Brooklyn Part 1 Summary
- We are in Ireland. No, not Dublin, sorry. The beginning of our book takes place in a small Irish town called Enniscorthy. It’s after World War II and the economy in Enniscorthy is not so great. Unfortunately, there aren’t any pots of gold at the end of rainbows. (P.s. There’s no leprechauns either).
- The first character we meet is Eilis Lacey. We never find out her real age but she is about 19 or 20. Eilis spends her time studying bookkeeping and rudimentary accounting and hanging out with her gal pals Nancy and Annette.
- Eilis lives with her mother and older sister Rose. Rose is 30 and still lives at home. Oh and did I mention she’s single? Before you jump to conclusions, I will note that Rose is not a lesbian.
- Eilis admires Rose. Rose is beautiful and glamorous and is always being taken out on dates, especially golfing dates because she’s talented in the sport. Rose supports the family with her job at the Davis’s Mills Office. Rose is quite fabulous and very protective over her baby sister Eilis and expects a lot from her.
- One day, Eilis gets a job offer at Miss Kelly’s grocery store. Miss Kelly is a cold woman. Colder than ice. However, she owns the best stocked grocery store in Enniscorthy and is the only grocer open on Sundays. Miss Kelly hired Eilis as a cashier because of her supposed talent with math and numbers. Eilis takes the job, in spite of the fact that Rose will most definitely disapprove.
- As the weeks pass, Eilis learns that Miss Kelly is a confusing, manipulative, and bipolar woman. She lies to most of her customers and most certainly does not possess any trace of the infamous “Irish charm”. Only Miss Kelly’s “special customers” are allowed to know about and purchase the freshest items and are always to be served first.
- Eilis enjoys sharing her work stories with her mother and Rose. It gives them something to talk and laugh about, something they haven’t experienced in a while since Eilis’s father died and since her older brothers moved to England to find work.
…
- One Sunday night, Eilis goes to the Athenaeum with her bestie Nancy. Eilis is exhausted but goes anyway because Nancy begs her too and Eilis is a girl that abides by Girl Code.
- Nancy danced and hooked up with the hottest guy in town, George Sheridan, last Sunday night and she is dying to go to the dance so that he will notice her and ask her to dance again.
- Nancy going out with George would be a big deal because George is rich and will inherit his prosperous family business. basically, Nancy is a status climber. This was back in the day when women depended on men for status and money. Nowadays we call these types of women “gold diggers”.
- Eventually, George comes to the athenaeum and asks Nancy to dance. Poor Eilis sits by herself like a wallflower. After the song, George offers to buy Nancy and Eilis a lemonade at the bar. How cute… drinking lemonade at a bar in Ireland.
- At the bar, George introduces the girls to his lad Jim Farrell. Jim ignores Nancy and Eilis. George and Nancy go back to the dance floor while Eilis sits politely at the bar with the jerk, Jim Farrell. After the song ends, she leaves with the only dignity she has left… Talk about awkward!
…
- Eilis’s life goes on normally until Rose informs Eilis and her mother that she has invited a priest from the golf club over for dinner.
- Father Flood is from ireland but moved to America years ago. On his visit to Enniscorthy, he brings up the idea of having Eilis come to America to find proper work. At first, Eilis thinks it’s nothing serious until she realizes that Rose and her mother aren’t protesting the idea. Eilis realizes that Rose planned this future for Eilis all along.
- Father Flood assures Mrs. Lacey that his parish in Brooklyn will take great care of Eilis and she would have no troubles at all. (It’s not like Eilis would be moving across the world with all strangers or anything! No biggie!)
- How could Rose do this? Send her sister all the way to America?! In Rose’s defense, this could be the best opportunity for Eilis. Rose knows that America would be ideal for a smart girl like Eilis.
- As the weeks fly by, the Lacey family receives a letter from Father Flood assuring them that Eilis can work at his Italian friend’s merchant shop in Brookyln. Over time she will most definitely be able to rise the ranks and make sufficient money for herself.
- Father Flood agrees to watch over Eilis. Rose gets all of the necessary documents from the American Embassy in Ireland so that she can travel to America.
- Eilis informs Miss Kelly of her departure and how she can work for a few more weeks but Miss Kelly says she won’t be needing her anymore. Talk about rejection…
- Eilis is scared for her journey but knows it’s the best thing for her. After all it’s America, the only land where rags to riches is possible.
- She worries she won’t be able to come home and visit.
- Eilis realizes that Rose is sacrificing her future by staying in Ireland. She will be an old cat lady and have to watch over her mother and won’t be able to marry.
- Eilis forces herself to seem excited about moving to America. It’s kind of like when your friend’s mom makes something gross for dinner and you have to pretend to like it.
…
- Eilis takes a boat to Liverpool where her brother Jack takes her to the ship to New York.
- Eilis has a crappy room on the ship with some British lady named Georgina.
- Eilis vomits every night. She’s not drunk don’t fret.
- There is a terrible storm that leaves Eilis seasick for days. Georgina watches after her though as if Eilis is her little lost puppy.
BROOKLYN 