Angela's Ashes: a Memoir
Lankford 1
Michelle Lankford
Angela’s Ashes: A Memoir
10/06/2012
Antagonists in Angela’s Ashes Philomena Flynn was Angela’s cousin. Philomena was one of the people who pressured Malachy McCourt Sr. to marry Angela Sheehan after their mishap when Angela first came to the United States resulting in a pregnancy out of wedlock. Instead of Philomena helping her cousin she tracked down Malachy to make the pregnancy Malachy’s problem. Philomena tracked down Malachy McCourt at a bar. Philomena stated to Frank McCourt,” Our cousin no sooner gets off the boat than you are at her. We have morals in Limerick, you know, morals. We’re not like jackrabbits from Antrim, a place crawling with Presbyterians,” (McCourt 16). Philomena also commented on how Malachy had an odd manner (McCourt 16). After the birth of Angela and Malachy’s first son, a party was given at Philomena’s house. Philomena made a statement to Angela, “I’d make sure there’s no more children. He don’t have a job, so he don’t, an’ never will the way he drinks. So… no more children,” (McCourt 19). Philomena had her fill with her cousin after Angela gave birth to another child. Philomena and her family made it clear, “they wanted nothing to do with Angela until she came to her senses,” (McCourt 19). Years later Philomena intervenes in Angela’s life again. Philomena gets in contact with Angela’s mother, Margaret Sheehan, asking for money to send Angela and her family back to Ireland (McCourt 45). Philomena even goes as far as buying a steamer trunk and hiring a van to take the family to
Lankford 2 the pier (McCourt 46). As Francis McCourt states,” It was good-bye and good riddance,” (McCourt 46). Angela McCourt, mother of the seven McCourt children, enabled her husband Malachy McCourt Sr. to be a drunk. No where throughout this memoir does she put her foot down, encouraging Malachy Sr. to quit drinking. Throughout the memoir, Angela rants and raves about Malchy Sr., not providing food and money for
Michelle Lankford
Angela’s Ashes: A Memoir
10/06/2012
Antagonists in Angela’s Ashes Philomena Flynn was Angela’s cousin. Philomena was one of the people who pressured Malachy McCourt Sr. to marry Angela Sheehan after their mishap when Angela first came to the United States resulting in a pregnancy out of wedlock. Instead of Philomena helping her cousin she tracked down Malachy to make the pregnancy Malachy’s problem. Philomena tracked down Malachy McCourt at a bar. Philomena stated to Frank McCourt,” Our cousin no sooner gets off the boat than you are at her. We have morals in Limerick, you know, morals. We’re not like jackrabbits from Antrim, a place crawling with Presbyterians,” (McCourt 16). Philomena also commented on how Malachy had an odd manner (McCourt 16). After the birth of Angela and Malachy’s first son, a party was given at Philomena’s house. Philomena made a statement to Angela, “I’d make sure there’s no more children. He don’t have a job, so he don’t, an’ never will the way he drinks. So… no more children,” (McCourt 19). Philomena had her fill with her cousin after Angela gave birth to another child. Philomena and her family made it clear, “they wanted nothing to do with Angela until she came to her senses,” (McCourt 19). Years later Philomena intervenes in Angela’s life again. Philomena gets in contact with Angela’s mother, Margaret Sheehan, asking for money to send Angela and her family back to Ireland (McCourt 45). Philomena even goes as far as buying a steamer trunk and hiring a van to take the family to
Lankford 2 the pier (McCourt 46). As Francis McCourt states,” It was good-bye and good riddance,” (McCourt 46). Angela McCourt, mother of the seven McCourt children, enabled her husband Malachy McCourt Sr. to be a drunk. No where throughout this memoir does she put her foot down, encouraging Malachy Sr. to quit drinking. Throughout the memoir, Angela rants and raves about Malchy Sr., not providing food and money for
Cited: McCourt, Frank. Angela’s Ashes. 1st ed. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1996. Print