Angela's Ashes #4

Recently in Angela's Ashes, Frank's life takes a turn from decent to devastating. At 10 years old he is diagnosed with typhoid, causing him great discomfort and short lapses of unconsciousness. He is brought to the hospital where he meets a girl his age, Lilly, who has cancer. They become good friends, reading each other Shakespeare, and keeping one another company. Although things are surely rough for Frankie he looks at life rather optimistically, rarely complaining and appreciating small things. At one point Frank writes, "Dad nods and puts his hand on mine again. He looks at me, steps away, stops, comes back, kisses me on the forehead for the first time in my life and I'm so happy I feel like floating out of the bed" (McCourt 193). Just by reading these few lines I am able to understand that Frankie values love over everything else. He doesn't care that he is poor, he isn't feeling bad for himself because of his brutal condition, he gets happy just from his father's action of love.

Frank McCourt's memoir is so innocent I have no doubt in my mind he grows up to be an ethical person. Frankie not only recognizes the importance of recieving love, he recognizes the importance of giving it. When recalling his time at the hospital with his father McCourt writes, "He's like Paddy Clohessy the day I gave him the raisin. When he looks sad it's the worst thing in the world and I start crying" (McCourt 193). The fact a ten year old boy, terribly ill with typhoid fever, focus's his greatest worries on his father's sadness is amazing. I believe that although Frank McCourt's life was filled with despair and suffering, he was able to mature from it and he teaches himself what he believes is most important in life.

Angela's Ashes #3

At his point in Grank McCourt's memoir, Angela's Ashes, Frank has befriended a neighborhood boy named Mikey. Frank is also involved in the Catholic Church and his First Communiun is about to take place. Mikey gets Frank excited by telling him the best things about the First Communiun day, "Mikey got over five shillings on his First Communiun day and ate so many sweets and buns he threw up in the Lyric Cinema" (McCourt 117). Although Mikey's life seems nice, at least to Frankie, his family is also having a hard time financially and his mother is a bit "crazy".
This chapter is finally humorous and nothing completely rough comes upon the McCourt family. Frankie is in school, he is making friends, and life just doesn't seem so bad. Although Frankie's new friend Mikey Mollow seems like the type of boy who could possibly "ruin" Frankie's innocence with his sexual expertise, "grown up talk", and fascinating stories Frank does not change. One day Frankie says, "Bless me Father, for I have sinned. I overslept. I nearly missed my first communiun"(McCourt 129). Frank confesses to the smallest of sins which demonstrates his eagerness to be good even when the world is confusing and full or despair.

OTW Post

In Cormac McCarthy's play, On the Waterfront, decisions are forced to be made, ethical or not. Johnny Friendly's mob seems to believe that anyone who shows signs of giving them away is a traitor and this factor leaves numerous people hesitant of speaking up. This is easily demonstrated by the murders of Joey and Doogan, and the attempted murder of Terry. They all were examples of the consiquences you go through when speaking up about Johnny's gang. Terry was an exception to the other men though because he was able to prove his strength by forcefully standing up for his ethical beliefs, the very characteristics necesariy to be a whistle blower.
Unfortunately, its proven by history that it is truly hard to stand up against a society. People like Oscar Schindler, Terry, and Enviornmentalis all have a form of whistle blower in them. Being a whistle blower can be very scary, whether its your reputation on the line or, in some cases, your life in risk. I believe its a very hard thing to do and believing in something isnt always enough, you need to act on your beliefs in order to make a difference. I also believe being a traitor is the simple route. Telling on someone is not always an easy task but when you are doing it for your own personal benefit that is when you are persieved as a traitor.

AMS #1

In Arthur Miller's play, All My Sons, characters are forced into making decisions, good or bad. As all of you know, (or hopefully know by now), Joe Keller makes decisions he feels will benefit his family but ultimately lead to his death. As a business man during the war work was hard for Joe and it was not always fair so he made the unwise choice of sending out 120 broken plane parts which lead to the death of 21 soldiers. Joe believes providing for his family is the most important thing and you can see that through an arguement him and his son Chris have when he finds out about the crime Joe commited. Joe yells with desperation, "Chris...Chris, I did it for you, it was a chance and I took it for you. I'm sixty-one years old, when would I have another chance to make something for you?"(70) Joe clearly believes that the decision he made was what needed to be done in order for Chris to have a good life. Although Chris does also believe family is important he didn't think what his father did was necessary or moral in any way. Chris screams, "What the hell do you mean, you did it for me? Don't you have a counry? Don't you live in the world? What the hell are you?". Chris feels that what his father did was completely out of line because he once faught in the army and he believes that decisions should be made idealisticly and in a way that is best for his country.

Although Miller's play was extremely depressing I found it very entertaining because it made me think about where people should draw the line when dealing with what it best for loved ones, or what is best for everyone. It's always tricky being put in situations where full responsibility is put on you and when a hard decision comes my way I'm like Joe Keller, all I want to do it stay in bed. Unfortunately there is not necessarily a line determining if what you do is right or wrong so you just have to do what you feel is overall smartest. I can see why Chris was upset with his father... I mean, killing 21 people is a big deal! But then i look at Joe's perspective and you ask, Is this really my fault? Was I wrong to do what I honestly thought was best for my family? The argument is very controversal.

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.