The Absentee Role Model: The Role of Malachy McCourt in Frank McCourts Angelas Ashes
This 4-page undergraduate essay considers the many effects Malachy McCourt has on his son Frank in Frank McCourt’s Pulitzer-Prize winning memoir, Angela’s Ashes. This essay begins by considering that we learn from many role models, and in learning through these role models, we learn what we do and so not value. This essay then moves on to a closer examination of Malachy McCourt’s role in McCourt’s book. This essay concludes that if we consider that we all learn from many role models, learning both admirable traits and disagreeable characteristics from them, we can read Frank McCourt’s memoir, Angela’s Ashes, as an examination of the effect of a father figure on the child Frank McCourt. Examining the relationship between Frank and his often-absent father, we can see the ways Malachy McCourt affects his son both positively and negatively, directly and indirectly. Malachy McCourt does intentionally teach his sons some positive lessons, stressing to them the importance of Irish culture and history and emphasizing the importance of personal dignity through direct speeches and lessons. Through his behaviour, Malachy McCourt indirectly teaches his sons about irresponsibility, the dangers of drinking, and about a certain type of callousness. Although Malachy McCourt teaches his sons gentleness and calm through his example, he also teaches them about irresponsibility. Ultimately, he teaches them to reject irresponsibility. Frank, especially, is so appalled by his father’s behaviour that he all but rejects him, imagining a different type of father figure for himself. Understanding the role of Malachy McCourt as a role model for Frank, one can see the complex and often indirect ways father figures affect their children, both for good and for ill.
Pages: 4
Bibliography: 1 source(s) listed
Filename: 20967
Price: 35.80
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