Angela's Ashes

Once in Ireland, the troubled McCourts head to Malachy's parents in County Antrim in Northern Ireland and they don't neccessarily welcome the family with open arms. After much questioning, Grandpa informs Malachy to head to Dublin.
http://www.countydownrailwaymuseum.org.uk/Ballynahinch_Junction_1930s.jpg

Angela has her 5th child, Margaret, who dies 7 months later. This is when everyone realizes that this family severely needs help. Angela's cousins Philomena and Delia sit down to write to Angela's mother and their aunt, Margaret. "She's married four years, five children and another on the way. That shows you what can happen when you marry someone from the North for they have no control over themselves up there a bunch of Protestands that they are" (45). They ask for money to get the family back to their native land where they can hopefully be better off.
https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTgCPy5rf7JNCrb42CQef3NhPFyOpdzcZMx7nB_lwYPmUfShdX_

One of the twins pass away shortly after the McCourts arrive in Ireland and the other follows. Angela decides she can't stay in the house they had gotten settled in because it was too sad, so they moved to Roden Lane.
http://irishmediaman.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/limk-1900.jpg?w=480&h=322

While still in America, the children had little knowledge of their religion so it became very important to Angela that they were familiar and into their Catholic faith in Ireland.
http://rlv.zcache.com/vintage_kitsch_catholic_holy_card_first_communion_sticker-r779e10ef18cb48108271391ab082ef89_v9waf_8byvr_512.jpg

Angela has her 7th and final child.

"Yoo hoo, are you there, typhoid boy?" (193). After Frank's Confirmation, he gets a nosebleed that will not stop along with extreme dizziness. He is diagnosed with typhoid fever and taken to the hospital. Frank's father visits him and for the first time in his life, he kisses Frank on the forehead.
http://www.royalberkshire.nhs.uk/images/victoria-ward-l.jpg

Malachy leaves the family behind to find work in England after seeing everyone else on the Lane receiving money from their working fathers. He sends money a few times but not enough to provide.

Frank begins delivering coal and actually bringing money into the home to his poor family. "I want to bring home the shilling. I want to be a man" (261). Mr. Hannon, the man Frank delivers for, comes down with gangrene and can't work anymore but his wife tells Frank that he gave Mr. Hannon the feeling of having a son.

Frank gets a job at a post office and is ecstatic to be able to raise enough money to get him and his family out of the slums of Ireland.
http://rudyard.eup.k12.mi.us/cms/lib/MI17000153/Centricity/Domain/32/Rudyard_Post_office_1940.jpg

On one of his routes for work, Frank meets Theresa and loses his virginity. Soon after, she passes away. He misses her deeply but also feels dirty and condemned to hell because he did not control himself as he had learned to as a Catholic.

Malachy writes that he's coming home for Christmas but arrives with only a half-eaten box of chocolates and no money. Grandma dies of pneumonia.
http://thumbs.dreamstime.com/x/half-eaten-box-chocolates-over-white-22429291.jpg

Frank fully comes to terms with the fact that he must get out of Ireland when he is hired to write angry letters for Mrs. Finucane who collects payments from her customers for various errands and side jobs. He uses his impeccable intelligence to make good money writing these letters and realizes he has a lot of potential to carry himself out of poverty.
http://www.moviegoods.com/Assets/product_images/1020/291810.1020.A.jpg

Frank finally saves up enough money after writing letters for 3 years to return to America and he goes by himself. On the ship, he is filled with guilt, thinking he should have stayed and provided for his family but knows it's too late.
http://www.gjenvick.com/Illustrations/Immigration/Articles/AssemblyHerald/1908-01/AMillionAYear/Photo06-UnitedStatesImmigrationServiceBoat.jpg

As they pull up, Frank sees the lights of America twinkling and offering new opportunity. "Isn't this a great country altogether?" (363).
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d3/Statue_of_Liberty,_NY.jpg