It can be seen that the family’s economic condition is already miserable before they move to Limerick. Even after the family stays in Limerick, still their
economic condition never gets better. Though the family already receives the dole tickets and the docket from St. Vincent de Paul Society, still they are unable to
fulfill the daily needs. Even Angela becomes a beggar in order to find some food for her children where it makes Frank feel sad because he happens to see Angela
begging in front of the priests’ house. It happens because Frank and Malachy Jr. grow older where they need more food to eat in the growing process and Angela
gives birth to two other babies named Michael and Alphie. They even have to move from the rent house because they are unable to pay the rent for a month and
as a result the building owner asks them to move. The family are quite lucky because Laman Griffin allows them to stay with him although then he torments the
family and treats Angela and Frank disrespectably. This condition motivates Frank to grow up soon and struggle for life because he does not want his family to live in
a poor and starved condition while other people can have a good, comfortable and nice life. Frank needs to fulfil his physiological needs because his parents are
unable to fulfil it and even they need a shelter to live in.
c. The Society’s Treatment toward Frank’s Family
The other cause of Frank’s struggle for life is the society’s treatment toward his family. Frank has to face the truth that not all Limerick people are that kind
toward his family. Especially when the Limerick people know that his father comes from Northern Ireland. Frank’s father happens to use a different accent from that
one that is use in Limerick. Because of his accent his father barely has a steady job.
Dad says he’s glad to see the spirit of Christ alive in Limerick and they tell him they don’t need the likes of him with his Northern accent to be telling
them about Christ 78.
Since Frank’s family is poor and never has enough money, they even have to go to St. Vincent de Paul Society to get free furniture for the house. In the
furniture shop, the man from St. Vincent de Paul Society considers them as beggars. It happens when his mother asks for the new furniture.
She wipes her eyes on her sleeves and asks the man if the beds we’re getting are second hand. He says of course they are, and she says she’s very
worried about sleeping in beds someone might have died in, especially if they had consumption. The man says, I’m very sorry, but beggars can’t be
choosers 98.
The way the Limerick people treat a Northern man is very rude just because he or she does not have the same accent as the Limerickman. Frank’s father often
experiences bad treatment from the Limerick people, especially when he is out looking for a job.
Bosses and foremen always show him respect and say they’re ready to hire him, but when he opens his mouth and they hear the Northern of Ireland
accent, they take the Limerick man instead 102. Though his family is always tormented by the Limerick people, still Frank’s
father wants the people to accept his family. Frank’s father has a dream of wanting his son to be an altar boy, and then he takes Frank to see Stephen Corey.
This is my son, Frank, who knows the Latin and is ready to be an altar boy. Stephen Carey looks at him, then me. He says, we don’t have a room for
him, and closes the door 167. His father, then, takes Frank home with insulted feelings and tells his wife
about the incident. After Angela knows the story, she says that there is a class distinction that causes the incident.
I’ll tell you what is it, she says. “Tis class distinction. They don’t want boys
from lanes on the altar. They don’t want the one with scabby knees and hair sticking up. Oh, no, they want the rich boys with hair oil and shoes that
have fathers with suits and ties and steady jobs 167.
When Frank grows older and is able to find a job, he then gets a job at the telegram office because of the help from the priest. When he comes to the telegram
office, the women who work there also treat him badly. There are two women at a desk, one fat, one thin. The thin one says, yes?
My name is Frank McCourt, miss, and I’m here to start work. What kind of work would that be?
Telegram boys, miss. The thin one cackles, oh, God. I thought you were here to clean the
lavatories. Your job starts on Monday, go away and wash yourself and come back then
362. It can be seen that the society’s treatment toward Frank’s family is very
rude. They never consider the McCourts as the citizen of the Limerick people since his father is a Northern man. Frank’s father is barely able to get a good job just
because of his Northern accent. They also torment the family just because of their social status. The man from St. Vincent de Paul Society even considers the family
as beggars. It also can be concluded that Frank and his family lack the self-esteem needs. According to Maslow 42, a person needs both self-esteem and the esteem a
person gets from others. A person has needs for stable condition, firmly based occupation, self-respect and respect from others. When these needs are satisfied,
the person feels confident and valuable as a person. Unfortunately, if these needs are not fulfilled, the person feels inferior, weak, helpless and worthless. Frank and
his family lack of self-esteem because other people always treat them differently. The Limerick people never show respect toward the family and as a result the
family is frustrated, feels weak and helpless. These treatments also make Frank
struggle even harder for a better life.
2. Frank’s Struggle
