I am only 90 pages into Angela's Ashes, and with ease, it is the most powerful book I have ever read. Never have I read such an emotionally moving book. Frank Mccourt's story is one I believe all people need to hear. It teaches numerous lessons, and will change the way anyone looks at their lives. I heard that the book was a depressing read, but I believed the people whom made such comments were those who felt pity for the mildest pain people endure. How wrong I was. Right on the very first page of the memoir, Mccourt states "worse than the ordinary miserable childhood is the miserable Irish childhood, and worse yet is the miserable Catholic childhood" (Mccourt 1). Before proceeding on in the book, I asked myself, "how on Earth could your ethnicity and religion affect your life so greatly?" What did you expect of the book prior to reading?
The very first lesson Angela's Ashes taught me was to never judge any other cultural (religion, ethnicity) group, solely because it may seem like they have it easy, but only they know what their own culture is like. What made me think about this is what Frank Mccourt went through as a child. In all honesty, I always thought Ireland had it easy. I figured they never had any of the problems the U.S. had, such as catastrophes like the Twin Towers bombing on September 11, 2001, or nobody Irish suffered from poverty like people in the U.S. always had. Yet, it is blatantly obvious that this is far from true. Throughout the entire book, Frank and his family are seen struggling to find shelter and find food to eat every day. It makes me suffer to hear that Frank's father, Malachy, is a dangerous alcoholic who spends the only money his family has for food on alcohol. What pained me even more to read is how at times in this memoir, all hope is crushed. For example, Malachy is in love with his precious daughter, Margaret, and "he hasn't touched a drop (of alcohol) since she was born" (Mcourt 30). Yet, she passes away, and the father returns to his alcohol addiction, putting his family on the brink of starvation frequently. What have you learned so far from the book?
Nonetheless, through the pain and suffering the Mccourt family endures, there are a few elements that do me well to read about. One being the loving, caring relationships between all of the family members.
It is small acts of love that carry this family a long way. Despite his several hours spent at pubs and bars, Malachy loves his children dearly, which is quite evident when he tells them stories, such as when he tells Frankie the story of "Cuchulain". It is a mere folktale, but Frankie sees it as "his story," and because of this story, Frankie grows closer to his father. Malachy also loves his daughter Margaret dearly, as he sings to her when she cries to calm her down, and sheds tears over his love for her. Frankie's mother, Angela, is also very close to all of her children, as well as her husband, despite how angry he makes her with his alcohol addiction. She takes them to the park, and always watches out for them to prevent them from a negative influence, such as when she frequently stops Frankie from going with his father, because she does not want her child at a pub. Most of all though, I was touched by the love the children have for one another. They consistently look out for one another, and try to protect them from anything in the world. A great example of this unconditional love was when Frankie enters the pub to see his father resting his mug on his dead brother, Eugene's coffin. Frankie's first words to his father are "that;s Eugene's coffin. I'll tell Mam you put your glass on Eugene's coffin" (Mccourt 86). A mere child, scolding his father for using his dead brother's coffin as a table. Likewise, have you enjoyed any "bright" elements of the book?
I also admired the small acts of kindness random strangers perform over the course of the book. Numerous strangers that the Mccourts encounter provide the Mccourts with aid in these needy times, and they do not do it for money, only to do a good deed. At one point in the novel, Frankie briefly stops in a bar to ask the bartender to fill his two younger twin brothers', Eugene and Oliver, bottles with water. The bartender recognizes that the bottles are for Frankie's younger brother, so the bartender replies to Frankie "tell ya mom they need that (milk) for the teeth an' bones. Ya drink water an' sugar an' all ya get is rickets" (Mccourt 27). Rare was it in these times that food and drinks were just handed out, when everyone needed money, but some recognize that others are in the same shoes, and help others, like this bartender. He was sweet-hearted, and chose to offer a helping hand to another family going through hard times. There is also the St. Vincent De Paul Society, a group that offers supplies to those who need them most. Between the kindness people in this world offer, and beautiful love, Frankie Mccourt was able to bring a sense of joy to this book. What was your overall reaction to the first 90 pages?
Yours Truly,
Patrick Gregorek
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