“She pressed her hand over her heart trying to feel a jagged edge under the flesh. She heard papa sing so many songs about the heart; the heart that was breaking--was aching--was heavy laden--that leaped for joy--that was heavy in sorrow--that turned over--that stood still. She really believed that the heart actually did those things. She was terrified thinking her heart had broken inside her (...)” Heart Author:Betty Smith
“There is here, what is not in the old country. In spite of hard, unfamiliar things, there is here - hope. In the old country, a man can be no more than his father, providing he works hard. If his father was a carpenter, he may be a carpenter. He many not be a teacher or a priest. He may rise - but only to his father's state. In the old country, a man is given to the past. Here he belongs to the future. In this land, he may be what he will, if he has the good heart and the way of working honestly at the right things.” IfsMenWayHeartMayCountryHardStatesPastFatherGivenTeacherLandHard WorkHonestlyRight ThingSpitePriestsProvidingUnfamiliarCarpenterGood Heart Book:A Tree Grows in Brooklyn Source: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
“She had heard Papa sing so many songs about the heart; the heart that was breaking - was aching - was dancing -was heavy laden - that leaped for joy - that was heavy in sorrow - that turned over - that stood still. She really believed the heart actually did those things.” HeartStillsJoySongHeardSorrowDancingHeavyPapa Author:Betty Smith
“It is a good thing to learn the truth one's self. To first believe with all your heart, and then not to believe, is good too. It fattens the emotions and makes them to stretch.” PeopleFirstsBelieveHeartChildrenPersonsSelfHardCharacterSufferingForgetEmotionPracticeRichTeachingGood ThingsDisappointmentYour ChildrenDisappointPeople Disappoint Author:Betty Smith
“Intolerance is a thing that causes war, pogroms, crucifixions, lynchings, and makes people cruel to little children and each other. It is responsible for most of the viciousness, violence, terror, and heart and soul breaking of the world.” PeopleWorldHeartChildrenLittlesWarSoulCausesViolenceResponsibleTerrorIntoleranceHeart And SoulCrucifixionLynching Author:Betty Smith
“A person who pulls himself up from a low environment via the bootstrap route has two choices. Having risen above his environment, he can forget it; or, he can rise above it and never forget it and keep compassion and understanding in his heart for those he has left behind him in the cruel upclimb.” HeartPersonsTwoChoicesLeftUnderstandingForgetBehindsCompassionEnvironmentLowsNever ForgetRoutesLeft BehindForget ItRise AboveRisenTwo ChoicesBootstrapsRise Above It Book:A TREE GROWS IN BROOKLYN MAGGIE NOW Source: A TREE GROWS IN BROOKLYN MAGGIE NOW
“And you must tell the child the legends I told you - as my mother told them to me and her mother to her. You must tell the fairy tales of the old country. You must tell of those not of the earth who live forever in the hearts of the people.” PeopleHeartChildrenCountryEarthMotherForeverTalesFairyLegendsFairy TaleLive Forever Book:A TREE GROWS IN BROOKLYN MAGGIE NOW Source: A TREE GROWS IN BROOKLYN MAGGIE NOW
