Angela's Ashes Blog #1

SUMMARY

Frank McCourt's parents, Malachy and Angela, fall in love, have children together and get married. Malachy grew up in Ireleand, commits a crime, and escapes to America. The children's names are Frank, Malachy, Eugene, Oliver and Margaret. Their father had a job, but would spend most of his weekly earnings on whiskey, leaving almost nothing for the family to buy food, etc. Angela then would have to borrow food from the grocery store, and promise to pay it back later, which she always did. When baby Margaret was born, it stopped Malachy (the father) from drinking, for a short time. Frank must help out with taking care of his younger brothers while Angela tends to the baby. One night, Margaret becomes ill and dies. Angela falls into a depression, and fails to care for her other children. The neighbors do the best they can to help the family by feeding them, and taking care of them, but the situation only continues to worsen. The family then decides to move back to Ireland. This is hard for Frank and the other boys because they have become accustomed to playing at the playground with their friends. On the ship on the way to Ireland, the mother becomes sea sick, and vomits over the edge of the boat.

JOURNAL

This chapter was very interesting. The family life that these boys have is not what seems normal in today's society. They seem to have a very messed up life, with the father being an alcoholic, the baby sister dying, and the mother falling into a depression. Also, with the father spending most of his weekly wages on Whiskey, the family is left with hardly any money left for food, which has got to be the worst feeling in the world. Especially when they have to borrow food from the store, promising to repay them.