooklyn. She loves her neighborhood very much. She runs many errands for her mother, makes a daily trip to the library and spends a relaxing
afternoon watching her neighbors from the fire escape. Although money is very hard to get but the Nolans filled their home with warmth and love.
In the novel, the main character, Francie Nolan, is growing up among the
society without always imitating the habits. She is capable of putting herself in the
middle of it. Besides, it is the family too that gives her influence on being herself. It is her family that introduced her importance of education and values in life. Seeing the clear explanation about the influence of society and family, the writer
wants to reveal it more and relate it with the main character’s development by using psychological approach.
B. Approach
To answer the problem formulation, the writer uses psychological approach. According to Rohrberger and Woods, Jr. in their book, Reading and Writing about Literature, psychological approach involves the effort to locate and
demonstrate certain recurrent patterns. It draws on a different body of knowledge that is psychology (1971: 13). Psychological approach is applied when the
attention is focused on psychological interpretation for enhancing the understanding and appreciation of literature. It analyzes the psychological side of the characters in the novel. In applying this approach, psychological theories,
which explain personality, motivation, influence behavior and attitude, are generally used as the interpretation tools
This approach is employed since it covers some aspects that relate each other to answer the problem formulation stated in the first chapter, exploring the description of the society and family, their influence, and result of Francie's
development under those influences. Analyzing an individual’s personality development, it is necessary to deal with psychological aspect. Thus,
C. Method of the Study
In analyzing this novel, the writer applied library research as the method of
study. The novel, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn was chosen as the primary data while the secondary data were collected from books, encyclopedias, and also internet. Psychological approach was also used as the tool to explore the novel.
The steps taken in conducting the analysis were reading the novel more than once to get a deeper understanding and to reveal which characters considered
as the representation of society and family. Second, the writer revealed the character development, connected with the influence of society and family. In this step, she also focused her reading to explore the influences of the society and
CHAPTER IV ANALYSIS
In this chapter, the writer will answer the questions from the problem
formulation. Before answering them, it is better to look back the problems which are formulated in the previous chapter. The first problem is the description of
society and the family members that influence Francie’s character development. The second question is Francie’s character development under the influences from her family and society. It is growing up among the loving family
and poor society that result in Francie’s character development, from an ordinary Brooklyn kid into a motivated young woman. She has both strong mind and
purpose of life. This suggests that Francie is a hard learner so that she can take lessons from her experience.
A. The Description of Society and Characters in the Family
Society and family in the novel play a big role in helping Francie’s development. The hard living in a slum area in Williamsburg, Brooklyn makes her
fight harder that in the end she finds her success that make her struggle worthwhile. Under the influence of the family members, such as her mother,
1. The Condition of Society in the Novel
Francie Nolan and her family live in a dark side of America, which is Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Most area in the district is slums with crowded residents who live in a very poor condition. Living in the slum is very hard for Francie and
her family. They have to work hard to survive amidst the hard living in Brooklyn. Like any other kids in the district, Francie and her brother, Neeley are also
struggling for their own life and largely for the needs of the family. They sell junk collected from the street to a junk man every Saturday night.
For Francie, Saturday started with the trip to Carney, the junk man. She and her brother, like other Brooklyn-kids collected paper, metal, rubber, and other junk and boarded it in locked cellar bins or in boxes hidden under the bed. All week, Francie walked home slowly from school with her eyes in the gutter looking for tin foil from cigarette packages or chewing gum wrappers (p. 8).
Poverty leads Francie and other kids to enter adult world which is getting money
for her own needs to buy candies and saving the rest in a tin can bank to purchase more precious stuffs. A single penny is regarded as wealth amongst the poor kids to get some candies and play games.
The condition caused by poverty makes the adults suffer more than the kids. They should work harder in any case to make their life survive even though
it has to trick others. This tricky case occurs in Cheap Charlie’s Shop which sells candies in the neighborhood. He gives a pick for the children’s penny, a prize or candy, but there is no winner because actually he does not put the reward on the
“Prize or candy?” Charlie asked him. “Candy. What do you think?”
It was always the same. Francie had never heard of anyone winning above a penny prize. Indeed the skate wheels were rusted and the doll’s hair was dust filmed as though these things had waited there a long time like Little Buy Blue’s toy and tin soldiers (p.11)
The case of Charlie’s taking advantage of the children’s innocence shows that he is both wicked and tricky for exchanging their joy with his own needs. Children
are at the mercy of adults who want their money. Because of poverty, everything is possible.
Other crimes also take place in the slum, including the crime that takes children as the victim. Child murder also commonly happens since most of the children do not get well protection from their parents because they concentrate in
getting money more than taking care of the children. Most parents work overtime to get as much as wealth so that they do not know what happened with their
left-home children. There is no one as their protector when their parents are outside home. This conditions cause the case of child murder which victimizes one of Francie’s friends in the neighborhood. She was killed and her body was found few
days after her death.
One day, a little girl on Francie’s block was killed and it had to come out in the open. She had been a quiet little thing to seven, well-behaved, and obedient. When she didn’t come home from school, her mother didn’t worry, she thought the child had stopped somewhere to play.
The child was found at last. Her little body was lying across a busted down doll carriage in the cellar of a near-by house. Her torn dress and undergarments, her shoes, and her little red shocks were thrown on an ash heap (p. 220)
In the poor Williamsburg, there is a prowling sex fiend that haunts parents much.
continual look out for him, he is never caught. On the contrary, the parents always
keep a secret when their little daughter is attacked. The reason is merely because they do not want anyone to know and later discriminate the girl so that she still has to live normally among her playmates. This crime overshadows most of the
mothers in the section. (p. 219)
Besides the number of crime, poverty results in the bad quality of food
consumption. The neighborhood like to consume the stale bread that is specially sold by the bread factory. They never think of the quality of the bread for their sanity but they think of how to supply their body with any kind of food. Losher’s,
a bread factory in the neighborhood supplies stale bread for them every week. It redeems the bread from the dealers and sells it at half price to the poor. It is the
bread’s low price that makes the high number of consumption.
The bakery wagons backed up to it and unloaded the bread on to the counter. They sold two loaves for a nickel, and when it is dumped out, a pushing crown for the privilege of buying it. There was never enough bread and some waited until three or four wagons had reported before they could buy bread (p. 17)
The above case shows that people in the slums are stuffed with only low-quality of food as the result of their difficulty in earning money. As far as it can supply
their body, only stale bread is enough for consumption.
The big number of poverty also creates a social gap in society. The gap
between the rich and the poor, the high-class and the low-class men are depicted clearly. Rich people usually underestimate the poor and noble men, such as doctors and teachers also do treat the poor in the lower position. They do maltreat
poverty. Poor people in the society does not seem to have the same right as the
rich. Francie also undergoes this situation when she visits a doctor. She is sneered by the doctor and the nurse only because her arms are dirty.
“Filth, filth, filth from morning to night. I know they are poor but they could wash. Water is free and soap is cheap. Just look at the arms, nurse” The nurse looked and clucked in horror. Francie stood there with the hot flame points of shame burning her face (p. 129)
The doctor’s action in making embarrassment for Francie shows that his medical profession bears a power for him to badly treat people in the lower class status.
Francie’s teachers at school also create different treatments between the rich and the poor. Francie is very upset since she expects great things from school because she thinks it will bring enjoyment for her. On the other hand, she finds that the
teacher loves the rich students and realizes that she is not the teacher’s favorite. She had been in school but half a day when she knew that she would never be a teacher’s pet. That privilege was reserved for a small group of girls…girls with freshly-curled hair, crisp clean pinafores and new silk hair bows. They were the children of the prosperous storekeepers of the neighborhood. Miss Briggs, the teacher beamed on them and seated them in the choicest places in the front row. Her voice was gentle when she spoke to these fortune-favored few, and snarling when she spoke to the great crowd of unwashed. (p. 133)
The teacher in Francie’s school acts as though the poor have no right to be at
school. Rich students have greater right to be chosen what is best for them while the poor are just treated to be put aside after the rich.
Another occasion also suggests the underestimation towards the poor that again, is undergone by Francie. When Christmas is about to come, a charity organization often gives charity to the poor. It is actually the time that bears
Nevertheless, this occasion really hurts her feeling because the lady who
distributes the gift emphasizes the word ‘poor’ several times.
“Now”, said the lady, “this dill is named Mary after the kind little girl who is giving her away”. Mary wants to give the doll to some poor little girl in the audience whose name is Mary. Is there any poor little girl in the audience named Mary?”
The repetition of the adjective ‘poor’ struck several poor Mary in the audience.
No Mary will stand up, no matter how much she wants the doll as the Christmas present. The girls whose name are Mary keep sitting in their seat because they do
not want to be a symbol of all the poor little girls in the audience.
2. The Characters in the Family a. Katie Nolan
Katie Nolan is one of the ‘strong women’ in the Rommely. She is a fighter
for herself and for the family since her husband is weak in facing the hardship of the family. Her strong character is obvious after her second child was born. Life grows harder because the needs of the family are automatically increasing. On the
other hand, her husband is not able to fulfill the needs since he only gets money when one night job is offered. He does not work steadily. He brings the wages
home but he keeps his tips for liquor.
Katie had the same hardships as Johnny and she was nineteen, two years younger. It might be said that she, too, was doomed. Her life, too, was over before it began. But there was a big difference between them. Johnny knew he was doomed and accepted it. Katie wouldn’t accept it. She had a
It is clear that after Neeley’s birth that means the more burdens for the family,
Katie struggled through hard times and hard work to provide for the family. Hard times makes her fight harder, too.
Although only working as a janitress, she never forgets the importance of
education. Accepting the idea inherited from his mother, Katie reads her children a page of Shakespeare’s book and bible before going to sleep.
“I will read,” promised Katie. What is a good book?”
“There are two great books. Shakespeare is a great book. I have heard tell that all the wonder of life is in that book; all that man has learned of beauty, all that he may know of wisdom and living are on those pages. It is said that those stories are plays to be acted out on the stage. I have never spoken to anyone who has seen this great thing. But I heard the lord of our land back in Austria say that some of the pages sing themselves like songs” (p. 76)
As the child of an immigrant who has an inherited thought that their children must live better and happier than their parents, Katie is optimistic that her children will
also live a better life. The way Katie teaches her children is different from most of the poor. She hates any kind of charity given to the family. She teaches the children to live in dignity, which means that they have to live independently. She
makes herself the sample for the children for her independence in facing the hard life.
b. Johnny Nolan Johnny is Francie’s father whom she called Papa. He is the weak character
place here and there for singing and waiting tables at Union Headquarters. The
reason why he resorts if drinking is shown in the following quotation.
I drink because I don’t stand a chance and I couldn’t drive a truck like other men and I couldn’t get on the cops with my build. I got to sling beer and sing when I just want to sing. I drink because I got responsibilities that I cannot handle. I am not a happy man. I got a wife and children and I don’t happen to be a hard-working man. (p. 34)
Johnny is an opposite character from Katie. While having two children makes her
stronger, Johnny responds it by giving up on life and never puts himself as the money maker for the family. He keeps drinking to comfort himself for failing to fulfill the needs for the family. He is also the character that cannot stand for
failure. He becomes so much down when is fired from the Union and he has to give back the Union button. He comes home drunk with great depression and dies
three days later.
They threw me out of the Winter’s Union today. They said I was a bum and a drunk. They said they’d never give me another job as long as I live. He controlled his sobs for a moment and his voice was frightened as he said, “as long as I live”. He wept bitterly
“I’m no good anymore. I cannot sing anymore. Katie, they laugh at me now when I sing. The last few jobs I had, they hired me to give the people a laugh. It’s come to that, now. I’m finished”. He sobbed wildly, he sobbed as though he never could stop (p. 246)
Without the labor union, Johnny has nothing, not even singing jobs, which at least
gives him some senses that he is contributing to the welfare of his family. Johnny’s reaction to the news is the sign that something has changed and nothing can be as it was before. He sobs wildly for losing his little contribution to the
While Johnny’s impractical nature makes him worthless as money maker,
it also makes him an endearing romantic. It is Johnny who brings joy and beauty for Francie and her family. He is handsome and talented in singing that once he dreams of being a real singer on the stage. He is also a loving father, which is why
Francie feels that she is closer to him than to her mother. Her passionate and loving character captures Francie’s heart although he is actually not a good father.
c. Sissy Rommely
Sissy Rommely is Francie’s aunt. She is also the one that Francie adores
much. She is a loving person to everybody she knows. This characteristic is clearly shown when she helps an Italian girl named Lucia who is pregnant out of
marriage and is punished by her father by being locked in a room without food. At last Sissy made it understood that she was willing to take the child off their hands as soon as it was born. When the mother understood finally, she covered Sissy’s hands with grateful kisses. From that day, Sissy became the adored and trusted friend in the family (p. 234)
Her loving personality results in a negative judgment towards her. It is because
she wants to give as much as she can, especially towards men. She always chases men even though she already has a husband. This is clear when she is accused as a
thief for ‘borrowing’ a kid’s tricycle without permission. The child’s mother tells the police that she has stolen the tricycle but the police, charmed by Sissy’s appearance, defends her.
The cop let his eyes on Sissy’s well shaped bust which was not spoiled any by the tight waists that she liked to wear. He return to the harassed mother. “Why do you want to be stingy for, lady?”, he said
block. Sissy looked up at him and smiled into his eyes. Where upon he, stuck his club in his belt and insisted on pulling the bike for her. Sissy trotted along beside him on her tiny-high heeled shoes and cast a spell over him with her soft flattering voice (p. 106-107)
Despite her reputation toward men, Sissy is also a caring character, especially to Francie. Her big love for Francie is shown when Francie’s cruel teacher is not letting the students to go to the bathroom as well as not excusing the kids to go
out of class. Half of the kids learn to hold their urinates but some become pants-wetter. Having been told by Francie about the incident, Sissy comes to school as
the heroine for Francie and the other kids. She threatens the teachers by telling them that she is Francie’s mother, and her husband is a cop, and Francie has a kidney infection that could lead to death. She is telling lies about her husband and
Francie’s disease. Sissy reacts to save Francie and her mates. She is saying to the teacher that her husband ‘who is a cop’ will come up to the school and beat her if
they do not treat the children right. Sissy’s loving and liberal characteristic toward men bears a kind of learning for Francie to face the mature world.
Sissy is the second mother for Francie. While her real mother only keeps
emphasizing the terms of education, Sissy on the other hand provides Francie with education on how to live more womanly. Incapable of getting this lesson from her
mother, Francie becomes closer to Sissy.
B. Francie’s Character Development under the Influences of Her Family and Society
Child’s character development starts in the family. A child will have
considered as the second society also take an important role in contributing the
development greatly. This statement is supported by Hurlock in her book, Personality Development, which says that of all the conditions that influence
personality development, relationship between the individual and the members of
his family unquestionably rank first. The home is the person’s primary environment from the time he is born until the days he dies (1974: 351).
Francie is a good learner both in the family and society. It is she herself who has a strong motivation for what she is going to be. Growing up amidst the bad society does not make a little Francie to be cruel too. She values what is good
for her without being a girl who is not able to mingle well. Hurlock categorized Francie’s learning as “inner-directed” learning which means that the learner takes
initiative in putting forth the effort needed to achieve an end result that he feels is valuable to him (1974: 83).
1. Francie’s Character Development under the Influence of Society
Although in poor society people live in bad condition, it does not mean that it bears nothing to learn. The condition, indeed, teaches some people who live
in to work hard for surviving. Living in a poor section of Brooklyn does not mean that Francie has nothing to learn. Working hard by collecting junk for sheeny
pennies and save them in a hand-made tin can bank is a precious lesson for her. The family’s weak economically teaches her to struggle to survive. The result of her working hard also gives her a pride because she does not need to depend
Arriving at the store, she walked up and down the aisles handling any object her fancy favored. What a wonderful feeling to pick something up, hold it for a moment, feel its contour, run her hand over its surface and the replace it carefully. Her nickel gave her this privilege. If a floor walker asked whether she intended buying anything she could say, yes, buy it and show him a thing or two (p. 13).
The poverty that forms the background of Francie’s life does not make her embarrassed but it makes her confident. She feels that it is no need to be ashamed
with her poor condition, though it sometimes becomes a problem for others. It occurs in the situation when the teachers always demands her only to write about
beautiful things. By writing beautiful things, the teacher demands about positive things: poverty and drunkenness are considered ugly and dull subjects.
“But poverty, starvation, and drunkenness are ugly subjects to choose. We all admit these things exist but one doesn’t write about them”.
What does one write about? Unconsciously, Francie picked up the teacher’s phraseology.
“One delves into imagination and finds beauty there. The writer, like the artist must strive for beauty always (p. 283).
Since Francie is one of the best pupils in writing compositions, she is demanded
to write only the beautiful things. When she writes about poverty and other bad things, the teacher calls it as sordid and filthy composition. She asks Francie to burn the composition and to keep saying, “I am burning ugliness. I am burning
ugliness”. (p. 290)
The teacher’s perception toward the composition and poverty generally,
really makes Francie think that the poor condition she undergoes becomes a big problem for an educated person. She is trying to rebel from this perception and assuring herself that when she gets high education, she will not be ashamed for the
She wondered when she got educated, whether she’d be ashamed of her background. Would she ashamed of her background. Would she be ashamed of her people: ashamed of handsome papa who is so light hearted, kind, and understanding: ashamed of brave and truthful mama who was so proud of her own mother, even though grandma couldn’t read or write: ashamed of Neeley who was such a good honest boy? No! No! If being educated would make her ashamed of what she was, then she wanted none of it (p. 287).
The social gap created by the people with high privilege is really hurtful
for most of the poor, as well as the Nolans. As one victim of the diversity, Francie does not easily accept the treatment. She insists that her economic condition
should not have been a big problem for her family to accept the normal treatment. She hates every unfair treatment made by the people in higher status.
As a little child growing up among the poor society, Francie Nolan has
been accustomed to the term hunger, hard work, and sufferings. This special background does not make her stop learning but it encourages her much to be
someone who is different from what it is expected. Living in poor and bad society does not always bad quality of people. Francie has proven this through her efforts to be a better person than her family and society.
The cruel life that Francie undergoes is not a bad incident throughout her life. She is challenged by the condition. She pushes herself to be better than her
older generation, as what her family expects. She never gets disappointed of having a father who constantly drank, for his failure to be the money maker of the family. Francie never envies of her brother whom gets greater love from her
mother. Her family’s low education is not also the obstacle for getting higher education. Among the weakness of the family, Francie grows up as a rich girl,
Francie Nolan grows up so quickly. In the beginning of the story, Francie
is described as an ordinary child in who lives normally in the section of Williamsburg, Brooklyn. She spends the days by collecting junk, playing doll with other kids, or just having fun in the candy stores. What makes her different
from other kids is that she can take lesson from every experience in her life, including poverty and bad treatment that the family gets from the higher class.
From collecting junk, Francie learns how to struggle amidst the hard living.
Family is not the only influence that shapes Francie’s characteristics. Growing up in the middle of Brooklyn resident also helps her to be someone with
more talent and achievement than the place expects. When most kids in the area do not take higher education, Francie is in the opposite. She does not want to be
just an ordinary Brooklyn kids but she dares to be different from others. Hurlock says that beside the influence from the family, one’s personality is also shaped and influenced by their environment in which the individual lives (Hurlock, 1974:
80). Francie is raised in an unfortunate situation of poverty. Rather than getting along with her lovers as the girls usually do, Francie prefers to spend her time by reading book and just observe them going. Her decision to be different from
others can be seen as an indication of her personal development. She becomes someone who is confident and proud of herself.
somebody else anymore but she is the subject to depend on. The case is shown
when her mother is about to bear her younger sister, Anne Laurie.
“Francie, I expect the baby any day now and I’d feel better if you were never very away from me. Stay close to me. And when I’m working come looking for me from time to time to see that I’m alright. I cannot tell you how much I’m counting on you. I need you badly now and I feel so far when I know you nearby. Stay close to me for a while”
“I won’t ever go away from you, Mama”, she said.
“Maybe”, thought Francie, “she doesn’t love me as much as she loves Neeley. But she needs me more than she needs him and I guess being needed is almost as good as being loved. Maybe better”. (p. 294)
The result of early entering adult world is maturity in the coming of age. Though in one case Francie loses her innocence but in the other case she still enjoys her
existence of being an ordinary kid in the section. Her family’s poverty cannot overshadow the joy she finds in small material pleasures, the Charlie Cheap Store,
Saturday night trip to Carney’s house, and the ‘sheeny pickles’. Maturity in early ages is the process she gets from the society outside her home. Living in poor society really challenges Francie much.
In her environment, there is an incident when a pregnant woman is being thrown by other women merely because the baby is out of marriage. From this case, Francie has her own opinion. She learns that women ought to love and
protect each other against the men’s world. She notices that men always defend other men, but women only criticize other women. Her observation about women
turning each other shows that she is conscious about gender issue.
her whole life in the slums but when she leaves Brooklyn, Francie refuses to
forget her childhood and her home.
2. Francie’s Character Development under the Influence of Family
Katie Nolan is a good mother for her children. She is a realistic mother. She always works hard for them that she is sure for their better life. She is the
person who gives a strong influence on Francie’s personality development. Katie emphasizes education as the one major thing that their children must have in order to become somebody important in the world.
Johnny and the children can’t see how pitiful it is that our neighbor have to make happiness out of this filth and dirt. My children must get out of this. They must come to more than Johnny or me or all these people around us. But how is this to come about? Reading a page from those books everyday and saving pennies in the tin-can bank isn’t enough. Money! Would that make it better for them? Yes, it would make it easy. But no, the money wouldn’t be enough.
An answer come from Katie. It was so simple that a flesh of astonishment that felt like pain shot through her head. Education!. That was it! It was education that made difference! Education would pull them out of the grime and dirt (p. 181).
Even though her family is poor, money is not their key to open betterment in life. Katie suggests that education is more important to bring their children out of the
dark side of poverty so she urges the children to get higher education than their parents. As a mother, Katie is the home teacher for their children. She is the
economically does not mean that they are poor in terms of education too. Working
in janitorial work does not makes he stop learning.
Piano lessons! Magic words! As soon as the Nolans were settled, Katie called on the lady whose card announced piano lessons. The history-making day of the first lesson arrived. Francie and Neeley were instructed to sit in the front room during the lesson and to keep their eyes and ears open. A chair was paced for the teacher. The children sat side by side on the other side of piano. Katie nervously adjusted and readjusted the seat and the three sat waiting (p. 123).
By having piano lessons, Katie implicitly teaches herself and her children about more luxurious thing. Piano as the symbol of learning gives an idea that to enter the larger world, one must have known everything. Being a poor family does not
mean that they are merely concentrating themselves in poor things, but they have to be able to mingle with all the things, including luxurious things.
Being a hard worker makes Katie Nolan appreciate herself and the hard work she has made. She thinks that she must be respected for what she had done and for the family’s pride. Although they are poor economically, it does not mean
that they are poor in pride too. Without being arrogant, she hates any kind of charity given under the name of religious or social institution. This is clear when Francie receives a doll from a charity organization. She is telling a lie that the doll
is a prize, not a charity. For Katie, working hard is much more precious rather than accepting others’ pity.
Through her idea of refusing any kinds of charity, Katie gives a piece of learning
for Francie to work independently to achieve betterment in life. This influences Francie in the way that she enters adulthood as an independent adult woman.
Katie is also a truthful mother who gives a satisfying explanation to her
children’s lack of understanding. Francie does not have enough education about sex and its danger. She only hears everybody talking on this topic.
Sex is something that invariably comes into everyone’s life. People write a piece against it. The priest preach against it. They even make laws against it. But it keeps going on just the same. All the girls in the school have about the one topic of conversation: sex and boys. They are very curious about it. Am I curious about sex?
She studied the last sentence. The line on the inner edge of her right eyebrow deepened. She crossed out the sentence and rewrote it to read: “I am curious about sex” (p. 218).
As a teenager who is going to enter the womanhood in the next, Francie is curious to search information as much as possible. Her mother as the closest woman of
her is the right person to find the answer. She asks her reliable mother about sex. Unlike the other mothers who never answer their children curiosity about sex, Katie simply tells her and plainly in terms of sex when she is changing into a
woman. The sex education gained from her mother is very important to face the complexity of being a woman. Her understanding about sex really makes aware of
her surrounding. She learns the danger of love from one occasion in her district when a pregnant woman was thrown by other women because she is pregnant out of married. Katie uses her as an example of what should not happen to her
daughter. Francie also thinks that her growing up physically is risky, means that parts of her body start to change that may attract men to seduce her. She is really
Francie was luckier than most children of the neighborhood. She found out all she needed to know at the time she had to know about it. She never needed to slink into dark hallways with other girls and changing guilty confidences. She never had to learn things in a distorted ways (p. 219).
Katie is also a democratic mother who gives privilege to her children to choose what is best for them. She frees the children to express their idea as long as they are responsible for it. This condition is clear when the children are being offered a
job by McGaritty after Johnny Nolan was dead. Although she was fascinated by the salary given, which is four dollars a week that means there would be enough
to eat, Katie still offers the decision to her children. “What do you say, Mrs. Nolan?”
“It’s up to the children”, she answered.
“Well?” He threw his voice in their direction, “What do you say?” “Would you like to help Mrs. McGaritty around the house?” “Yes, Sir”, said Francie.
“And you?”. He looked at Neeley. “Yes, Sir”, echoed the boy (p. 272)
The high salary offered by McGaritty does not make Katie take the decision by herself. She thinks that it is the children who should have decided since they are the ones to do the work. Katie’s freeing the children is also clear in a very simple
thing. Both Francie and Neeley like to smell the aroma of coffee when it is hot. They will throw it away when it is getting cold. This habit really disturbed Sissy
and Evy Rommely who came to the flat very often. Every time they saw the coffee thrown away, they gave Katie a lecture about wasting things.
Katie’s allowing the children to throw the coffee away implicitly states that she is
not typically a conventional mother. She is an open-minded one who never pushes others to always follow her will. The democratic Katie influences Francie’s personality development in the way that she has a right to choose her own way
and to decide what it is best for her. That quotation demonstrates Katie’s pride, and the pride she wishes to pass on to her children. Katie is always depicted as
practical rather than romantic. She wishes that her children should have dignity as well as practicality.
Getting lesson from her mother about saving money, Francie keeps some in a tin can bank that has been made by her trusted mother. As a little child, she grows up how to struggle and to be independent. This reflects that she takes the mature world in early age. Nevertheless, her maturity in younger period does not make her lose her innocence as a normal child. She finds joy when spending the money in a candy store or just touching the stuff she dreams about.
Arriving at the store, she walked up and down the aisles handling any object her fancy favored. What a wonderful feeling to pick something up held it for a moment, feel its contour, run her hand over its surface and then replace it carefully (p. 13).
As Hurlock states in her book that home, the child’s first environment, sets the pattern for his attitudes toward people, things, and life in general. A child identifies with the family members he loves, imitates their behavior, and learn to
adjust to life as they adjust (1972: 433). From her family, Francie is introduced to values as well as life in general.
From her mother, Francie learns how to live with pride. Although she is low educated and only works as a janitress, she shows that she still has pride. She does not care the fact of her husband’s failure as the breadwinner for the family.
state whatever she thinks is her principle. This is shown in one evident when a
doctor who is going to give vaccination makes a series of comment to the nurse about how filthy Francie is. She replies the doctor’s comments, demanding that he not say the same words in front of her brother. From this, it is clear that Francie
stands for herself, implicitly saying that being poor cannot make a person low and has no pride. Growing up with this value, Francie develops as someone with
dignity.
“My brother is next. His arm is just as dirty as mine so don’t be surprised. And you don’t have to tell him. You told me”.
“You don’t have to tell me. Besides, he’s a boy. He doesn’t care if he’s dirty (p. 130)
Rather than giving influence on how to behave well in society, Katie Nolan
emphasizes more on the importance of education as the mean of gaining success in life. Katie’s hard work and her less-spent time with her children influence
Francie to grow independently. She is accustomed to her family’s housework. This is quite clear when she is prepari
