Mr. Morton Character Analysis in A Tree Grows in Brooklyn

The music teacher who comes to Francie’s first school for thirty minutes each week. He also teaches at her second school, due to his employment being dependent on his willingness to travel around the district. He instills high culture into the children without their knowing it, teaching them high-brow compositions in the form of mundane songs. Francie and the other children adore him, and he is also attractive to the schoolteachers.

Mr. Morton Character Timeline in A Tree Grows in Brooklyn

The timeline below shows where the character Mr. Morton appears in A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

Education and the American Dream Theme Icon

...despite “all the meanness, cruelty, and unhappiness.” There are some bright moments, such as when Mr. Morton comes to teach music. The teachers adore him. When he arrives, Miss Briggs wears her... (full context)

Gender, Sexuality, and Vulnerability Theme Icon

Miss Bernstone is as admired as Mr. Morton , though not as well-loved. She teaches drawing. The teachers do not like her. They... (full context)

Mr. Morton and Miss Bernstone teach at Francie’s new school, too. During their lessons, Mr. Jenson often... (full context)

Christmas is in the air. Mr. Morton starts to teach the children carols and the store windows fill with “dolls and sleds... (full context)