Angela’s Ashes: Respond

It was never clear in the story if the McCourt family become successful in fighting against poverty. It ended when Frank left Limerick for America and he saw the American Dream he had, long before he set his feet on that ship. Thus, the question if the family survived the shortcomings they experienced althroughout that era was left hanging. Whether the family survived after Frank left Limerick was never mentioned except that he, Frank, promised to go back to his family and he will find his success in America, the place where he was born. When I look back on my childhood, I wonder how I survived at all. It was, of course a miserable childhood: the happy children is hardly worth your while. Worse than the ordinary miserable childhood is the miserable Irish childhood and worse you get is the Irish Catholic Childhood. (McCourt, n. pag) These lines opened the novel and right after these lines, the author did not narrate his story with bitterness excpet humor. He was objective in all that he includes in his story and there is no trace of self pity in his words. Thus, these lines summarized the grief he had when he was very young and how hard it was to live a life wherein you are not accepted by the people and the neighborhhod surrounding you chooses to laugh rather than to help. Your Name 2 I know when dad does the bad. I know when he drinks the dole money and Mam is desperate and has to beg†¦ but I don't want to back away from him and run to Mam. How can I do that when I'm up with him early every morning with the whole world asleep. (McCourt, n. pag) In these words, Frank tries to put together his love and respect for his father despite his anger in his wrong doings especially when Malachy uses his wage or the dole money in his dringking habbit. Despite the grief that his mother is experiencing, Frank can't hate his father. In this texts found in the 8th chapter of the book, he mentioned that although his father is bad at some point especially in using the money that was supposed to be used for the children and the family, he adores his father so much and loves him like he loves his mother. In other parts of the novel, he mentioned the following statement: I think my father is like the Holy Trinity with three people in him, the one in the morning with the paper, the one at night with the stories and prayers, and then the one who does the bad thing and comes home with the smell of whiskey and wants us to die for Ireland. (McCourt, n. pag) In these lines, Frank stated his adoration for his father that despite of being a drunkard, he can't let go of the moments that he was the one drinks tea with him during the morning and the person who cares to tell a story every night and have a prayer with him. Although he dislikes his vice, he never did condemned his father in being that way and he continue admiring and loving him despite his incapacity to support their family. The other side of Malachy's personality captured Frank's heart as a child. In that way, he can't hate his father but, he still understands how his mother feels. Your Name 3 Mam turns toward the dead ashes in the fire and sucks at the last bit of goodness in the woodbire butt caught between the brown thumb and the burnt middle finger. Michael†¦ wants to know if were having fish and chips tonight because he's hungry. Mam says next week, love and he goes back out to play in the lane. (McCourt, n. pag) Frank's description of Angela is full of symbolism. The ashes that he mentioned symbolizes Angela's dead dreams and hopes in her life while the answer she gave to Michael regarding the food, to Frank, it is not mature bacause he knows that it will never happen because they don't have money and their father were not sending any money to them but despite of this, Frank learns to fight for his survival and poverty. I’m on deck the dawn we sail into New York. I’m sure I’m in a film, that it will end and lights will come up in the Lyric Cinema. . . . Rich Americans in top hats white ties and tails must be going home to bed with the gorgeous women with white teeth. The rest are going to work in warm comfortable offices and no one has a care in the world. (McCourt, n. pag) The last qoutation was mainly about Frank's dream that was supposed to be just a dream. In the end, he managed to fulfill this dream as he stepped his feet on that ship and sailed to America. Frank thought that America is a free country and going to that place will make hima free man. Free from the judgment of the people in Limerick and he can be the person he wanted to be Although there was no confirmation on what happened to the family, their struggle during the past years to survive is one good example of surviving the unfriendly neighborhood and the catholic church which was described as oppressive authoritarians. Your Name 4 The mere fact that the family remained intact even without the father is somehow convincing that they found a way in escaping the poverty line at some point in their life. Most of all, the reality that they were able to continue their life despite the odds is quite a big success already. The question: Is the McCourt family successful despite its obvious shortcomings? the answer is yes. The framily was brave enough to beg and ask for anything around them even coal. Even if they learned to do mischiefs in their yuounger years, the McCourt childrem aimed high to escape the pverty life and fight against their oppressors. Even if Frank hated the Catholic Church, his faith in God and his strong belief that he will succeed brought him success and he will bring this success to his family.