Angelas Ashes, by Frank McCourt, is a touching memoir of McCourts life growing up after the Irish Independence. In order to fully appreciate this story, one must analyze in depth all the elements that make a well rounded narrative. These factors include: plot, setting, characters, style, theme, and historical background. Examples of all six can be found within this story.
The account follows Frank McCourts journey through his life leading up to his arrival in America. Growing up, he must learn to cope with an alcoholic father, disease, poverty, and the death of several siblings. McCourt does a wonderful job recounting his life story. It has a sturdy beginning, middle, and end, along with an episodic plot line. Besides several small pinnacles, the main climax of the story is when Frank leaves his family after being beaten by the owner of the house, Laman Griffin. His family is forced to live with Griffin after being abandoned by his father, who went to England for work. McCourt concludes his story in an abrupt way. After he had reached America, he was still kept on the boat along with the other passengers. One night he and a priest who had sailed on the boat were invited to a party on shore. The story ends as Frank, who had just had his first sexual experience in America, and the priest go back to the boat.
The book is set mainly in Limerick, Ireland in the mid-1930s. Ireland had finally claimed independence from the United Kingdoms, but its economic status was still shaky. Many Irish families were sent into poverty. The plot and characters were highly influenced by this setting. Both lack of money and provisions, and the strong catholic influence in Ireland played key roles in their development. The author covers the time span set in the book by directly stating how many years have gone by. An example is in chapter 18, Im seventeen, eighteen, going on nineteen, working away at Easons (p 354) McCourt reveals the setting to the reader through indirect thoughts and actions. Franks adventures in his hometown give you a good idea of how Limerick looked in 1934.
Three characters take center stage in this story, they are: Frank McCourt and his mother and father, Angela and Malachy. Frank is the streetwise narrator of the story. What he lacks in physical strength, he makes up for with his survivor mentality. As the narrative progresses, he strives to go beyond the limitations forced on him by poverty. Franks character develops drastically over the stories time span. As he matures, he struggles with his faith and fears the doom he has imposed on himself and his loved ones by sinning. He transforms from a nave boy to a determined young man with an overwhelming sense of guilt.
In some ways, Malachy McCourt can be seen as the antagonist of the story. While his family is slowly dying from hunger and disease at home, Malachy goes and drinks his wages in the pubs. The cause for his behavior stems from the loss of his dead sons and daughter. When Malachy leaves to work in England, he uses the distance between him and his family to justify abandoning them.
Angela McCourt struggles with poverty, her marriage, and the loss of her children, but still makes her sons wellbeing her first priority. She is forced to lower her standards and lose her dignity by begging, but through it all remains loving and good humored. Frank often reacts harshly to the steps his mother must take to help the family, including sleeping with Laman Griffin for room and board.
Other characters are important in Franks journey to adulthood, and help shape him to be the man he becomes. His uncle, Pa Keating, is a caring dependable father figure who is a foil for Malachys irresponsible ways. Franks grandmother teaches him his fear of sin and his reverence for the Catholic Church. Mikey Molloy, Franks friend and the expert on Girls Bodies and Dirty Things in General (p 114) also plays a key role later in Franks life when he begins to explore his sexuality.
McCourt shows a distinct writing style in this narrative. No direct dialogue is used, and therefore, no quotation marks are utilized. McCourt writes his memoir in the present tense from the perspective of a young boy. He often, especially in younger years, will state what events are happening without forming an opinion of them. As he grows older, his story telling becomes more knowledgeable and biased. The humor used by the author is often dark and hard to find. The mood of the story in general is a very melancholy one. McCourts distinct style is easily recognized, and can be seen in his later book Tis.
After reading this narrative, I have found that it is foremost a character study. The plot grows and develops along with the characters lives, which are constantly imposed on by the limitations of their class. This is the main theme within Angelas Ashes. Because of the snobbery showed to him by the higher classes and the Church, Frank is denied many opportunities such as alter boy and a student in a wealthy school. Along with this overall meaning, McCourt adds many symbols to the story. The river Shannon is one such symbol. The river represents the bleakness of Limerick, and the disease-carrying wetness which causes the Consumption. The river also becomes a symbol of freedom and escape when Frank decides to leave Limerick ad travel to America, The ledger is well on its way down the Shannon and out of the Atlantic, and I know Ill follow it someday soon. (p 355) Another symbol also ties into the title of the memoir. The book takes its name from the ashes of the constantly dead fire in the McCourts home that represents their poverty. They also signify the hopes ad ambitions of Angela McCourt which crumbled away from her like the ashes of her woodbine cigarettes; the hope to raise a healthy family with a supporting husband, and the ambitions of dancing.
Since this story is a memoir, and therefore based on McCourts true life story, the historical background is a vital part of analyzing and understanding it. The story is set in the 1930s, 8 years after the Irish Independence from the United Kingdom. Ireland was going through economic problems, which was apparent in Angelas Ashes. During this time World War II was being fought. Ireland remained neutral, but an estimated 70,000 citizens served as volunteers in the British Armed forces. Another 200,000 migrated to America and England to work in factories. Malachy McCourt was one of these migrant workers. Knowing the history of the books time period helps when studying the cause for the situations that the characters were in.
Angelas Ashes is one of the few books that really made me think about cultural differences. I can relate to how McCourt struggled with his adolescence and a guilty conscience. Frank McCourts memoir is arguably one of the most touching and humorous stories of the struggles of growing up.
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