p. 271-362 THE END

Dear Reader,
     In the last 90 pages of Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt I think I began to enjoy the book a lot more. it didn't even register in my mind that there were no quotes. In the beginning of this 90 page section I was shocked when the grandmother said, "I don't remember a wall and if I don t remember a wall how can I remember another room?" (p. 276). I think that she definitely knew about what happened (the family using the wall for fire wood and the boys breaking the beam). I wonder if she was just trying to help them out. Or maybe she really didn't know there was a second room.
     What made me smile was the boy's positive attitudes. At one point they are in this horrible situation of moving their stuff to a new house in the middle of the night and it says, "once we get away from the lane Alphie bangs on the pot with a spoon and Michael sings a song he heard in a film..." (p. 278). I thought that they would be upset especially the little ones. I was picturing the little kids crying because they have to walk all this way in the dark, cold night. It made me happy to see how much joy they had in a situation that isn't too happy.
      Okay, so I got really upset when I read, "Women's work, Angela, women's work and free rent" (p. 281). Why can't Laman get off his own lazy butt and empty out his own pee bucket. I would not mind if he didn't say anything at all. I hate when people say its a women's job or something like that. No, a job is a job and you can get off of your butt and do it. Yes, there are jobs geared more towards men or more towards women bit this was a simple task of emptying HIS OWN BUCKET!
      When Malachy goes off to Dublin for work I got sad. Angela was losing her loved ones one by one. First almost half of her kids dies, now Malachy is leaving, and soon so will Frank. Its hard for some parents too watch their kids go to their first day of kindergarten let alone go to Dublin or America for work. I feel like their family is getting stretched further and further apart. The only reason why i say stretched and not broken is because they keep some form of relationship (well maybe not the father).
     I love the part of Mr. O'Halloran says "Frank must continue school," (p. 289). I think that is an achievement for Frank. To be in a place where no one is expected to be smart or successful and people are telling YOU too finish school that's amazing. That must be somewhat of a confidence booster even though frank says he doesn't want to be in school. Also for his teacher to tell him to get out of Limerick that's a bigger accomplishment. Someone actually wants Frank to do well in life. They want him too success because he knows that Frank has the ability to do so.
      I love the lesson that the mother tells Frank when she says, "you never let anybody slam the door in your face again. Do you hear me?" (p. 290), I think that is a lesson that everyone needs to know. If you want something then why would you let people tell you no? Just because people try to tear you down doesn't mean you have to stop shooting for your dreams and hopes.
      I swear, everyone in Limerick or even Ireland had anger issues! I couldn't get over how mad Laman got when Frank was just being a kid/teenagers. He made a promise and he doesn't think a kid is going to remember that promise and hold you too it? His anger obviously got way to out of control! I just don't understand and I don't think I ever will, why people got/still get so angry over the smallest things.
     Poor Frank, that is all I have too say. Every time he does something he has been taught that it is most likely a sin. He gets so caught up in "I have to go to confession. I cant believe i just did that". I think if he didn't do the things that he did, like take the bread, he probably would have starved. The religion astonishes me. The rules and the different priests and its always sin upon sin upon sin. It feels like nothing he ever does is good. He's a young boy, isn't he supposed to do the stuff he's doing?
     The end of the book is what saved my opinion. Even though I actually knew Frank did go to America (from prior knowledge) if the ending didn't flow the way it had I would have been a little upset. He got to be in his dream place. The place that would give him a better life. This whole story definitely makes me appreciate America a lot more. I never really thought about how other countries actually viewed the U.S. until now. I just thought, "oh yeah land of the free, whatever" but we were really land of the free to some people. Also we were the land of opportunity, especially for Frank. Being interested in Irish and English culture before reading this book I loved seeing the good and the very bad of Ireland during Frank's childhood.
   
      Sincerely,
              Perry