Commentary on Angela's Ashes Essay

Angelas Ashes Essay

The novel by Frank McCourt, Angelas Ashes, is a memoir about his childhood living in poverty-stricken Ireland, and the hardships he endured. It was, of course, a miserable childhood: the happy childhood is hardly worth your while. Worse than the ordinary miserable childhood is the miserable Irish childhood and worse yet is the miserable Irish Catholic childhood.- (Frank McCourt). Frank McCourt experienced many horrible and often traumatic events during his childhood, such as hunger, poverty, family death, and the complications of having an alcoholic father. As the reader continues on through the book, they come to understand just what the miserable, Irish, Catholic childhood is. The happy childhood is hardly worth your while, Franks childhood was anything but happy, and yet as he grew from a young boy to a young man, these events shaped him into the great man he would become.

One constant throughout the novel is hunger. Hunger taught Frank to utilize any opportunity or situation that arose for his benefit, whether it was food, education, or a job. Franks father was always out of a job, and as a result, the family suffered. The living conditions were not very sanitary, Frank and his younger brothers were constantly running around half naked. The twins Eugene and Oliver didnt even have proper diapers, and wore simple cloths that were rarely washed. As a result, disease would take the lives of Franks baby sister Margaret, and later on when the family moved to Ireland, disease from the nearby river would take the lives of the twins. Despite the horrible and traumatic circumstances of the childrens deaths, the fear of losing yet another family member to disease or starvation drove Frank and his mother to do whatever was necessary to obtain food for survival. For example, upon moving to their new home in Ireland, one of the twins becomes seriously ill, and they need coal to keep their fire going to keep him warm. Franks father refuses to be seen as a beggar, and does not go out to collect coal from the road. Angela (Franks mother) is extremely disappointed that the father of her own children is too proud to do something that could potentially mean life or death for the child. She then takes Frank and Malachy to collect coal. The master says it's a glorious thing to die for the Faith and Dad says it's a glorious thing to die for Ireland and I wonder if there's anyone in the world who would like us to live. My brothers are dead and my sister is dead and I wonder if they died for Ireland or the Faith. Dad says they were too young to die for anything. Mam says it was disease and starvation and him never having a job. Dad says, Och, Angela, puts on his cap and goes for a long walk. Franks childhood, however traumatic it was, would come to teach him many life lessons about survival. Frank realized early on that in order to not starve, and have nice living conditions, you had to have a steady job.

Once Frank started to think towards the future, all he could think about was getting a job. Eventually, he did. Franks grandmother decides that Frank will help his Uncle Pat deliver newspapers. Frank is sent out in the rain, and paid poorly. One day, he delivers the paper to Mr. Timoney, a somewhat eccentric old man who had served in the English army in India. He asks Frank if he can read, and offers to pay Frank for reading A Modest Proposal by Jonathan Swift to him. Though Frank doesnt really understand what he is reading, he enjoys spending time with Mr. Timoney because he respects him, and is respected in return. Though at this point Frank dreads the idea of going to school every day, he looks forward to spending time with Mr. Timoney to be able to express his own opinions freely, without having to worry about the narrow-minded, and often dogmatic views of his teacher and classmates. Things are going well, and Angela is thrilled that her son has two jobs until Mr. Timoney is locked away in a home for the mentally unstable, though not for being insane. He is locked away because he is eccentric and different, and because he differs in religion from the rest of Limerick. Frank eventually loses both jobs and is forced to turn his thoughts back to school. In school Frank starts practicing for his confirmation. Soon after making his confirmation, Frank develops typhoid fever, and is kept in the hospital. While at the hospital, he makes friends with a little girl in the fever ward. The two of them share stories, and Frank soon comes to discover the wonders of poetry. Even when Frank was younger he possessed a great liking of stories. One of the few fond memories Frank possessed of his father was sitting with him in the morning listening to Irish patriotic stories, like Cuchulain. Throughout the book Frank often tells of his love of movies, and even comes to love Shakespeare, saying Shakespeare is like mashed potatoes, you can never get enough of him. , and I don't know what it means and I don't care because it's Shakespeare and it's like having jewels in my mouth when I say the words.. At this point Franks love of literature becomes clear. The desire to have a job and be able to support his family coupled with Franks love of literature come to his aid in achieving his personal goals in life.

One of Franks many jobs throughout the novel is assisting Mr. Hannon deliver coal across Limerick. Bridey Hannon is one of Angelas dearest friends throughout the novel, always offering empathy and support. However one day she comes knocking on Angelas door and asks Frank to help her father deliver coal because his legs are in too poor a condition to do it all by himself. Angela agrees and Frank is thrilled to have his first real job. Mr. Hannon is a kind, gentle, and compassionate man. During their time spent together Mr. Hannon encourages Frank to go to school, read books, and leave Ireland for America. He is constantly emphasizing how important education is, and how when you have an education, you can do anything. Encouragement was something Frank rarely received, and Mr. Hannons words always stuck with him. Unfortunately, the dust from the coal was damaging Franks eyes, and eventually Angela made Frank stop working with Mr. Hannon. Bridey then informs Frank that Mr. Hannon has been hospitalized and can no longer work as well, and that he loved Frank like a son. Frank had also loved Mr. Hannon like a father, his own father gone who-knows-where, and was gratified to know his feelings were returned. This knowledge only gave Mr. Hannons words more strength. Eventually, Frank and his family were evicted. With nowhere else to go, Angela and her four boys go to live with her cousin Laman. Laman has a steady job, and is able to provide food and a roof for the family. Despite being family, Laman feels the need to humiliate Angela and makes her empty his chamber pot every day. Laman sends Frank to the library for books, and staying true to Mr. Hannons advice, gets a book for himself as well.

Frank continues to show a great zeal for reading, and takes a greater liking to school when he has Mr. OHalloran for his teacher. Mr. OHalloran is more free-thinking just like Mr. Timoney, and inspires his students, You have to study and learn so that you can make up your own mind about history and everything else but you cant make up an empty mind. Stock your mind, stock your mind. It is your house of treasure and no one in the world can interfere with it. Once again emphasizing the importance of education, Mr. OHalloran tells Franks mother that Frank is far too intelligent to become a messenger boy, and needs to continue with his schooling. Taking the teachers advice, Angela takes frank to the Christian Brothers to ask about furthering Franks education. They took one look at Franks appearance and slammed the door in his face. Infuriated Angela tells Frank Thats the second time a door was slammed in your face by the Church, and she then tells him never to let anyone slam a door in his face again. Frank for the first time is angry at society, finding it unfair that the only thing stopping him from furthering his education is a class-system, in which the poor are not offered the same opportunities as the rest of society. Frank later gets a job as a messenger boy. At this point Frank has moved out of Lamans home, sick of being slapped around by the man, and is now living with his uncle Pat, in his late grandmothers home. He is now more determined than ever to get his mother and younger brothers away from the man he hates and says, he would rather jump into the River Shannon than give up on his dream. While out delivering letters one day, Frank delivers a telegram to an old woman named Mrs. Finuncane who also happens to be a creditor. She is looking to hire someone to write threatening letters to those who owe her money, and in return the writer will receive a few shillings a day. Frank is eager to earn the extra money that he needs to save to get to America, so he accepts. Once again, Franks love of literature comes in to play, and he uses long, difficult words in order to intimidate others into paying. Frank gets yet another job delivering Protestant newspapers. Certain articles in the newspaper have been banned, and Frank manages to make extra money by selling those articles to wealthy Protestants. Angela has a good job in a wealthy home, and is able to take better care of her family. Frank spends another three years writing nasty letters and delivering newspapers all the while dreaming of America. One night after the death of Mrs. Finuncane Frank steals some of the ledger money for the trip to America, and dumps the rest of the money in the river for the poor to find. Frank finally has enough money to go to America, and his family throws him a going away party. Franks hard work finally pays off and the novel ends with him on a ship to America.

Frank had an incredibly hard childhood, one in which it appeared all the odds were against him, and yet thanks to his determination, perseverance, and hard work, he was able to become a respected teacher, and author. Nothing is given to man on earth struggle is built into the nature of life, and conflict is possible the hero is the man who lets no obstacle prevent him from pursuing the values he has chosen.Frank lost many of his younger siblings to starvation and disease, due to the fact that his father was constantly out of a job. As a young child this left a strong impression that you have to work hard to get what you want in life. Another key to Franks success was his education. People throughout the novel such as Mr. Timoney, Mr. Hannon, and Mr. OHalloran constantly stressed the importance of education, and helped Frank to understand that only with a good education can certain goals be reached. His education combined with his love for literature would end up opening many doors for him in his future. For example, if not for his education, Frank would have never gotten the writing job from Mrs. Finuncane, and would not have been able to earn the extra money for American as a result. Franks poverty also prevented him from furthering his education, which angered him to a degree, and only increased his determination to get a job, and get out of Ireland. Frank, despite having an incredibly hard childhood, stayed true to his goals and principles, and through hard work and dedication, was able to achieve his dream.