Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt

Book Discussion held on Tues, March 17, 2009(St. Patrick's Day)

The group noted that through all of the suffering that the McCourt family suffered in 1930’s and 40’s that they were still able to find laughter and moments of happiness in their lives. Discussed were the conditions surrounding the living conditions of the family and the destitute manner in which they lived.

One person noted that she thought it was funny how in the book, Frank’s father once said to someone jokingly that he couldn’t die for God, because he was already booked up to die for Ireland. One big element to their lives were the strong social lines that existed in Ireland such as Catholic versus Protestant and northern Ireland from Southern Ireland and also Ireland versus England. It was pointed out that at a few points in the book, Frank referred to cricket as a Protestant sport so he wouldn’t play.

One example of the hardships in Frank’s life was the fact that he actually wanted to go to the hospital when he had Typhoid Fever, because there he had clean sheets and food.

Regarding Frank’s mother, whose name is in the title, it was discussed whether she acted the best way that she could have under the circumstances. Many thought that with being that poor, having that many children in a short amount of time and then losing so many children, and having a husband who would take money for food and take it to the pub. These hardships must have made her hopeless under these circumstances. They also speculated on the meaning of the title. Some said the ‘ashes’ meant the ashes of Angela’s life. McCourt also seemed to use her smoking in front of the fire, she would sit and look contemplative and her ashes would fall on the floor. Some said that the ashes represented the ashes of her children that died.