Angela´s Ashes

Angela’s Ashes was written by Frank McCourt in 1997. The version described here is an audio book composed of four cassette tapes read by the author himself, which makes his personal story of misery and poverty yet more convincing and real. The audio book runs for approximately 4.5 hours and it was made possible by Simon & Schuster Audio. In this version of the book, Frank McCourt’s Irish accent gives life to a story of sorrow and despair.

McCourt describes the nightmare of growing up in Limerick, Ireland, in the depression-era. In a family with more children than they could manage to feed or dress, the author recounts the misfortune of growing up with a drunken father who was a master at drinking the wages of his rare temporary jobs. He also reveals the calamity of losing siblings due to illnesses generated by poor living conditions.

After his father abandons his family for good, Frankie, as he was called in childhood, becomes the “man of the house”, working to support mother and brothers, although there was only so much a small child could do for that matter. While growing up in Limerick, he dreamt of living in America, “where everybody had nice teeth”, as he recalls. And so it happened. By the time he was nineteen years old, he had gathered enough money to leave Ireland behind. Off to America he went, with an aching in his heart and great hopes for the future.

The misery described by McCourt is painful to the heart. It actually makes the hardship of the modern days seem a bit exaggerated, considering the poverty and uncertainty of the depression-era, mostly ran by humiliating catholic beliefs, as he often describes.

In this type of memoir work, what engages the audience seems to be the credibility of the words used by the writer. The first words of the book, “When I look back in my childhood I wonder how I managed to survive at all,” are a great way to draw attention to the very thing the author wants to tell about - the misery experienced as a child.

By starting the book with an affirmation of doubt (“I wonder how I managed to survive”) the author imposes the audience to wonder with him, surrendering to human curiosity. We humans tend to suffer with other’s tragedies in selfish ways; better them (in trouble) than us. But still, we want to know about the troubles, we want to feel their pain, we want to cry with them, because after all, it could very well have been one of us…

Frank McCourt makes use of his poetic voice while describing his childhood misery. In his words, “It's lovely to know the world can't interfere with the inside of your head... You might be poor, your shoes might be broken, but your mind is a palace.”

There is an obvious emphasis on the politics of the era, and the power of religion’s judgments. McCourt used both these controversial subjects, mixing them with a dash of humor to express his views as a young child, “The master says it's a glorious thing to die for the Faith and Dad says it's a glorious thing to die for Ireland and I wonder if there's anyone in the world who would like us to live.”

In another instance, while describing the scene where his father leaves to England the day of Christmas, he recalls, “If I were in America I could say, I love you, Dad, the way they do in the films, but you can't say that in Limerick for fear you might be laughed at.” Here, he describes the culture differences seen from a child’s perspective.

It’s clear in McCourt’s voice that emotions rise to surface when describing his memoir. Like everything in life, there’s always a medium between pain and happiness.

Often times, the author brings humor to break the melancholy and soothe the moment.

I believe the author’s voice is successfully heard in this book not because the story is so sad one couldn’t help but feel sorry for him. Instead, it’s because McCourt made a life of misery turn out into a book of hope. There is no doubt his story falls into the drama category, but his ability to write comes from the soul, which makes the story alive without sounding self-centered. Using sentiment to reproduce his past, the writer brought forward experiences that intrigued the audience in positive ways.

In my own future writings, if I ever choose to write a personal story, it would be most helpful to remember McCourt for the ability to tell the story without being the story itself. In other words, it would be great to be able to write about the situations without boring the audience with self-absorbed thoughts.

Another important fact in the written aspect of this work is how the author uses a linear chronological style throughout the book. He starts telling the story of when he was a really young boy, and follows up in order until he is nineteen years old. I find this to be helpful for the reader to engage in the story.

Overall, I find this book a helpful teaching material in many aspects, from lessons on coping with difficult times in life, to a great example of how to write an effective memoir. It’s a definite lesson of hope – heartbreaking, but beautiful.