Book report “Angela’s Ashes” by Frank McCourt
Good morning everybody. May I have your attention please!
Today I would like to present you my book that is named “Angela’s Ashes”
I will give you a rough outline of what I’m going to present to you.
1. Some information on the author
2. Rough outline of the book
3. Some information on a special feature I have chosen from the book
4. The message I found out
5. My personal opinion
Ok, so I will start with the information on the author.
This is a very difficult point because Angela’s Ashes is an autobiography of Frank McCourt. So I won’t say so much about him because this will be mentioned in the second point of my presentation.
1.
Frank Mc Court was born in 1931 in Brooklyn, New York. He was one of five children in an Irish immigrant family. Frank McCourt grew up in Brooklyn and when he was four years old he immigrated to Limerick, Ireland, with his parents where he lived for the rest of his childhood.
When he was 18 years old he immigrated back to America where he taught at various schools and colleges in New York City. He lived with his wife in Connecticut, New York.
He always wanted to write a book about his life, but he never realized his dream. When he was 69 he did what he ever wanted. He wrote Angela’s Ashes an autobiography of his life. With this book he was distinguished as the best biographer. He and his brother Malachy also performed a musical review about their childhood and their youth in Ireland. His brother also published an autobiography.
2.
At first I would like to present a small passage of the story to you. It is the first paragraph of the book.
“When I look back on my childhood I wonder how I managed to survive 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 I had.”
This is how the memoir of Frank Mc Court begins. He is born in Depression-era Brooklyn and raised in the slums of Limerick.
Frank’s mother Angela, has no money to feed the children since Frank’s father Malachy rarely works, and when he does he spends the whole money on drinks in Irish pubs, when he comes home completely drunk he forces his children to sing songs about soldiers who fought for Ireland, and they have to promise to die for their country.
Frank is the eldest son and he loves his father’s tales of Cuchulain, who saved Ireland, and he loves the tale of the Angel of the seventh step who brings new babies to his mother. The angel of the seventh step brings three new babies, called Margaret, Eugene and Oliver. By and by these three babies die because of the coldness and the lack of warm clothes and food. The family is constantly on the move to find a new place to live because Frank’s mother Angela does not want to stay in the room where her children died. The other two children have nearly no clothes; they wear rags, and shoes that are covered from sole to heel with squares of rubber tire. Because they are so poor, their mother Angela asks for money in St. Vincent de Paul society, this is an organization where poor families get money for the things they need. They gather coal from the roadside to light a fire and to get hot tea or warm food for them. Frank hates their poverty; he does not want the neighbors and relatives to talk about them, so he starts working in a coal factory and writes dunning letters for on old woman, the money he earns he gives to his mother who buys food for the children. Frank’s father Malachy goes to Great Britain to earn some money, but he does not send a penny to his family in Ireland. Malachy, Frank’s father comes back from Great Britain without anything he is ashamed of himself and so he leaves his family and goes back. Frank’s mother goes more and more crazy because she cannot understand why her babies had to die. The two boys do everything for her mother, but when Frank is old enough he makes his dream come through, he leaves their room and immigrates to America where he lived for the rest of his live.
3.
As a special feature of “Angela’s Ashes” I have chosen the author Frank McCourt. He is the one who tells the whole story. I admire his strengths and his sustaining power. He himself says that he wonders how he survived his childhood. During the whole book he never looses his hope, he tries to make the best out of his situation. Frank tells his live from the point of view of a little boy and so he gives a very detailed description of his feelings and emotions. He is a very ambitious boy who wants to help his family to get out of the poverty. Sometimes he hates his father because he is always so drunk and sings these stupid songs about Robby Mc Corley and all these people. When he gets older he tries to convince his father of stopping to spend all the money for drinks in the pubs. Frank is very mature and understands everything that is going on.
He is the one who makes the story so interesting and sometimes also a little bit funny.
4.
It was very difficult to find out a message of the book, because it is an autobiography and not an invented story that criticizes society or things like that.
That is why I can only suppose a message. I think that McCourt wants to show and to make clear that you should never give up hope whatever may happen, and that a family should stay together and should try to make the best out of their situation. Furthermore I am of the opinion that he tries to create a picture of how live is without money and that everybody should be happy with the things he has.
5.
My personal opinion about this book is that I found it very interesting and I liked it very much. This is because of the way Frank McCourt told the story. He tried to make it a little bit funny but also serious. The book is full of emotions and feelings that are described very detailed.
At first I thought it would be boring because it is so long and has quite a lot of pages, but McCourt knows how to captivate his readers, with new situations and actions and so it is not as long as it seems to be.
I recommend it to everyone who is interested in Memoirs or autobiographies because it is quite easy to read and also interesting. And if you don’t want to read the book I would suggest watching the film, because it is also made up very good.
Frequently asked questions
What is "Angela's Ashes" about?
"Angela's Ashes" is an autobiography by Frank McCourt that recounts his childhood in Brooklyn and Limerick, Ireland, during the Depression era. It details the poverty, hardship, and struggles his family faced, including his father's alcoholism, the deaths of siblings, and the constant search for a better life.
Who is Frank McCourt?
Frank McCourt is the author of "Angela's Ashes." He was born in Brooklyn in 1931 to Irish immigrant parents. He returned to Ireland with his family as a child and later moved back to America as an adult, where he became a teacher. He wrote "Angela's Ashes" at the age of 69, achieving literary success.
What are some key themes in "Angela's Ashes"?
Key themes include poverty, family struggles, the impact of alcoholism, the loss of loved ones, the resilience of the human spirit, and the importance of hope in the face of adversity.
What is the significance of the title "Angela's Ashes"?
The title refers to the difficult life of Frank McCourt's mother, Angela, and the hardships she endured. "Ashes" symbolize the poverty, death, and despair that permeated their lives.
What challenges did Frank McCourt face in his childhood?
Frank McCourt faced numerous challenges, including extreme poverty, lack of food and warm clothing, the deaths of his siblings, his father's alcoholism and unemployment, and constant relocation in search of a better living situation.
How does Frank McCourt portray his father?
Frank McCourt portrays his father, Malachy, as a complex figure. While Malachy is loving and tells stories of Irish heroes, he is also an alcoholic who often spends the family's money on drink, leaving them in poverty.
How does Frank McCourt's perspective as a child influence the story?
Frank McCourt narrates the story from the perspective of a child, which provides a detailed and emotional account of his experiences. This perspective allows for a vivid portrayal of his feelings, observations, and understanding of the world around him.
What is the author's opinion of the book?
The author of the report found the book very interesting and enjoyed it due to Frank McCourt's storytelling. They recommend it to anyone interested in memoirs or autobiographies and suggest watching the film adaptation as well.
What is the perceived message of "Angela's Ashes?"
The report suggests that the book's message emphasizes never giving up hope, the importance of family unity, and appreciating what one has, even in difficult circumstances. It also highlights the realities of life without money.
What special feature was chosen from the book and why?
The author of the report chose Frank McCourt himself as a special feature. They admired his strength, sustaining power, and his ability to make the best out of a difficult situation. The detailed description of his feelings and emotions made the story compelling and sometimes humorous.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Daniela Musel (Autor:in), 2000, McCourt, Frank - Angela`s Ashes, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/99057
