Angela's Ashes

The book “Angela’s Ashes” by Frank McCourt is a memoir told by a boy named Francis. The book starts off with Francis as a three year old. This little boy had to go through many things in his life. He has had to go through things that not many three year olds have gone through. He was the first of five children. He was always expected to act more mature than his age. He has had to go through poverty. His father was a drunkie and he always drank all of the work wages. He almost never brought money home. Francis was a very strong kid.

Francis was a strong kid, he went through many hard things yet he still succeeded in life. He was expected to act older than his age and he still went through with it. He was very smart. Since he was the oldest of five children he was always left to take care of them. The memoir states, “Malachy and I take them to the playground”. This shows that not only him but even his younger brother is expected to act older than his age. They have to take their two baby brothers to the playground and care for them. They have to give them food and change their diapers. At this time Francis is four and his younger brother Malachy is three. Changing diapers and taking care of two babies are very big responsibilities for those ages.

Francis was also a very strong kid because he went through poverty yet again, he still succeeded. Sometimes, he, his mother, and siblings were left with no food at all. They were left like this because their father would drink all of the money and there would be none left for them. The memoir states, “She sits at the kitchen table talking to herself, What am I going to do? till it’s late and Dad rolls up the stairs singing Roddy McCorley.” This shows that, that night the father didn’t come home until the middle of the night singing and drunk. He didn’t bring home any money. The memoir also states, “I wish I had something to eat but there’s nothing in the icebox but cabbage leaves floating in the melted ice.” Poor Francis was left with nothing to eat.

In conclusion, Francis was a really strong kid and he went through many hard things in his life. Even though there were so many obstacles in his life he still succeeded. He always looked at the bright side of things.