Matthew Bridge, Limerick ANGELA’S ASHES BY FRANK McCOURT

Frank McCourt Born in NYC in 1930 NYC to Ireland, back to NYC @ 19 H.S. English teacher Pulitzer Prize 1997 for Angela’s Ashes

Frank McCourt’s books Angela’s Ashes -1996 T’is - 1999 Teacher Man - 2005

Genre: The Memoir What is a memoir? A memoir is a piece of autobiographical writing, usually shorter in nature than a comprehensive autobiography. The memoir, especially as it is being used in publishing today, often tries to capture certain highlights or meaningful moments in one's past, often including a contemplation of the meaning of that event at the time of the writing of the memoir. The memoir may be more emotional and concerned with capturing particular scenes, or a series of events, rather than documenting every fact of a person's life http://www.inkspell.homestead.com/memoir.html

Memoir: Expectations The intimacy of the memoir immediately gives the reader a sense or an expectation of a narrative of human experience and emotion. More than just facts strung together, a reader expects a memoir to portray emotional events and personally significant experiences

Excerpts from Angela’s Ashes “When I look back on my childhood I wonder how I survived at all. 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. People everywhere brag and whimper about the woes of their early years, but nothing can compare with the Irish version: the poverty; the shiftless loquacious alcoholic father; the pious defeated mother moaning by the fire; pompous priests; bullying schoolmasters; the English and the terrible things they did to us for eight hundred long years. Above all- we were wet." (McCourt 11)

IRELAND

Events in Irish History 1916 - Easter Rising 1919-1921 Armed Rebellion 1922 - Irish Civil War Civil War begun after Michael Collins accepts British terms Ireland split - Northern Protestant and Southern Catholic

Setting Limerick Strong Catholic history 1934 - depths of The Great Depression

McCourt Family Angela, Malachy Frank, Malachy Jr., Eugene, Oliver, Margaret, Michael, Alphie

More Family Toome in County Antrim = Malachy McCourt’s Family Limerick = Angela’s Family

Themes in Angela’s Ashes Angela’s Ashes is biographical in nature. It falls into a genre called “life writing”. McCourt takes creative licence to highlight key points of his life. The following themes can be scene in the book: Class Struggle (Poverty) Hunger Fatherly failure and irresponsibility

Poverty The theme of poverty is pervasive. In Limerick, poverty is accepted as a fact of life; although there is a charitable society and a rudimentary system of public assistance, neither does much to lift the poor out of their misery. For the McCourts, the dole money is never sufficient. When they first settle in Limerick, Malachy receives a mere nineteen shillings a week, for a family of six. "Just enough for all of us to starve on," says Angela. The family often goes hungry. Not only is food scarce; living conditions are appalling. The McCourts must deal with fleas, rats, flies, and lice. There is only one lavatory for the whole lane of eleven families, and it is directly outside their door. In summer the stench is unbearable.

Hunger The McCourts never have enough food to eat, and the food they do manage to procure is scant and unsatisfying. Hunger is mentioned over and over again until it becomes a haunting presence in the narrative. Frank’s father often drinks away the money the family needs for food, and comes home wailing about the plight of Ireland and the Irish. Frank’s hunger is more than practical; it becomes a metaphor for his desire to leave Ireland and seek new opportunity.

Fatherly Irresponsibility Malachy is a study in alcoholism, laziness, and false pride. His habit of spending the family’s tiny income on beer, leads to disaster and ultimately breaks up the family. Though the book is named after Frank’s mother, much of the book deals with the fatherhood of Malachy.

Style Angela's Ashes is narrated in the first person, and apart from the first part of chapter one, it is told in the present tense. The present tense narration serves the author's purpose well as it conveys the immediacy of the child's experience and avoids giving the impression, as a past tense might, that the story is being told by an adult reflecting on his childhood.

Language The language used throughout is colloquial and earthy. Slang, Irishisms, and vulgar expressions are used frequently, and these convey the way people really talked in Limerick during the author's childhood. Having a "fine fist," for example, means that a person has good handwriting. To go "beyond the beyonds" is to behave in an outrageous manner.

Questions for Discussion What is so unusual about the trip that the McCourt’s take to leave America and return to Ireland? How does the children’s brotherhood help to make up for the inadequacies of the father? What does the author mean when he says the only thing worse than growing up Irish is growing up Irish Catholic? What role does religion play in the novel? Why do you think the book is titled Angela’s Ashes?