Frank McCourt was a young boy who was cursed with poverty. He lived a miserable childhood yet a great life. His father drank his wages, his mother did nothing but try to provide for the family, and three of his siblings died as infants. His life started in Brooklyn, New York, one of the best places to be in the 1900s, until the deep depression hit and families were forced into debt. From here Frank McCourt moves to his native country, Ireland. In the novel, McCourt's use of style, point of view, and use of literary devices accomplishes a deep tone of love and survival giving the reader a feeling to continue reading.
First, McCourt uses style to accomplish an uplifting tragic memoir. McCourt uses a style of writing called satire that makes the reader feel as if they are close to Frank. He does this by telling stories about his life and other friends. For example, he talks about his friend Paddy and their conversations together such as at the Clohessy House where Paddy says, "Mind yourself, because some of the steps are missing and there is shit on the ones that are still there. He says that's because there's only one privy and it's in the backyard and children don't get down the stairs in time to put
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McCourt starts the novel off with the point of view from a child. This view is less knowledgable and he does not understand problems as much. As the novel moves foreward and Frank begins to grow up McCourt changes the point of view to an older perspective. This older perspective allows the reader to open up and see how Frank was really thinking throughout hid life. For example, The "Angel on the Seventh Step" was all Frank knew about babies when he was a child. It was not until later that he discover the real meaning of love when he meets Theresa. McCourt uses this point of view to keep the reader focused and help them understand Frank's