We all have to face problems in as kids, but facing those problems as a "miserable Irish Catholic" is the worst way (McCourt 11). Take everything you have right now, throw it away and multiply how horrible that is by three and you will have a slight chance of what it was like for Frank McCourt as he recalls it in his memoir Angela's Ashes. A recollection of his childhood the story takes place in Frank's hometown of Limerick Ireland where he grew up as a boy. He lives with his siblings his father and his mother. Sounds like a happy family. It really wasn't though as half of Frank's siblings would die very early deaths. Also his father was a stereotypical Irishman of the time battling the disease of alcoholism. All of these problems and more forced Frank and his family into a state of poverty. Within this time he was nearly always starving and being the oldest often forced to take over as man of the house when his father failed to do so. His mother, Angela, often had to go bed for food and money. She would often to the church however the church at this time did not consist of the nicest people in the country. This was one of her few options though as she couldn't go to her immediate relatives because none of them liked her. They all seemed to have a hatred for the family because Angela had married a man from the north who had an odd protestant manner. Little Frank McCourt was forced to face all of these problems at a very young age. These problems so horrible they could have devastated his life. However he didn't let it get him down and through this memoir he shows that there are always obstacles one must overcome in their life in order to better that life for themselves.
A big obstacle in Frank's life was his father. His father Malachy lacks in much of what is needed to be a good father. He is often leaving things behind him from his own mistakes in which Frank must overcome. One of the biggest one of these is his bad drinking habit.