Summary of Chapters 14 & 15

In the beginning of chapter fourteen, Angela sends Frank's brother Michael to to him to give him a message. Michael brings food and pleads that Frank come home. While you might think that Frank caves, he actually tells Michael, "I live here now and am never going back." With that, Michael leaves and Frank continues on his journey of sin and guilt. He is only thirteen at the time, but develops an interest in learning about sex and when is found reading a book about it at a library, he is kicked out.

Later on, Frank begins his job at a post office on a Monday in more decent clothes that his Aunt Aggie buys for him and delivers his first telegram to Paddy Clohessy's mother. Frank soon realizes that he should save the money he earns in order to travel to America. While all of this is going on, the family reunites as young Malachy returns home from Dublin and Frank's brother, Michael, and mother, Angela begin to live at Uncle Ab's house. On a trip to deliver a telegram, Frank experiences his "first time" (sex) with an ill Teresa Carmody. He continues to return, enjoying her presence and the act of sex, but when he one day returns and finds Teresa's mother open the door instead, he feels a pang of guilt. He is forced to believe that her soul will now go to Hell because of the sins they took part in together and therefore hides behind a tree at her funeral.

• Do you think Frank is overreacting when he says that he believes he will be the reason Teresa's soul will be sent to Hell?
• Do you think Frank is making a good decision by saving his money to travel to America and leave his family behind?
• What do you think Frank's family's reaction will be to his departure? Do you think Angela will continue to try to make him come home trough Michael?
  

Visualization passage #4

This picture represents the kids when they were let out for recess in there school in ireland. This shows how much fun the kids had when they had break from school. that is how much they hated school that they would always be so happy to leave. this picture shows how hapy and free they felt, and how much fun they were having.

Visualization passage #3

This picture was a picture of franks father. I decided to draw this because on page 12 in the book, there was a breif description of his father, then as i read later on. i learned what to include in the picture. it was saiid that franks father has thin hair, rag clothing, and thick eyebrows. then later on i learned that he is an alcoholic and that he uses the money for his families food, on alcohol. that is why i drew his holding a beer bottle, and money being tossed in the recycling bin. i think this was a very good picture to draw relating on the scene in this book.

Visualization passage #2

This picture is represented the part of the book where they are traveling to new york, on a boat and they see a far image of the statue of liberty. This passagge i chose to draw because it was a very visual passage and i was able to easily picture the scene. this wa a very important scene because this was the scene were they came to america and it ment alot to them. the author described the statue of loiberty in sight very well.

Visualization #1

This is a picture of Paddy Clonessy. in this book he was described so well that when you read the passage were he is described. You could literally visualize his exact appearance. He was described to have a bald head to keep lice away. a black eye because he fights his brothers every morning for rag clothes (which he is also wearing in the picture) He has scabs all over his knees. Also he has bloodshot eyes> i think this was a good passage to choose because it was very discriptive.

A Second Important Trait

Page 32.

"The Italian grocery shop is across the street and I see bananas, apples, oranges. I know the twins can eat bananas. Malachy loves bananas and I like them myself. But you need money, Italians are not known for giving away bananas especially to the McCourts who owethem moneey already for groceries.
My mother tells me all the time, Never, never leave that playground except to come home. But what am I to do with the twins bawling with the hunger in the pram? I tell Malachy I'll be back in a minute. I make sure no one is looking, grab a bunch of bananas outside the Italian grocery shop and run down Myrtle Avenue, away from the playground, around the block and back to the other end where there's a hole in the fence. We push the pram to a dark corner and peel the bananas for the twins.There are five bananas in the bunch and we feast on them in the dark corner. The twins slobber and chew and spread banana over their faces, their hair, their clothes. I realize then that questions will be asked. Mam will want to know why the twins are smothered in bananas, where did you get them? I can't tell her about the Italian shop on the corner. I will have to say, A man."

I chose this passage to share with my group because it shows how Frankie cares for his siblings. It shows that he will go to extreme lengths at times to do what is needed to keep them content and as healthy as possible. When Frankie says, "Mam will want to know why the twins are smothered in bananas, where did you get them? I can't tell her about the Italian shop on the corner. I will have to say, A man," this shows that Frankie is preparing himself to lie to his own mother just so that he would be able to protect and help the twins as well as his brother and himself.

• Do you think it was right for Frankie to steal from the Italian grocery shop even though he knew his family owed them money?
• What kind of person does this make Frank?

Brianna H.

Important Trait(s)

Pages 21 - 22.

"He won't let me push him on the swing. He says, You uck kill me uck on seesaw. He gets Freddie Leibowitz to push him and he's happy, laughing when he swings to the sky. Freddie is big, he's even, and I ask him to push me. He says, No, you tried to kill your brother.
I try to get the swing going myself but all I can do is move it back and forth and I'm angry because Freddie and Malachy are laughing at the way I can't swing. They're great pals now, Freddie, seven, Malachy, two. They laugh every day and Malachy's tongue gets better with all the laughing.
When he laughs you can see how white and small and pretty his teeth are and you can see his eyes shine. He has blue eyes like my mother. He has golden hair and pink cheeks. I haave brown eyes like my Dad. I have black hair and my cheeks are white in the mirror. My mother tells Mrs. Leibowitz down the hall that Malachy is the happiest child in the world. She tells Mrs. Leibowitz down the hall, Frankie has the odd manner like his father. I wonder what the odd manner is but I can't ask because I'm not supposed to be listening."

I chose this passage to share with my group because it shows the true meaning behind Malachy's actions and words and shows what Frankie is really thinking. This passage stuck out to me because it shows that practically in the beginning of the story, Malachy has lost trust in his older brother and is now somewhat afraid of him. Throughout the rest of this story. this loss of trust may cause problems for the brothers as well as the rest of the family.

• What do you think about this passage?
• Do you think this might affect what may occur in the future?

Brianna H.

Lasting Thoughts/Ideas Of the Novel

Chapters 17 - 19

• Frank has a moment of honesty in front of the Priest at his church, where he expresses his anger towards his personal life.
• Why does Frank confess all that he does to the Priest? Is this due to overwhelming stress & confusion?

- Frank finally saves enough money to book his trip to America. Some nights, he sits around the fire with his family, and they all cry at the thought of Frank’s departure.

• Independence; Place yourself in Frank's shoes - a final escape from constant worries.

- Frank's experiences revolve less on his family, and more on his individual maturing self.

Final Chapter;

- Responding to previous chapter: “Isn’t this a great country altogether?” Frank replies, “’Tis.”

-Does this represent hope for Frank in America?

Morals:

- Group members: Which individual morals have you taken away from the reading of this novel?

-How can you contrast the life of a present teenager to Frank's teenage years?

- What did you like/not like about the novel?

Jenna S.

Topic Starters/Thoughts/Ideas Chapters 15-16

Chapters 15-16

• Frank goes to the post office; his fist job. Co-workers at the office laugh at Frank’s "trashy" clothes.

- What can we infer about Frank's society? Did the population look to support one another? - Would this situation most likely occur presently?

- Frank's responsibility; as a teen, Frank apparently feels as though he can help the poverty issue his family is facing. Possibly, Frank wants to prove himself as a young adult to his parents; in particular, to his irresponsible father.

- Shows a thoughtful role played by Frank.

• Frank gets his wages, the first value of money he has ever had. With Frank's new "income," he decides to take Michael to get fish and chips and lemonade, then to a movie.

- This is a dream of Michael's; the overpowering dream to feel as though they have enough money to enjoy themselves.

- Frank's level of MATURITY; greatly increases.

-Later, however, Frank thinks that instead of buying food with his wages, he should save each week so that he can go to America when he turns twenty.

• Observation: Frank, for the first time, is being faced withadult like situations/decisions in which the outcome could possibly benefit the life of his own in the near future.

- Although Frank is basically starving, he is able to think not of food, but of the strong desire to make a new lifestyle for himself in America.

Jenna S.

Discussion Starters - Chapters 11 - 13

• Frank’s father returning home for Christmas; promising that he has reached a turning point, and will become a more responsible individual. Surprisingly, Malachy then gives his family a box of chocolates as a gift.

- Has Malachy finally reached a point in his life where he is beginning to feel sorrow? Does he realize the damage he has drifted among his own family? Is this truly a turning point; or another hoax?

• The McCourts eat a sheep’s head for their Christmas dinner; Through my eyes, a large change of quality food; most likely not able to consume often due to price.

• Angela is sickly, and spends most of her time at home. When poor women approach her and ask if she can spare money, she allows them into her home an feeds them.

- Angela's Character: Caring, responsive, sympathetic. Although, Angela is not steady with her economic status as well.

Example from corresponding chapter:

• Angela owes four weeks worth of rent. There is no money; the family then has to burn one of their home walls for firewood. (Extreme poverty reference, once again.)

• Groupmembers: List other poverty-related situations you have come across while reading this week.

Jenna S.