Essay Topics Angela’s Ashes
Below are several topics related to Angela’s Ashes, choose one of the topics and write an essay between
1000-1500 words. Your essay should have a strong thesis statement and between specific details
from the text for support and between 7 and 10 quotations and/or paraphrases for the essay. I want
you to cite the specific examples and quotations with page numbers from the text, you have to cite the
specific examples even If they aren’t quoted. The quotations you choose must be related to your
topic. Don’t choose arbitrary quotations. You have to cite paraphrases as well. Assume the word
explain is attached to every choice.
Your essay must include an abstract
Refer to your annotations and dialectical journal notes for inspiration
1. Examine the dynamic between alcohol consumption and the devotion to religion in the book. How do
the two elements co-exist in Frank McCourt’s life? When do they get along and when do they clash?
Frank’s father does a significant amount of drinking, often taking all of the money for himself. His
grandmother is a devout Catholic who refuses to help Frank’s family because she does not like the elder
Malachy or his drinking habits. Frank has faith of his own, but struggles with his human desires. The
Catholic Church often fails to step up and help the McCourt family. Describe how these factors impact
Frank’s life and his choices as he gets older.
2. The dole in Ireland is much like welfare in the Canada. Malachy has trouble keeping a job because of
his drinking and unreliability. As a result, Frank’s family is often on the dole. The greater misfortune in
the situation is that Malachy has a bad habit of collecting the dole and taking the money straight to the
pub for a drink. Angela is often left to make do with less than nothing. She has to beg for help. Frank
and his brothers sometimes steal to help their family survive. As a Catholic, Angela cannot divorce
Malachy. When Frank is able, he is expected to contribute to the household just so his family can
survive. Examine the cultural influences in the McCourt family. How much does the family follow
them?
3. How does the fact that the story is written from a child’s point of view change the way you read it?
Are the living conditions more acceptable because the author as a child did not know any better?
McCourt writes from the point of view of himself as a child. He speaks with a humorous outlook. He is
a child who knows his situation is not good but essentially accepts it for what it is and aspires to advance
from it. From the living conditions to the way in which they are treated by relatives, friends, and church
members, illustrate the bad things that are presented lightly by the young Frank. Explain the situation
as an older person to pinpoint how the views are different
4. In spite of the fact that Malachy is not much of a father to Frank and his brothers, he is adored. He
comes home in the middle of the night, drunk, and wakes the boys up to have them sing patriotic songs
and promise to die for Ireland. But at his best times, Malachy tells them stories, glorious tales of Irish
history. These stories are the main reason that the boys hold any affection for their father. What are the
ways in which Frank learns from his father? Are there more things that Frank learns not to do
from him rather than how things should be done
5. Hunger is referred to time and time again in Angela's Ashes. Describe three incidents involving
hunger and discuss the underlying social causes.
6. McCourt begins Angela's Ashes with the sentence: "My mother and father should have stayed in New
York where they met and married and where I was born." Agree or disagree, taking the entire novel into
account.
7. How does McCourt interject traditional Irish rituals and mythology into Angela's Ashes?
8. Young Frank is a voracious reader, even reading under street lights when there is no money to put oil
in the lamps at home. What function do books serve in Angela's Ashes?
9. The Catholic Church plays a major role in Frank McCourt's life. Discuss this role in negative and
positive terms.
10. Throughout Angela's Ashes, Malachy's drinking goes from bad to worse and this deeply affects the
family in a negative manner. Is Malachy's influence on his son purely negative, or does he make a
positive impact as well?
11. What does the idea of America mean to McCourt? How does this idea motivate him?
12. Frank McCourt became a highly renowned English teacher. How do events in Angela's Ashes help
anticipate and explain his eventual career as an educator?
13. Discuss Frank's relationship with his mother. Why do you think he named the book Angela's Ashes?
14. Discuss the relationship dynamic between Angela and Malachy. What plays the most important part
in the demise of their relationship?
15. The institution of the family is seen as a failure in Angela’s Ashes. Agree or disagree
16. Discuss the notion of manhood in Angela’s Ashes as it is perceived from Frank’s perspective
17. McCourt relates several areas of prejudice and discrimination in his text, all relating to religion and
poverty.
18. Write about the importance of community and the charity of strangers in this book. How does the
kindness compare with the McCourts’ treatment by their relatives?
19. Write about the importance of wit and humor in the book. Choose instances of wit and humor and
explain how the use of comic relief affects the tone of those scenes.
20. How do you view Angela? as a strong character? a weak character? Elements of both types? How do
you think McCourt views his mother? Why? What is his relationship with his mother?
21. Compare and contrast Frank’s relationship with his mother and father. Does he prefer one parent to
the other? Why? How? Does he sympathize more with his father or his mother?
22. Write about the importance of wit and humor in the book. Choose instances of wit and humor and
explain how the use of comic relief affects the tone of those scenes.
23. How do you view Angela? as a strong character? a weak character? Elements of both types? How do
you think McCourt views his mother? Why? What is his relationship with his mother?
24. Compare and contrast Frank’s relationship with his mother and father. Does he prefer one parent to
the other? Why? How? Does he sympathize more with his father or his mother?
25. Write about the real-life role of cigarettes as well as their symbolic role in this book. Compare
McCourt’s treatment of smoking with his treatment of drinking and alcoholism. Do you think he views
either one as the lesser of two evils?
26. Write about how the theme of shame is used in the book.
27. Hunger is referred to time and time again in the book. Describe three SIGNIFICANT incidents
involving hunger and write about the effects.
28. What does the idea of America mean to McCourt?
29. Explain how the following quote relates to the book: “Often people attempt to live their lives
backwards; they try to have more things, or more money in order to do more of what they really want, so
they will be happier. The way it actually works is the reverse. You must first be who you really are, then
do what you need to do, in order to have what you want.” Margaret Young
30. Women—in particular mothers play a significant role in the book. Recall the scenes between Angela
and her children; the MacNamara sisters and Malachy; Aunt Aggie and young Frank; Angela and her
own mother. In what ways do these interactions reflect the roles of women within their families?
31. The choices or decisions that a person makes frequently influence the consequences that result from
those decisions. Identify three major choices or decisions Frank McCourt makes in the book and
describe the outcome or consequences of these choices. Based on hindsight, do you think that these
choices were wise or unwise? Explain.
32. Write about how the Catholic Church played a positive and negative role in Frank McCourt’s life.
33. Write about the role guilt in Angela’s Ashes
34. The following quote sums up the book: “When I look back on my childhood I wonder how I
survived at all. It was, of course, a miserable childhood: the happy childhood is hardly worth your while.
Worse than the ordinary miserable childhood is the miserable Irish childhood, and worse yet is the
miserable Irish Catholic childhood...nothing can compare with the Irish version: the poverty; the
shiftless loquacious alcoholic father; the pious defeated mother moaning by the fire; pompous priests;
bullying schoolmasters, the English and the terrible things they did to us for eight hundred long years.”
Dissect this quote and provide examples to prove his claim of the Irish version of a miserable
Catholic childhood.
35. McCourt writes: "I think my father is like the Holy Trinity with three people in him, the one in the
morning with the paper, the one at night with the stories and prayers, and then the one who does the bad
thing and comes home with the smell of whiskey and wants us to die for Ireland." Was this your
impression of Frank McCourt's father? How can Frank write about his father without bitterness? What
part did Malachy play in creating the person that Frank eventually became?
36. Despite the McCourts' horrid poverty, mind-numbing starvation, and devastating losses, Angela's
Ashes is not a tragic memoir. In fact, it is uplifting, triumphant even. How does McCourt accomplish
this?
37. Irish songs and lyrics are prominently featured in Angela's Ashes. How do these lyrics contribute to
the unique voice of this memoir? How does music affect Frank's experiences? How do you think it
continues to influence his memories of his childhood?