After Christmas Frank's father finally gets a job, but then looses it his first day. Then rather than returning home to his excited family, he spends all the dole money at the pub and comes home drunk singing Irish songs. Frank, Malachy, and Angela are extremely disappointed with Mr. McCourt and don't accept the penny he tries to give to them as an apology gift. Frank's school gets a new head master who hates answering questions, and there just so happens to be a boy in Frank’s class who loves to ask questions, so he's always in trouble. Franks amazing conscience helps him to send a message to his class mates. One day at school he finds a raisin in his lunch and every one begs him for it, but rather than giving it to the normal kids he gives it to the other poor kid in his class, Paddy. In a few weeks it's time for Frank’s first communion. He's extremely excited for this because he will get money to spend on the movies and sweets, but unfortunately he throws up his communion wafer and misses the money collecting part. They get to the heater and Mickey pretends to throw a fit and Frank is able to sneak into the movie. Much later Frank is forced with the decision of going to the university and getting an education or getting a job to support his family. He chooses the job so that his family can finally have an income that they can depend on. Throughout this book Frank has grown immensely as a person. He has an extremely difficult life and it would be much easier to stoop down to terrible and low levels; but him his mom and his brother are very good people and it shows through their actions. Frank selflessly gives his sweet raisin to the other poor and hungry boy in the class, doesn't retaliate to the teasing that he experiences, and chooses his family over himself. Frank has an amazing sense of what is "right" and is strong enough and courageous enough to follow through with his beliefs. I feel that Frank McCourt is an amazing role model for everyone. He had a terrible life, but grew up to be a successful, smart, and courageous man. This book was an amazing story and I would recommend this book to everyone who is looking for a great book!
McCourt, Frank. Angela's Ashes. New York: touchstone, 1996.
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3 comments:
Wow, I wish I could be more like Frank. Everyone seems to forget to slow down and be a little more conscientious of others. People that spend zillions of dollars on cars and whatever else are missing the fact that there are hundreds of starving people in this world that would beg for food. Everyone needs to have a little Frank in them!
Angela's Ashes was an amazing book about overcoming the odds. I liked your post very much because you give great analysis and put the characters in a good light. I agree with Emily in that Frank is a very strong person and that he is a good man that grew out of something bad. The horrors that Frank and the whole McCourt family faced are something that everyone should take into consideration.
Good job Paige. Just by giving the raisin to the poor kid, it shows that he has a good sense of what is wrong and right. His selfless act of choosing a job over school is just another example of how he has grown as a person. Even though he was at the bottom, he wasn't ready to just give up.
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