Welcome to
Sacred Heart School of Theology's
English as a Second Language Program
The ESL Times / Spring, 2003
Heartbreak
Angela’s Ashes
Frank McCourt
SIMON & SCHUSTER, 1996
By: Carlos Donis-Peril
(Guatemala)
Does anyone know who Angela is? This past decade, Angela’s Ashes
has been given a lot of well-deserved, good press. The title of the book
refers to the mother of Frank McCourt, the author of Angela’s Ashes,
winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award and also the Pulitzer
Prize. Angela’s Ashes is the autobiographical story of an extremely
poor, Irish family and their triumphs and failures. People who like suspense
and sad stories will find Angela’s Ashes will break their hearts.
I assure you though that when you read, you will also find inspiration.
In Angela’s Ashes, McCourt persuades readers to be persistent in pursing their goals in life, and to see that no matter what kind of background people have, they can build successful careers.
Frank McCourt was born in Brooklyn in 1931. At age four, he moved to Ireland with his parents and brothers. He grew up in Limerick. When he turned nineteen, he returned to America. Frank began a process of self-education and self-improvement which eventually led to a career as a high-school teacher.
McCourt suffered in Ireland. He saw some of his siblings die, his mother and father went deeper into poverty and eventually separated, and he never had enough to eat. These terrible experiences made him want to escape from the poverty.
Angela’s Ashes is depressing, but remarkably inspiring as Angela’s
Ashes opened my eyes to appreciate life for what it really
is.
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