Angela's Ashes Blog #2

As I get deeper into Angela's Ashes I become more interested in what is to come next and my emotions get tangled up with each passing event. Some parts of my novel make me frustrated with Frankie's parents and other parts of the story make me impressed with how these two struggling parents get through everyday alive. So far in the book, Frankie's new born sister, Margaret, dies without much warning. While his parents are mourning in their own strange ways, things around the house turn into complete chaos for the twins, Malachy, and Frankie. There is no supervision, no food, and no attention being given to these poor kids except for the occasional soup from Mrs. Leibowitz (the McCourt's next door neighbor). After a few weeks the family moves to Ireland in hopes of a better life.

One thing that really stands out to me through Frank McCourt's memoir is his sense of maturity at age 5. By this time, he is talking care of his two twin brothers, doing anything he can to help his "Mam",  and trying his best to stay out of trouble for sake of the unfortunate family. Frank writes, "Most fo the day Mam lies in bed with her face to the wall. If she drinks tea or eats anything she throws up in the bucket under the bed and I empty it and rinse it in the lavatory down the hall."(McCourt 41)This simple quote captures the depressing atmosphere surrounding Frankie as a young boy and points out how no matter how gruesom things get, he is there to help. Frankie and his brothers don't get much attention and when they do, they drowned in delight. Frankie is desperate for love and after the death of his sister he writes, "I climb into bed and my father, still in his clothes, lies beside me. I'm hoping he'll put his arms around me but he goes on singing about Roddyy McCorley and talking to Margaret, Oh, my little curly-haired, blue-eyed love, I would dress you in silks..."(McCourt 41) When I read this part in the book all I wanted to do was wrap my arms around little Frankie and show him that he is loved. I can tell Frank McCourt did not get enough love as a child and it seems to have really scared him through his writing. Often, McCourt writes of times when he is all alone and sad.

Angela's Ashes Blog #1

Angela's Ashes Blog #1

Frank McCourt's modern memoir, Angela's Ashes, appears to be written as a classic example of immigrant's living in the time of the Great Depression. Frank McCourt, son of Malachy and Angela McCourt writes about his recollections of past experiences and hardships. So far, Frank talks about his family life. His father is still searching for work and his mother is at home taking care of him and his 3 younger brothers. Its rare to find food in the "ice box" and the best form of entertainment Frank can get is one of his father's old tales. Things seem very rough for the family with their lack of money but as of now Francis McCourt seems very content as a three year old boy growing up in Brooklyn, New York City.

Surprisingly, I began reading this book without much interest and now I am quite intrigued. The fact it is based on an Irish based family interests me because I also am very Irish, (hence Delaney Kathryn Sheehan). This book tests my comfort level when leading me to think about what it must be like to live in such a poor economic time. I know it sounds like a cliche but reading Angela's Ashes helps me appreciate the the time period I live in; prosperous, with food and beds to sleep in at night. Maybe I am too young to fully grasp the idea of a life full of suffering and hard work but I can see at one point in this memoir this very idea will hit Francis right between the eyes, and sooner or later in my life, that flying load of (you know what) will hit the fan and be clear to me too.