Alcoholism is a progressive disease that is not caused by a germ or a virus but by the chemical reaction of the individual to the drug. An alcoholic will structure his or her life around easy access to alcohol. The compulsion to drink influences and usually controls an alcoholic's choice of associates and activities. A person in the grip of alcoholism, like Johnny Nolan in the film, is helpless to prevent drinking from interfering with his responsibilities to work and to family. Some alcoholics are bingers, with intermittent periods of sobriety.
Some alcoholics drink regularly.
True alcoholism is always progressive, with death from alcohol poisoning, physical deterioration and resulting illness, or alcohol-induced accident, being the end result. Alcoholism weakens and destroys the body. Alcoholics are particularly susceptible to pneumonia, the illness that killed Johnny Nolan. This was a more severe problem before the advent of antibiotics than it is today. The book A Tree Grows in Brooklyn is a traditional favorite for junior high and middle school readers in this age group.