The Lack of Opportunity
The manager was surprised because Frank writes his address, Little Barrington as the street, instead of Little Barrington lane that is the fact.
The manager reminds him that it is lane and can not be changed to be street even only the name. The conversations above shows that a name of
place which is a lane cannot be changed to be another state which is street. It also implies that people who are from the lane are banned to wish a
higher level of place. People who are from the lane also get discriminative treatment.
There’s no opportunity for them to reach a higher level of their life such as working in the civil service or government, go to university or even run the
world. It can be seen when Frank avoided to meet the boys from Chritian Bothers’ School by taking the lane instead of the street everytime he goes
to school. He avoided them because of their appearance that looks luxurious.
“We go to school through the lanes and back streets so that we won’t meet the respectable boys who go to the Christian Brothers’ School or the
rich ones who go to the Jesuit school, Crescent College. The Christian Brothers’ boys wear tweed jackets, warm woolen sweaters, shirt, ties and
shiny new boots. We know they’re are the ones who will get jobs in the civil service and help the people who run the world. the Crescent College
boys wear blazers and school scarves rossed around their necks and over their shoulders to show they’re cock o’the walk. They have long hair
which falls across their foreheads and over their eyes so that they can toss their quiffs like Englishmen. We know they’re the ones who will go to
univeristy, take over the family business, run rhe government, run the world. We will be the messenger boys on bicycles who deliver their
groceries or we’ll go to England to work on the building sites.” McCourt, 1996: 272
Frank sees the boys of Christian Brot hers’ School as the repectable
boys who comes from rich family. It can be seen from their appearance by wearing tweed jackets, warm woolen sweaters, shirt, ties and shiny new
boots. They’re are the ones who will get jobs in the civil service, go to university and run the world. It is different with him and the boys from the
lane that will be the messenger boys on bicycles who deliver their groceries or go to England to work on the building sites. The statement
above shows that people who are from the lane is only able to work for filling the daily necessaries without any opportunity for increasing the
level of life for instance working as a messenger boy. There will be only boys who have much money and good appearances that can have the
opportunity to be success. Frank realizes that the opportunity will not come for him who is from the lane.
The class distinction has also gotten him fed up and realizes who himself is and it makes him to bury his dream to be a Jesuit
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. “Id like to be a Jesuit some day but theres no hope of that when you
grow up in a lane. Jesuits are very particular. They dont like poor people. They like people with motor cars who stick out their little
fingers when they pick up their teacups.” McCourt, 1996: 245 Frank has a dream to be a Jesuit. Frank sees that the life of a Jesuit is
very peaceful. He can see it everytime he go to Jesuit Church for a Mass. They live in the warm place, sleep in a bed with sheets blankets pillows,
get up to a nice warm house and a warm church with nothing to do except
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Member of a Roman Catholic religious order called the Society of Jesus that was founded by Saint Ignatius of Loyola in 1534; cunning person, deceptive person
say Mass hear confession. But, in the statement above, Frank realizes that he is a person from lane. And there is no hope for people from the lane like
him to be a Jesuit. They prefers to take the boys from the rich people, like people with motor cars who stick out their little fingers when they pick up
their teacups. It shows that there is no opportunity, especially for poor people to be a part of Jesuit as the particular organization of the country.
Another proof that shows the lack of opportunity in Ireland is the moment someone from Christian Brothers slaps the door in Frank’s face.
Frank who is known as the smart boy is not also given an opportunity to reach the higher level of his school. It can be seen when Frank’s teacher,
Mr. O’Halloran, told Frank’s mother about how bright Frank is and suggest him to continue his school to secondary school. Mr. O’Halloran
send him to Christian Brothers’s School. But, when Frank and his mother went to Christian Brothers to inquire about further schooling, the people
from the school instead slamed the door in his face and refused him. “She knocks on the door at the Christian Brothers and says wants to
see the superior, Brother Murray. He comes to the door, looks at my mother and me and says, What?
Mam s ays, This is my son, Frank, Mr. O’Halloran at Leamy’s says
he’s bright and would there be any chance of getting him in here for secondary school?
We don’t have room for him, says Brother Murray and closes the door in our faces.” McCourt, 1996: 289.
The rejection above has completed the proof about the lack of opportunity for poor people to get the success eventhough they are very
smart and talented. They are not seen by conscious choice or decision, but, they are prefered to be seen by appearance rather than by aspects of
condition of the individual.