Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines perseverance as “steadfastness in doing something despite difficulty or delay in achieving success”, and can be linked with the words dedication, determination, endurance, persistence, and tenacity. We see many daily examples of perseverance on the news, in our own lives, and throughout the novel.
In A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, the readers meet Joanna, a young teenager who has decided to raise her baby on her own. However, her neighbors have different opinions as they attempt to belittle Joanna by cursing and throwing rocks at her. “Some of the stones hit Joanna but a sharp pointed one missed and struck the baby’s forehead….Suddenly the women were ashamed” (234). Joanna had much endurance even when she felt no safety or comfort in her own neighborhood. She was brave in her decision to raise a child by herself. Another example of perseverance we see in the novel was experienced by the entire Nolan family. After Johnny’s passing, the family was steadfast despite the tragedy at their hands. Even though the amount of Johnny’s pay each week varied, it still assisted in paying the bills. Their family could …show more content…
In seventh grade, every week or so, I would go online and check the blog of one of my close friends from grade school. Her name was Morgan and she was diagnosed with Leukemia twice in her life and fought many battles including Lung disease and Bone Marrow transplants. Her mom updated her blog with any news, and it was on that day in March when I saw the title “Heaven Gains an Angel”. It was hard to focus in school that week because it seemed that nothing would take my mind off of what happened. She had much endurance until her body won the battle, and I had to find a way to persevere through school despite her passing, just as the Nolan family found a way as