Objects/Places
Cheap Charlie's and Carney: The store by the junkyard where young kids in Williamsburg bring in their junk in exchange for prizes. There is an unwritten rule that only boys are allowed.
Gimpy's Candy Store: The store next to Carney's where the kids buy candy after exchanging their junk for a penny or prize.
The library: Francie spends her afternoons in the library reading. She reads a book a day, starting at the beginning of the alphabet. They allow her to escape into new worlds and lead to her love for the pen.
Pearl studs: Katie gives Johnny pearl studs as a wedding present. They are only worn on special occasions and are never sold, no matter how desperate the financial situations are.
Bogart Street: The Nolan family lives on Bogart Street for a while until they are kicked out because of noise.
Lorimer Street: The Nolan family moves to a flat on Lorimer Street, which is still in Williamsburg. They leave Lorimer Street because of an embarrassing incident with Sissy.
Williamsburg, Brooklyn: The area of Brooklyn where the Nolans live and Francie grows up. It is on the poor side and is full of immigrants.
The Tree of Heaven: Where Francie lives, she sees a strong tree growing in the yard. It fascinates her and she sees it as a metaphor for her life. No matter how many times it is cut down, it always grows back with thicker branches and wider leaves.
Prima Donna: Johnny calls Francie 'prima donna' as a little pet name.
'Molly Malone': Johnny sings 'Molly Malone' on his way home. It becomes his theme song and everyone knows he is coming up the stairs when they hear that song.
The tin can bank: Mary Rommely tells Katie to make a tin can bank to save money until she can buy land. The can is opened when Johnny dies to pay for his cemetery plot. When Francie and Neeley begin work, they form a new tin can bank.
Brooklyn Heights College: Francie attends Brooklyn Heights College in the summertime and falls in love with education and Ben Blake.
Piano: A piano is left for the Nolans in their Lorimer Street flat. They learn to play it and it brings music into their world when Johnny isn't singing. It is another bit of culture that helps them become educated along the way.
Grand Street: The house to which the Nolans move to the upstairs flat. It is the last home for Johnny Nolan.
Model Office Clipping Bureau: The office where Francie works as a city-paper reader and earns up to twenty dollars a week in Manhattan.
Communications Corporation: Francie's place of work after the bureau closes. She meets Lee Rhynor through a coworker here.
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