Independent Reading Log #11

1/20/13

Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt

Pages 141- 162

Summary of what I read: In this passage, to gain some money for the family, Malachy starts doing a chore for his grandmother. A man named Bill Galvin comes to stay at Malachy’s grandmother’s house and he works on the Dock Road. The chore that Malachy starts doing consists of bringing Bill his dinner that the grandmother has made for him. By doing this he earns sixpence a week. It is a small amount of money, but his family could use whatever they can get their hands on. One day when Malachy is bringing Bill his dinner he accidentally eats it all because it looks so good and he is very hungry. After this his grandmother is very mad.

Important quote from the text: “I was hungry and I tasted it and I couldn’t stop.” This quote was said by Malachy right after he ate all of Bill’s dinner. He went back to his grandmother’s house to tell her what he had done. I think that this is an important quote because it shows how hungry Malachy seems to be most of the time. His family is very poor because his dad is a drunk and can never bring money into the house to feed the family. He is so hungry and can’t help but eat the food when he has to smell the deliciousness of it as he walks all the way down to the Dock Road.

Connections to the text: I personally couldn’t really connect to this passage. I have always been fortunate enough to never have to go hungry. No matter where I have gone in my life I have always had food in my belly. My parents work hard to make this always happen unlike Malachy’s parents. His dad does nothing but drink away what little money the family does have and his mother doesn’t really do a lot to help the situation either. She does what she can to feed the children but with no money she can’t really buy groceries to make things with. I am very lucky that I have never had to feel the kind of hunger that Malachy has to on a daily basis.