Zarek Golike

Mrs. Jankowski
English 12H
8/19/15

Double Entry Journals-Angelas Ashes

1. 8/21 Angelas Ashes- 1-38

Angela's Ashes Analysis Chapter 1

Frank is interested in Freddie Leibowitzs tale about Samson but is highly protective of
his own. I feel that Frank is interested because he only knows Irish tales, however, he is
protective of their own tales because he feels that they unite him with his father. I feel that the
narrator is trying to explain about how they dont have very many personal items, so having
songs and stories is crucial to his family. Malachy's alcoholism is mentioned throughout the first
chapter, and about how much it affects the family and its finances. Frank recalls only one period
of when Malachy stopped drinking, and that was during the few weeks after Margarets birth.
This period was the happiest of his family, however, it ended the day of Margarets death.

Saints
1. St. Patrick- Ireland's patron saint who is known for spreading
Christianity throughout the country as a missionary during the 5th century.
2. St. Nicholas- He was a Christian bishop who provided for the poor
and sick. He is also the basis for Santa Claus.
3. St. John the Baptist- A Jewish prophet who preached the
imminence of God's final judgment. He also had several disciples and baptized a
large number of people.

Alcoholism
I believe that alcoholism is a large part of the story because it is represented throughout
the whole first chapter. The dad in the story is an alcoholic from the beginning all the way until
Margarete is born. Once Margarete died, however, the dad immediately went back to drinking. I
feel like he drinks to try to bury his feelings away and when he drinks his family and friends look
down on him making him feel worse and want to drink more. I feel that once he realizes this he
will stop drinking and then start taking better care of his family.

3 Questions
1. Why do you think the dad wouldnt try to hold a job?
2. Why does the dad not care about the boys, but loves Margaret?
3. Why does the mom stay with the dad even though he makes her sad?
Your writing seems a little uptight- like you're nervous about what to write -relax

Let it be more natural -your own reflection

Combine all three documents
3
2. 9/3 Angelas Ashes- 38-112

Angela's Ashes Analysis Chapters 2 & 3

As the McCourts arrive in Ireland, it is obvious that both Angela and Malachys parents
are not looking forward to them coming back. When they arrive to Malachys mother's house,
they learn that she doesnt have enough room or money to provide for their family, and so then
they then have to go to Angelas mothers house. When they arrive to Angelas mothers house I
think she feels pity for her daughter and helps the McCourts the most she can, by providing rent
for a small house for them to live in. Later Angela has a miscarriage and is taken to the hospital.
After living in Limerick for a while Eugene dies, and after 6 months Oliver dies as well. I believe
that Franks father went into a deeper depression after their deaths, because he spent the majority
of his wages on drinking. Angela becomes pregnant again and has a baby boy, named Michael.
Michael then becomes sick with a cold, and when the baby stops breathing, Franks father saves
him by sucking the mucus out of his nose. I believe that since Frank is constantly teased and
treated unkindly because of his family's poverty, it allows him to become more resistant to the
problems around him. Franks father struggles to preserve his own dignity, by when foremen
refuse to hire him because they are biased against Northerners. Frank then talks about how men
sit around and do nothing but collect the dole, while their wives cook, clean, and take care of the
children.

Parents Choices
I believe that the parents choices affect the story in the most drastic of ways. I feel that
since the father makes the choice to not hold a job, and go drinking all day, causes the rest of his
family to starve and have nothing. I also feel that since the parents choose to have more children,
they are only increasing their poverty by having more mouths to feed, and more stress put on the
family when they die from lack of proper care. The parents also choose to go to an area where
poverty is even worse and has no one to help them, which then causes more of their children to
die and more stress to overcome them.

Selfishness vs. Responsibility

I believe that the selfishness of the father causes him to lose the responsibility that he has
for his family. I feel that if he really cared for his family, he wouldnt be selfish, and spend all of
his wages at the pub. I also believe that if the father swallowed his pride and did what was right
for his family than he would get a good job and help from those around him. I also think that if
the father wasnt so selfish he would stop drinking his wages and become responsible for the
children that he still has.

3 Questions
1. Do you think the McCourts would have been better off if they stayed in America?
2. Do you think Michael will live very long?
3. Why do you think that Frank's parents continue to get pregnant?
4-very good
Exactly right

3. 9/10 Angelas Ashes- 112-186

Angela's Ashes Analysis Chapters 4-7

Frank has his first communion and makes friends with a kid in his neighborhood, named
Mikey Molloy, who knows about the female body and dirty things. I believe that Frank finds
Mikeys stories fascinating, however, after hearing the stories, Frank then worries that he has
sinned by listening to the dirty stories, and then feels the need to ask for forgiveness. Frank gets a
job delivering food to Bill, and on the first day of work, Frank is so hungry that he eats Bills
lunch, which then causes him to have to deliver the lunch for two weeks without pay. I feel that
they show Malachys intelligence, by showing how he can write letters,and how he knows the
Latin Mass by memory, to help show that he is a smart man who makes bad decisions. Angela
and Malachy have to get their teeth pulled and replaced with false teeth because of their constant
smoking. I believe that Angela tells Frank take Irish dance lessons every Saturday to make him
more of a traditional Irish. However, after Franks first class, he feels foolish and instead spends
the money for his lessons going to the movies with Billy Campbell. After a while, his parents get
a letter from his teacher, and Malachy forces Frank to confess his sins to a priest. Malachy wants
Frank to be an altar boy, however, when applying for the position they are turned down because
of their class. Frank helps Uncle Pat deliver newspapers, however, Uncle Pat mistreats Frank by
making him run in the rain, and pays him poorly. Frank delivers the paper to an old man named
Mr. Timoney, and he agrees to read to him for money, which makes his mother happy because he
has two jobs. However, Mr. Timoney is taken to the Home, because of his wisdom, and religious
difference, rather than for any real mental illness. I feel that when Malachy drinks away the
babys money Frank feels anger about his fathers irresponsibility for the first time.

Motivation for Kids and Adults

I feel that the things that motivates kids the most is rewards, while the thing that
motivates adults is fear. I believe that if you offer a kid a piece of candy or money to do
something, they will do it, because they get some accomplishment for the work. Adults, on the
other hand, dont feel like rewards are enough for them to do something, so instead fear comes
after them to help motivate them. Fear helps motivate them by making them work for money or
else they will lose something valuable to them, such as food, clothes, and housing.

Birth Control
I feel like birth control would make the characters in this stories life much easier. Birth
control would help prevent the McCourts from having more children and more mouths to feed,
which would then help them have more money, and be able to have more things. I believe that
Angela doesnt have a choice to have intercourse with Malachy, because when he comes home
he is usually drunk, so it makes it hard for her to refuse him. However, if she did have birth
control, she wouldnt have to worry about having children when they have intercourse, which
would allow them to enjoy each others company, which could then help Malachy become more
involved with his family.

3 Questions
1. Why do you think Malachy makes dumb choices, even though he is a smart man?
2. Do you feel that Mr. Timoney had more of a father figure rather than a friend
figure?
3. Do you think that Frank is going to stand up against his fathers drinking
problem?
see notes- 3