Angela's ashes door Frank McCourt

Bibliothecaire information - Author: Frank McCourt - Title: Angela’s Ashes - Published by Wolters-Noordhoff 2001 - By Harper Collins Publishers 1996 Description of the story Summary Frank McCourt was born in Brooklyn. After a few years he gets a brother, who’s named after his father: Malachy. They lived happy with the four of them, but they haven’t money enough for food and clothes. Their father, a very nice, gentle man has one big problem: his alcoholism. He doesn’t take his money at the end of the week home, but he drinks it all at the pub. And then he came home drunk. So Frank and his brother were very lean and wear dirty, old clothes. His father and his mother do have quarrel often, because of the alcoholism of his father. But they really love eachother. And his mother gets pragnent. His two brothers, Eugene and Oliver were born. His father doesn’t bring his money home yet. And the whole family is hungry, lean and dirty. But after a few months, his mother is pregnant again! This time they get a girl: Margaret. The whole family is very happy with her. His father has a special relation with the little Margaret, he gets her little presents and cares very well of her. When Margaret dies after a few weeks, his mother is going crazy and his father is very sad. They move to Limerick, Ireland to work on a new live. In Limerick it’s very bad. They have a bad house, which is flood at the first floor in the wintertimes. They have to live at the second floor, where the fireplace is. And they haven’t got money to eat and buy clothes. That’s why his mother is going to beg by a helpsociety for poor people. After a few months, his mother is pregnant again. Frank is getting a brother: Mikey. But one of the twins is getting ill. He dies because of pneumonia. The left one of the twins is in a shock. Everytime he’s calling his twinbrother, but he doesn’t come back... Then the lonely one of the twins dies too. And his mother is in a deep dewail. In the meantime, between all the death and doom, Frank goes to school and experiences a lot of things, as getting his first Communion and play hooky. For the last time, his mother gets pregnant. They get a boy again, Alphie. This time, nobody dies in his family again. He grows up and wants to go to America. When Malachy (his brother) is old enough, he goes to England in the army. And his father is going to England too, because of the war, where he can help to make weapons. But also this time, he doesn’t send the money for his family. Frank, Angela (his mother), Mikey and Alphie are going to live by a cousin of his mother’s mother. Frank hates that man. He gets work and keeps money in secret for his journey to America. Finally, he gets the money, and leaves to America. That’s where the story ends. Description of the characters - Frank McCourt: He’s the oldest son of Angela and Malachy. He’s born in America in August. He is a boy with lot of brothers and one sister. He must do everything at home, because his father is always dronken. He is very good at school. He wants to go to America when he is old enough and when he had enough money. At the end of the story when he is 19 he had enough money and he goes to America. - Angela Sheehan: Angela is the mother of Frank McCourt. She’s born on Sylvesterday in Limerick. She never saw her father. She is married with Malachy McCourt. Angela is mother of seven childern, but three of her children are dead. - Malachy (father): Malachy is the father of Frank McCourt. He’s married with Angela Sheehan. Malachy is born in Toome, Country Antrim. He fought with the Old IRA. He smoked and he is an alcoholic. The father of Malachy had never a job, because he was always dronken. But if he had a job he drinks the monny up after his job in the pub. At the end of the story he goes to England to find a job, and to send monney to the family. But he never sends monney and he never comes back. - Malachy (brother): Malachy is the oldest brother of Frank. He is one year younger than Frank - Oliver: Oliver is a brother of Frank. Oliver is a twin with Eugene. Oliver dies of pneumonia. - Eugene: Eugene is a brohter too of Frank. Eugene is a twin with Oliver. Oliver’s death leaves Eugene in shock. Shortly after that, Eugene dies too. When he was dead say Angela: ‘it’s terrible thing to lose him but isn’t he in heaven now with his brother and his sister and isn’t that a comfurt to us, knowing Oliver is no longer lonesome for his twin.’ - Margaret: Margaret is the only sister of Frank. But when she seven weeks old was she was sick she was going to die. When Margaret was born everybody was happy in the family. The father of Frank was never dronken when she was born. But when she was dead he start again with drinking and everybody was sad. - Michael: Michael is a littel brother of Frank, Michael isn’t died in this book. - Alphonsus: Alphonsus is the youngest brother of Frank. Alphonsus isn’t died too in this book. He is a very lovely boy. - Grandma: She is the mother of Angela and the grandmother of Frank and his brothers. Grandma doesn’t like the father of Frank. Frank looks a like of his father and thatfor doesn’t like his grandma Franky very much. He had terrible hair, eyes and smile. Grandma was going to die when she was going to find a home for Frank and his brother.
Time In this book is the lapse of time from 1930 when Frank was born until 1949 when he’s going to America. When he was going to America he was 19 years old. And in the 19 years there’s lots of things happened and he tells what was happening and how. Space The first piece of the story did take place in New York. I know that, because he tells that they live in New York. The rest takes place in Limerick, Ireland. I know that, because he tells about the bad circumstances in Limerick. And about their journey to and through Ireland. But at the end of the story he goes again to America Suspense-construction I think there isn’t suspense in this book, maybe only what is going to happen with Frank at the end of the story. But I think what’s happening in the story are making the tension higher. I found that the story begins very low, but the tension was at the end of the story much more higher. Symbolism I think that the symbolism of the story is that it’s terrible to life in Limerick. Always raining and everybody in Limirick is poor. Almost everybody hasn’t enough money to life, and thatfor must everybody borrow money of Miss Finucane. Because it’s terrible to life in Limerick wants Frank to go on the end of the story to America. He thinks that than everyting gonne be oke. Interpretation of the story Theme The theme in Angela’s Ashes is the miserable Irish Catholic childhood. Catholicism plays a big part in the book, because the whole family and all of Limeric are very religious. The book is written from Frank’s point of view, and he only begins to realise his poverty when he’s already in school and learns that it’s not normal to be starving all the time. The fact that Frank’s not very aware of how bad things are makes the book funny in a really strange sort of way (the things that happen aren’t funny at all). Frank sees everything in his own unique point of view: careless and gullible. I think a second theme could be that people can survive anything. Starvation, death of children, the rain, Limerick and even the Catholic Church. I think that the titel of this book “Angla’s ashes” has a relation with that theme; everybody in the commune of Angla (the other of the author) is dying. So she only haves ash left. Which explanes: Angela’s ashes. And that comes, because Angela hasn’t enough money to give enough food to her children. She couldn’t survive anything; starvation, death (of her children), the rain in Limirick
Genre This story is an autobiography of Frank McCourt, he tells his own life. Appreciation of the story My opinion I loved reading Angela’s Ashes. So many people recommended it that I just had to read it, and I wasn’t dissapointed. Angela’s Ashes is written in a style that I have never read before (except maybe in Roddy Doyle’s books, which in a way are similar to Angela’s Ashes). Terrible things happen in the book, and I sometimes felt guilty for laughing. Little Frank McCourt’s view of the world he lives in is sometimes hilarious. He goes to the bottom of things, because he wants to understand everything. I don’t plan on reading the sequel:‘Tis. It wasn’t recommended very highly. And I don’t think it can live up to Angela’s Ashes. My argue I had to choose between several books but I choose this one, because I exepted a very good but bad story. Before I read it, I have already seen the movie of this book. It was much better than I accepted. First I thought that it would be a very difficult book too, because it’s a very big book. I’m happy I’ve chosen this book, because al my expectations were right. The book seems more interesting than other books. History of literature History of the author Born in Brooklyn, Frank moved to Ireland at age four with his parents and brothers. As tough as life had been for the McCourt's in New York, it doesn't compare to the hardships they encounter in their native country. Penniless and destitute, the McCourts finnally make it to Limerick where Frank is introduced to a collection of relatives, some as miserly as it is possible to imagine; some, as generous. Frank's father, Malachy, rarely has a job and when he does, spends his wages in the pubs, leaving Frank's mother, Angela, to beg from churches and charity organizations. Despite the tragedy of his drinking, Frank's dad is as charming as a "shiftless l aquacious alcoholic" could be, and he shares a special bond with Frank, revealed through moments of heartrending tenderness. Near death from typhoid fever, Frank spends several months in quarantine in the hospital where he has steady meals, clean sheets, and best of all, books. It is here that he is first introduced to Shakespeare. I don't know what it means and I don't care because it's Shakespeare and it's like having jewels in my mouth when I say the words” History of Limirick The Carbon 14 system of measurement has estimated their age as being 6,800 years, i.e. thirty centuries before the Pyramids were built in Egypt and about four thousand years before the arrival of the Celts here. The "Raí" element of the nearby Caonraí tribe at Pallaskenry suggest that they were an aitheachtuath or vassal people according to Professor Donncha Ó Corráin of U.C.C. who gives other instances of this in Osraí (Ossory); Ciarraí (Kerry); Bantry; and Partry in Co. Mayo. One of their words, which have survived down to the present in modern Irish, is believed to be madra (dog). In 150 A.D., the Greek geographer Claudius Ptolemy of Alexandria drew a map of Ireland in which he identified towns and tribes including the Uaithní whose name survives in the Barony of Owney and Arra in Tipperary and Owneybeg in Limerick across the Mulcair River. "If they were synonymous with that place shortly after the time of Our Lord on earth, how long before that were they settled there?" asked Mr. Prendergast. He ventured that they could be part of the pre-Celtic population of the region and yet their tribal name has survived for two thousand years. More than a thousand years later, Prince John in 1185 conferred the lands between Athlunkard, the mouth of the Groody River, Curragh Birín and Killalee, on the Dean and Chapter of St. Mary's Cathedral fifteen years before they were formally instituted there. In 1213, he conferred 40 ploughlands (seisreacha) on the people of Limerick. Sixteen of these to the north of the Shannon include such placenames as Kilrush (at Barrington's Pier), Farranshone, Clonmacken, Knock (opposite the Greenhills Hotel), Caherdavin, Shanabooley, Ballygrennan, Clonconnane, Clondrinagh, Coonagh, Ballynanty Beg and Ballynanty More, Moylish and Farrenykilly (Killeely). The older city saw a vast improvement in the system of street-names under Sir Christopher Knight who was Mayor in 1786, when he introduced flagged footways and wooden street signs at each corner. The older city names date from this period and include William Street (1789); Crosbie Row (1791); Cornwallis (Gerald Griffin) Street (1799); George's (O'Connell) Street and Denmark Street (1770); Ellen Street (1805); Francis Street and Patrick Street all commemorate the city's most illustrious family, the Arthurs. Nelson (Parnell) Street was built in 1804, Bedford Row (no date) and Sexton Street (1797) also derive from that era. The 15th century Irishtown included such native Irish placenames as Pouleen (Mona Terrace now) and Súgán Lane near St. Patrick's Church. Limerick Corporation was a model for all other Local Authorities in Ireland with the wonderful bi-lingual system of street signage introduced by Jim Barrett as City Engineer and Jack Higgins, City Manager. This was in keeping with the city's policy for nearly a century since it became the first city in Ireland to introduce street-names in Irish and English. Turning to aspects of English as we speak it in Limerick, Mr. Prendergast reminded the audience that this had been the language of the English Establishment in Ireland for centuries. He wondered how many people these days realised that words such as politics, economics, radio, theatre, athletics, orchestra, mathematics, photograph et cetera were all Greek in origin and that every time we used such words as advance, abide, abdicate, abuse, arena, auction, agriculture, floral, fountain, forum etc. we were speaking borrowed Latin words and expressions. Similarly with Irish, he had collected over the last forty years, he said, almost three hundred Irish words which were used, very often unknowingly, in everyday spoken English by the older generation of Limerick people when he grew up in the 1940s and 1950s in St. John's and St. Patrick's Parishes. Most of these were still spoken today and greatly enriched the descriptive type of English spoken here, a fact which was recognised readily by such English scholars and writers as Peter Westland in his standard text book, "Public Speaking", and the late Kenneth Tynan, the noted English theatre critic who said in an article for "The Observer" newspaper that "English playwrights were often miserly in their use of language but that the Irish used words as prodigally as a drunken sailor in port". The great Limerick scholar P. W. Joyce of Glenosheen in his pioneering work in this field "English as we speak it in Ireland" refers to the usage of the rich Limerick and Cork idiom in his youth in the County of the 1830s and 1840s.
Extra assignments A. Plot Frank McCourt was born in America, but when he was four years old he goes with his parents and his brothers to Ireland, Limirick. But Frank grows up and has a dream of returning to America. Because he wants a better life than his life in Limirick, and he thinks that that life is in America. The people in Limirick are so poor and he thinks when he goes to America everything gonne be fine. And in Limirick it’s raining all day… He doesn’t want that any more he want a ‘normal’ life and that is according him in America. There are so much people dies in Limirick because they are so poor to buy normal clothes to have a house and to have food to eat. When he and Angela get into a fight when he comes home drunk, and he hits his mother, Frank decides to leave for America. He doesn’t want to turn into his father. And that for he wants too to America and at the end of the story his dream are coming out when he had enough money to buy a ticket to America B. Scheme of relationships Grandma Malachy McCourt Married to Angela Sheehan Children Frank Malachy Oliver Eegene Margaret Michael Alponsus C. The Ending The ending of this story fit perfectly in the story “Angela’s ashes”, because Frank wants to go almost whole his life to America. He is born in America, but when he was a few years old he goes to Ireland. He thinks that everything gonne be well when he goes to America. But he hasn’t enough money, and thatfor he most have a job. At the end of the story he found a job as telegram boy. Later he must work for an older lady, he must write letters for her to poor people. That lady is a moneylender for the poor people. One day she is death when he comes in her house. Frank found al the money in that house and go with that money to America with the boot. That is the end of the story when Frank goes to America, his dream… This story can’t end in a different way, because it’s an autobiografy of Frank McCourt’s life and his life go like this way and not at an other way. D. The reality The story was very realistic. Also you know it was really happened, because it’s an autobiografy of the autor. Frank McCourt tells his own life. He tells everything what’s happened in his life until now. And thatfor is this story very realistic. E. Compare this book to another book or movie I compare this book “Angela’s Ashes” to an other English book “The woman who walked into doors”. I found that there are much more differences between these books than similarities. These books are so much different, because “Angela’s Ashes” is an autobiografy of the author and “The women who walked into doors” is an invent story, a beautiful invent story. But by “Angela’s Ashes” is it reality the author do exactly what’s happenend. The story “The woman who walked into doors” can be a realistic story but this one is an invent story. The themes are different to by these books by “The woman who walked into doors” is this abusing and by “Angela’s Ashes” is that the terrible life in Limirick. These two books you can’t compare them, because they are too different. F. A letter Mr Shone

The London Express
61 Dublinroad
London 156288
England
Novermber 20th, 2001, Haaksbergen
Dear Mr Shone, I have read the book “Angela’s ashes” and I found it a very impressive book. It was too a very touching book. Because how the way the people life in Limirick, the people are too poor. They havn’t a normal house the houses are so small and old. The most people havn’t enough food to survive too. The must often go to a moneylender to ask money. And I feel sorry for these people, because her in the Netherlands we have everything… A beautiful house to much food and stuf like this. I found one passage of the book very beautiful, the last passage. I found that beautiful because, his dream was coming out. Frank wants to go to America and at the end of this book he was going to America. He goes to America from his own money of his job. I found it very good for him that he is going to America on his own. I think that that very difficult is, he leaves his family and friends in Limirick and goes alone to America. I don’t know if I can do the same, to leave my family and my friends and go alone to America. I hope you can understand that this was a very beautiful passage for me, because I think I would never do the same I found it very good from him and his dream was coming out. Yours faithfully,