It clearly described in the novel that Frank has the same odd manner like his father that comes from the North just because he dances with one shoe. And it can
be seen that Mr. Clohessy also has the same opinion like his mother toward men from Northern Ireland.
Aunt Aggie never stops tormenting him with her words because she never likes Frank’s father who is a Northern man when Frank has to stay with her
because his mother is in the hospital suffering from pneumonia. Aunt Aggie torments me all the time. She calls me scabby eyes. She says that
I’m the spitting image of my father. I have the odd manner, I have the sneaky air of a Northern Presbyterian, I’ll probably grow up and build an altar to
Oliver Cromwell himself, I’ll run off and marry an English tart and cover my house with pictures of the royal family 284.
Again aunt Aggie describes that Frank has the same characteristics as his father that will not change.
Based on his personal description, conversation of others and opinions of other characters, it can be concluded that Frank has an odd manner like his father.
2. Kind-hearted
Though his mother and his family often tell other people that he has the odd manner, Frank is also known as a kind- hearted person. He is willing to give a hand
and helps the other people who need help though sometimes he knows that he cannot help them.
On a cold winter day in Limerick, the school gives each student a bottle of frozen milk and a raisin bun. Unfortunately, not all the buns has the raisin inside it.
Frank is very fortunate because there is a raisin inside his bun. Then, he chooses to give it to Paddy Clohessy who later becomes his best friend.
I wanted the raisin for myself but I saw Paddy Clohessy standing in the corner with no shoes and the room was freezing and he was shivering like a
dog that had been kicked and I always feel sad over kicked dog so I walked over and gave Paddy the raisin because I didn’t know what else to do and all
the boys yelled that I was a fool and a feckin’ eejit... Mr. Benson gave me a look and said nothing and Nellie Ahearn said, “You’re a great oul’ Yankee,
Frank” 133-34.
This shows that Frank has a sincere heart to help Paddy because he feels sorry to see Paddy’s condition with no shoes and he is shivering. He thinks that it is
the only thing that he can do to help Paddy. Tho ugh he does not know what triggers him to do that action.
Once Frank gets his job to read books for Mr. Timoney when he delivers the newspaper namely “Limerick Leader” for Mr. Timoney. At that time he works as a
newspaperman to help his poor uncle Ab. He likes Mr. Timoney because he is a kind man and he always enjoys his day reading. Every Saturday he reads for Mr.
Timoney where he can earn sixpence for his mother to buy some food for the family. Unfortunately, one fine Saturday morning, Mr. Timoney is taken to the
City Home because he becomes crazy and never stops laughing at the nurse that is bitten by his dog Machlusa.
That’s the end of my Saturday sixpence but I’ll read to Mr. Timoney with money or no money. I wait down the street till the woman next door goes in; I
climb in Mr. Timoney’s window for Gulliver’s Travels and walk miles to the City Home so that he won’t miss his reading. The man at the gate says,
What? “You want to come in an’ read to an oul’ man?” Is it coddin’ me you are? Get outa here befo re I call the guards.
Could I leave the book for someone else to read to Mr. Timoney? Leave it. Leave it for Jaysus sake an’ don’t be botherin’ me. I’ll send it up to
him 201.
From his mannerism, it can be seen that Frank is very kind to Mr. Timoney.
Though he knows that he will never read for Mr. Timoney again, he is willing to get the book and walk miles to the City Home to give the book for Mr. Timoney.
His kindness somehow makes the man at the gate feel shocked. Since the family needs money to live, Frank then works for Mr. Hannon as a
coal deliveryman. Unfortunately, the problem of his infectioned eyes grows worse every day and if he continues to work it will ruin his eyes. Because of that reason,
Angela tells him to stop working for Mr. Hannon. It makes him feel so sad because no one will help Mr. Hannon and no one will bring home the money that the family
needs to buy some food, coal and clothes. And I can’t stop crying now because this was my one chance to be a man
and bring home the money the telegram boy never brought from my father. I can’t stop crying because I don’t know what Mr. Hannon is going to do on
Monday morning when he has no one to help him pull the bags to the edge of the float, to push the bags into the houses 307.
Reactions can be used to describe a person’s character by letting us know how that person reacts to various situation and events Murphy 168. In the novel it
can be seen through Frank’s reaction that he still wants to work and help Mr. Hannon because that is the only way he can do to support his family financially.
Frank is a very kind person because he also considers what Mr. Hannon will do on the next day without somebody’s help.
Based on Frank’s mannerisms and reaction from the discussion above, we can conclude that he is a kind- hearted person because he is always willing to help other
people who need his help. He has a gentle heart that he is never able to see other people in troubles such as Paddy Clohessy, Mr. Timoney and Mr. Hannon.
3. Honest
