Angela’s Ashes Characters to consider:

Major characters Frank McCourt- The book’s author, narrator, and protagonist. He maintains a voice and perspective rich with the enthusiasm, tenderness, and determination of a young man.

Major characters Angela McCourt- Frank’s “Mam”; she is humorous and loving, not overbearing or self-pitying; she deals with her husband’s alcoholism, the deaths of her three children, and the necessity of begging for handouts. She considers her children and their welfare above all else.

Major characters Malachy McCourt Sr.- Malachy is an alcoholic who spends his wages and money on drink while his children starve.

Symbols to remember: Symbols- are objects, characters, figures, or colors used to present ideas or concepts

Symbols The River Shannon: The river symbolizes Limerick’s bleakness and the brooding desolation of Frank’s childhood. Frank associates the river with the endless rain that torments Limerick, which he describes as a virulent disease- carrying wetness that causes people to fall sick with coughs, asthma, consumption, and other diseases.

Symbols Ashes- Angela’s Ashes takes its name from the ashes which fall from Angela’s cigarettes and those in the fireplace at which she stares blankly. The setting of the novel feels covered in ash- dark, decrepit, weak, lifeless, sunless. Angela’s ashes represents her crumbling hopes: her dreams of raising a healthy family with a supportive husband have withered and collapsed.

Symbols Egg- Frank’s family cannot afford to buy eggs. Eggs are a luxury, and Frank associates them with wealth and security.