Angela's Ashes Memoir

The first and most important antagonist in Angela’s Ashes is Malachy McCourt. Frank McCourt described his father, Malachy, as “the Holy Trinity with three people in him, the one in the morning with the paper, the one at night with the stories and the prayers, and then the one who does the bad thing and comes home with the smell of whiskey” (210). While Malachy was an important and influential antagonist in the story, he was not always the best role model for his children. Mr. McCourt was said to be known for abandoning his family for multiple days at a time without warning or any way for them to provide for themselves. Often times Malachy would spend the majority of his paychecks on feeding his addiction, rather than feeding his children.

The short stories “Scars” by Don Aker and “Ashes” by Susan Beth Pfeffer are both talking about the relationships between fathers and their child. The relationships between fathers and their child change almost opposite at the end of the story because the main characters learn from their experiences. Daniel, the protagonist of “Scars”, was having a weak relationship with his father, however, an accident made Daniel realizes something about his father which made their relationship stronger. Ashleigh, the main character of “Ashes”, loved her father however, a request that Ashes’ father made led Ashes feel disappointed about her father. Both Daniel and Ashleigh learn the same amount because they learn the lessons that can affect their life.

The novel is set during the Great Depression in the 1930’s. During this time, many

Angela takes “only the time necessary to say the name” (47) and arguably Santiago has been chosen simply by random fate; any male’s name would suffice, suggesting in a patriarchal society valuing a women strictly for virginity, all males share the blame. Angela’s appearance versus her reality is complex because while she has undeniably corrupt qualities, an admirable goodness shines through; the narrator acknowledges

“Ashes” by Susan Beth Pfeffer is about a girl who is caught in a situation in which her father attempts to bribe her to do something immoral. One message suggested in this story is how misdirection and trickery can negatively affect relationships between a parent and their child.

The short story, “Ashes,” by Susan Beth Pfeffer is about a girl, Ashes, who has divorced parents. She is torn between her parents when she is given the opportunity to help her dad, but the twist is she has to steal from her mom to do this. A lesson that is learned from “Ashes” is that someone who normally teaches you to do good may also teach you to do something bad.

Now before you get too comfortable with the simple little title listen up buttercup and allow me to let you in on a little secret. I’m not what you would call a nice guy I might walk the walk, but deep down once you get to know me on a comfortable level I can come off as a dick and often times I don’t think before I talk. It’s good that I’m getting this out of the way because according to Mary Karr in her book titled “The Art of Memoir” she mentions that “the best writers make you feel they’ve disclosed their soft underbellies." Which I believe highly qualifies my memory as a memoir due to the fact that I’m being honest and I’m being myself. I believe that I have given my all into this paper disclosing to you about my personal love life. Now before you read on into my so called “exciting” life allow me to give you a bit of a warning I may or may not say something that might offend you and if you are one of those that gets easily offended, I highly advice you to put this paper down and walk away just pretend you never even laid eyes on it. Now for you brave souls that are still reading this then congratulations, you have passed and you are ready to read about my dysfunctional life.

| This is how he starts out the book and it is in a way introducing you to one of the worst childhoods that you can have. It also shows you that you can go beyond your childhood and become something or do something with your life. I think it is kind of weird that one of the worst childhood to have is Irish because that would not have been the first one on my list.

According to Egan, “Never let the kids see you sweat” (2006, p.1). The Worst Hard Time by Timothy Egan was announced as “a classical disaster tale” by the New York Times. This book was written to inform everyone about the untold story of those who survived the American Dust Bowl. The story documents how the darkest years of the Great Depression affected the economy and the people’s living environment as well. Egan’s book explains the importance of the Great Depression. Within this theme, Egan explores the struggle of survival and the broken promises made by the government.

The setting of this novella takes place in Salinas Valley in California during the 1930s, the time of the Great Depression. The Great Depression began when the stock market in the United States dropped rapidly.

“On the morning of October 29, 1929, panicked voices shouted over one another. Here and there, men leaned against the walls, hands over their faces as if trying to shut out the scene. In the street outside, a crowd had gathered, trying to learn the news. A man staggered out the door, clutching his hat in both hands. He looked as though he might weep. “It’s gone,“ he whispered, so quietly only the few closest to him heard. “It’s all gone.”# The term ‘Great Depression’ according to Kristin Brennan evokes black-and-white images of thin men in threadbare suits and worn-out shoes selling five-cent apples on city streets, of “grim-faced women lined up three deep to collect bread and milk at relief stations.”# The Great Depression of the 1930s

50% of children experience the divorce of their parents according to www.marriage-success-secrets.com. In Ashes, by Susan Beth Pfeffer, Ashleigh’s parents have been divorced for the last two years. She loves both of them but has a special soft spot for her dad. Ashleigh’s mom is a practical person and her dad is described as a dreamer. After a dinner with her father, Ashleigh receives a request. He wants her to to take her mom’s emergency money to pay off a deal he made. Ashleigh makes the decision to not give her dad the money because she questions the process and outcome, her father has a history of making irresponsible decisions, and the clouds symbolize her feelings towards her dad’s plan.

In the novel Angela's Ashes, (1996) by Frank McCourt, a life of poverty is the only life this family knows. It is a memoir about a young boy born in New York City. Frank, born ten months prior to his brother Malachy, was raised in a small apartment with his parents, Angela and Malachy McCourt.

Many exciting events happen in Snow like Ashes by Sara Raasch. The story begins with Meira, who is the main character and her friend, Mather, practicing hand-to-hand combat. Meira is to beat Mather to go on a mission, but she does not. A day later, the leader and his team come back. Meira desperately wants to go on a mission and Mather lies to the leader about Meira beating him. She is now able to go on the mission. Meira and her other friend, Finn, go on an expedition together to retrieve half of their conduit that contains magic and will save their kingdom. They arrive at their enemy territory. Meira and Finn get caught by the general of the city and Finn leaves Meira. After almost dying and getting caught, Meira finally retrieves half of

The relationship between the protagonist and Antagonist is a big part in this novel Angela’s Ashes. There are many conflicts throughout this story, but I am just going to go over the most important. The one that stands out to me is the setting in which they live. When their daughter dies they can’t bear to live there anymore.