Francie becomes more aware of her father's problems with alcohol. As Francie grows up, Johnny comes home drunk more and more often.
Chapter 32
• Francie had started a diary in December, on her thirteenth birthday. Now, nearly a year later, she is reading it; majority of the diary entries tell that Papa is "sick" again - Katie's way of saying that he is drunk.
- How has Johnny's alcohol addiction effected Francie?
- How does Francie see Johnny through her own eyes? Does she pity him for the money he has wasted on alcoholic beverages?
More involving the themes of Alcohol and Poverty
• Through my eyes, nearly every situation, character, and chapter represents or addresses the problem of poverty in early twentieth-century America. Being poor means that the characters constantly must think of being poor—how they will buy the next loaf of bread, or what one's house or neighborhood looks like compared to another.
- In which ways has poverty effected Francie and her family? Has Johnny significantly contributed to this issue?
• Although having money makes for an easier life, in many cases, the most lovable characters in the book are indeed victims of poverty.
- As Betty Smith implies this concept, which life moral is being translated to readers?
Jenna S.
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Francie has been lied to throughout her life because of Johnny's alcohol addiction. Her mother tries to play it off like it's nothing and tries to hide it from her kids, even making Francie cross out the word "drunk" in her diary and changing it to the word "sick". I think Francie feels sorry for her father, on page 247 she says "...I told Papa about it but he was too sick to understand. Poor Papa." She also always feels the need to defend him. On page 244 there is a diary entry from on May 17. Francie writes how kids were making fun of her dad and says she hates kids. However, looking back on all the days her father was "sick" makes her feel very emotional.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your analysis that poverty causes people to think about poverty and question how they will over come everyday problems that would be easier if they weren't poor, for instance buying food. For Francie's family in particular, they are constantly playing "North Pole". Johnny's alcohol problem has only made their money problems worse because he is always drinking and spending a lot of moeny drinking. Being drunk all the time also contributes to his constant unemployment.
Betty Smith implies that money doesn't make a person better. it is the person themselves that makes you likeable, not what you have in your wallet.
Literary Luminary post #2
ReplyDelete"July 5. Papa is still sick. Will he ever work again? I wonder.
July 29. Papa wasnt sick oday. He's going to get a hob. He said Mama has to stop washing for Mrs. McGarrity and I have to give up my job. He says we'll be rich and all go to live in the country. I wonder.
August 17. Papa has been working for three weeks now. We have wonderful suppers.
August 18. Papa's sick.
August 19. Papa's sick because he lost his job. Mr. Hendler wont take me back in the restaurant. He says I'm not reliable.
September 10. I started my last year of school. Miss Garnder said id I keep on getting A's on my composition, she might let me right a play for graduation. I have a very beautiful idea. There will be a girl in a white dress and her hair hanging down her back and she will be Fate. Other girls will come out on the stage and tell what they want from Life and Fate will tell them what they'll get. At the end a girl in a blue dress will spread out her arms and say, "Is life worth living then?" Aand there will be a chorus that says "yes". Only it will all be in rhyme. I tild Papa about it byt he was too sick to understand. Poor Papa.
October 25. I will be glad when this book is filled up as I am getting tired of keeping a diary. Nothing important ever happens."
Francie feels bad for her father, which is shown in the passage above where she says "...I told Papa about it but he was too sick to understand. Poor Papa."
But like Danielle said, her mother does try to show as if it is nothing that he is almost sick everyday and tries to hide it from her kids. She even made Francie change the word drunk to the word sick.
I agree with your analysis of this passage, Mary. I believe the harmful effects of drinking, truly scare Francie's mother, and cause her to worry for the children. This shows a "depressed" stage, in a way, of Francie's mother; as she is anticipating the term "sick" to become something of a much worse category. In addition, this passage once again shows francie's love for her father; as she is afraid, her special relationship, might soon come to an end.
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