Angela's Ashes Chapter 4

A new character is introduced as a neighbor of Frank's, his name is Mickey Malloy. He is said to be educated on dirty things and his mother goes to insane asylums because her husband spends all of the families money on drikning at the pub. Mickey's mother is constantly worried about wether or not her kids will have food. Frank has his first communion and Mickey tells him that the only good thing about first communion is the money you recieve. However, Frank seems to appreciate the meaning of communion more than just recieving money. As Frank and Mickey become closer friends he finds himself listening to many of Mickey's stories. Many of them are vulgar and Frank feels as though he has sinned because he listens to them. This thought of sin weighs on Frank so heavily that he asks multiple people, including his father, wether or not he should go to confession. Frank decides to go to confession and feels better about it.

One day after his first communion after returning home, Frank regurgitated his communion wafer in his Grandma's backyard. His Grandma insists that Frank go to confession to see what he needs to do to repent for this "sin". The priest tells Frank to just wash it away with water. Because he had to attend confession, Frank missed his collection of money for his first communion. This upsets Frank because he was looking forward to going and spending the money on movies... Instead Frank sneaks into a movie.

The reference to Nora, Mickey's mother, in the first chapter seems to be a little coincidental... maybe even implying some foreshadowing to what will happen to Angela because the two seem so familiar. I like Frank's intentions and the fact that communion has a deeper meaning to him other than just recieving money however it worries me that mickey may have a negative influence on hime which seems to be appearing at the end of the chapter.

Too many snow days!

At the beginning of every winter i get so excited just thinking of all the snowdays we are going to get in the winter... Every time we are supposed to get snow or word goes around that we are going to have a snow storm i get so excited because its like a little vacation in the middle of the week... However, this year has gone a little overboard... I never thought i would find myself saying this but snowdays can get a little old... After what is it now 9 snow days?.... I just want to get the school year over with... we started too early in August to have to get out of school around the same time we got out last year! Im hoping the snow has left for good and spring is right around the corner!

Angela's Ashes Chapter 3

Angela and her family move into a different house because their current house reminded them too much of Eugene. Angela becomes stressed about the reduced family income she recieves from public assistance because of the deaths of both Oliver and Eugene. Malachy Sr. finds himself a job, however, this proves to be no financial help because all of his earnings which he recieves he spends on alcohol.

One day upon returning home Frank and Malachy Jr. finds the house flooded forcing the McCourt family to move upstairs which they name "Italy" because it is in much better condition than their old flodded apartment. Angela purchases a pig head for Christmas and Frank is embarassed carrying it home because his classmates then see the poverty of his family.

Angela gives birth to a baby and names it Micheal. Malachy Sr. believes the baby was left behind by an angel and calls the baby "Angel on the Seventh step". Malachy Sr. develops a special fondness for this baby. When the baby stops breathing because it is sick with a cold Malachy Sr. saves the baby by sucking the mucus out of his nose.

Malachy repairs his sons boots using old tire because they he is to proud to ask the welfare men for new boots. At school, Frank and Malacy Jr. are mocked because of how poor they live. Frank describes the neighborhood in which he lives. He describes the unemployed men just sitting around smoking cigarettes and collecting "dole" while their wives are at home cleaining and tending to the children.

Malachy Sr. gets a job at the cement factory which excites the whole family. Frank and Malachy Jr. are excited about maybe being able to go to the movies, Angela gets so excited that she gets up early to clean and sing. However disappointment shocks them all when he doesnt return home from work on friday with his wages. Angela soon learns that Malachy Sr. went to the pub and ends up crying herself to sleep because of this. When Malachy Sr. returns home drunk he offers Frank and Malachy Jr. a "Friday Penny" which they both refuse and Angela makes him sleep downstairs.

It seems as though Malachy Sr. causes a lot of distress and disappointment to the McCourt family. He seems to be self-centered and only thinks of himself financially. The fact that he feels as though he can spend the money he makes at the pub and just use the "dole" to support the family is a prime example of this. It almost seems as though the only member of the Mccourt family which Malachy Sr. cares for is the newborn Micheal. The part about him sucking the babies mucus was sweet but also disgusting i must say. This book continues to disturb me because I can't even imagine the amount of stress and pressure Angela must be feeling while trying to continue to support her family. It is a very sad book because it continues to document the tragic obstacles which the Mccourt family is constantly faced with.

Glee!

I watched my first episode of glee ever and fell in love with it! Im not the type to usually watch a series and actually keep following it but Glee seems to be one of a few shows to hold my interest enough to make an effort to see it every tuesday night. I like the high school drama it has in it... Its much funner to watch high school drama than to actually experience it for some reason. Another show that i have come to like a lot is raising hope.. which comes on right after glee so its meant to be.... Every tuesday night i have a date with the tv! :)

2.23 Diction Exercise

Cruddy:

a) crudded-out
bash
no-take-backs
shut up
bash
kill
evil
cruddy

b} 1.vague or blunt level of formality having a low elevation of diction
2.the connotation used establishes a hateful malicious tone
3.the sound of the words used in the passage could be described as either coarse or harsh.
4.the concreteness of the words chosen could be described as either cold or hard.

c) Lynda Barry's harsh use of vague belligerent words in her book Cruddy emphasizes a tone of hostile maliciousness.

Gene Kelly dance number Close Reading

The dance number "Moses Supposes" displays a series of humorous movements made by two abominable men which implies the childish personalities of the dancers themselves. The song starts out slow with the two men singing "Moses Supposes" repeatedly then suddenly changes into an entertaining dance ensemble where the two men proceed to flail their arms and meander their bodies across the stage. There are even instances in which they place a window curtain over another man's head and even put absurd things such as paintings and lamp shades upon the mans lap. These acts of silliness suggest an inner three year old in each of the men who seem to be much alike. The frequent synchronized dance steps between the two men emphasize the similarities between the two personalities. A contrasting factor which has seemed to be added into the musical number is a man in which Gene Kelly and his partner use as a prop. The "prop" is dressed in a nicer suit, compared to Gene Kelly and his partner, and seems to be much more calm as things are thrown in his face. This bland "prop" highlights the adolescent actions of Gene Kelly and his partner. The obnoxious, "out there" moves of Gene Kelly and his partner implies the similarity between the two characters in the play as well as their inability to grow out of their adolescent self.

Angela's Ashes Chapter 2

The McCourt family arrives in Ireland and recieves a cold welcoming from Frank's grandparents. Malachy's hope for finding employment are crushed when grandma tells him that there is no work in Ireland but to go to the IRA and ask for money because of his previous services to the company. In an attempt to get money from the IRA Malachy and Frank go to Dublin and into the office of a man in charge of the IRA pension claims. After a pleading from Malachy he recieves no money as pension, in fact, he does not even recieve enough money for their train ride back home. Having no means of getting home the McCourts stay in police barracks over night until they recieve money for a train ticket to Limerick, where Angela's parents live. After arriving in Limerick they again receive a cold welcom from Angela's parents. However, Angela's mom does help them find a furnished room to stay in with one matress for them to share.

A few days later Angela has a miscarriage and is rushed to the hospital. After having been in the hospital Angela is forced to go to St. Vincent de Paul society for charity adn receives groceries and befriends a funny woman named Nora.

Frank's brother Oliver becomes ill and after being rushed to the hospital ends up dieing . 6 months after Oliver's death Eugene dies of pnemonia. After the deaths of both of hi twin brothers, Frank's father takes up drinking again and his mother has to start taking pills.

This chapter disturbs me so much! I feel so horrible for Frank who has to live in that type of environment. For me it would be hard to find any sort of happiness from the life he lives. It seems as though he is always losing siblings and can never really establish a real relationship with his parents. Not only his parents but also his grandparents are cold to him.... To me it seems as though this family isnt connected but rather they are a bunch of roomates who dont seem to function in an efficient manner... The life this family lives greatly distrubs me.

Angela's Ashes Chapter 1

The book begins with Frank describing to the readers his childhood and how his parents met and got married in New York. He describes his childhood as miserable because he had a drunken father and a strict demanding mother. After giving a background of his childhood Frank then tells the stories of his mother and father's lives before having kids. Malachy McCourt, Frank's father, grew up in Ireland and fought for the IRA. In his work with the IRA he committed a crime and fled to America to escape death. Angela Sheehan, Frank's mother, grew up in a Limerick slum then later emigrated to America where she met Malachy. Soon after meeting him Angela becomes pregnant with Malachy's son and the two plan to get married... Despite their plans of marriage Malachy tried to escape the marriage by fleeing to California but he spent the money for his train ticket on alcohol instead. Frank was the first born and baptized then following him was his brother, Malachy. Soon after Malachy came twin boys named Eugene and Oliver. Angela also later had a daughter named Margaret whom Frank's mother adored but Margeret ended up dieing. Margaret's death sent Angela into a deep state of depression causing her to neglect her children.

This book paints a disturbing picture in my mind. I can almost feel what Frank is going through and I cannot even begin to fathom the stress and hurt Frank must undergo on a daily basis. Having to lose a sister as well as have your mother neglect you for it is a disturbing thought for me. Also having to grow up with a drunken father and a strict demanding mother does not seem to be the ideal childhood for me. After reading this first chapter I cannot help but have pity for Frank and the hard times he must be going through.

Teenagers and the Effects of Peer Pressure

The effects of peer pressure on teenagers is much more significant than I had ever thought it was. According to studies presented in an article on teen driving posted in the New York times, peer pressure has a direct effect on the brain's activity. The article mentions that peer pressure effects brain signals dealing with risk and reward. I guess I just had never really thought about why peer pressure always took a toll on teenagers, I just knew it was on most adolescent's minds when it came to making decisions. After reading the article it makes sense why so many teenagers have a harder time saying no to negative peer pressure.. On the surface it always just seemed to me that people wanted to act or to come across a certain way to their peers and that is why teens fell into peer pressure. However, when looking at how peer pressure physically affects our brain signals intrigues me and makes it clear why it is so hard to say no to peer pressure at times. It is also interesting to see the difference between teenagers and college students or adults when it comes to the effects of peer pressure on the brain signals. Why is it only teenagers' brains who are so greatly effected by peer pressure. It seems to me as though the teenage years of a person's life are the years in which they deal with the most peer pressure. Maybe that has something to do with it? Whatever the cause, I find it very interesting to look at the actual physical effect of peer pressure on the brain's activity and I also find it very interesting that it has a greater effect on teenage brains then it does on adults and young adults.

Snow Days!

2 snow days in a row! and a delay tomorrow! Nothing like a nice weekend in the middle of the week to make the weekend come even faster! The past two days have been a nice break from school, even though we have to go later into the summer I can't help but wish for another closing! Sleeping in, watching movies, and hanging out with friends to me is much better than waking up bright and early to go to school for the whole day. Im hoping for another closing tomorrow! Fingers crossed!

Monet Painting: Observations and Inferences

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