An analysis Frank`s struggle for life as seen in McCourt`s Angela`s Ashes : a memoir of a chilhood.

AN ANALYSIS OF FRANK’S STRUGGLE FOR LIFE AS SEEN IN MCCOURT’S ANGELA’S ASHES: A MEMOIR OF A CHILDHOOD

A Thesis

Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements to Obtain the Sarjana Pendidikan Degree

of English Language Education

By:

Sunny Eclipsia Leatemia Student Number: 011214095

ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION STUDY PROGRAM DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGE AND ARTS EDUCATION FACULTY OF TEACHERS TRAINING AND EDUCATION

SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY 2007

iv

STATEMENT OF WORKS’ ORGINALITY

I honestly declare that this thesis which I wrote does not contain the works or part of the works of other people except those cited in the quotations and bibliography, as a scientific paper should.

Yogyakarta, 30 June 2007 The writer

v

Be Thou M y V ision

Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart; Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art. Thou my best Thought, by day or by night, Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.

Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word; I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord; Thou my great Father, I Thy true son; Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one. Be Thou my battle Shield, Sword for the fight; Be Thou my Dignity, Thou my Delight;

Thou my soul’s Shelter, Thou my high Tower: Raise Thou me heavenward, O Power of my power.

Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise, Thou mine Inheritance, now and always: Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,

High King of Heaven, my Treasure Thou art. High King of Heaven, my victory won,

May I reach Heaven’s joys, O bright Heaven’s Sun! Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,

Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.

(Eleanor H. Hull, 1912 an Ancient Irish Folklore)

I DEDICATED THIS THESIS TO:

My beloved Papa Anis, Mutti Metty,

My brothers Eci, Ray,

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Above all and beyond everything that I have in this world, I would like to give my deepest gratitude to the only saviour of my life JESUS CHRIST for all His blessing, guidance and never ending love.

I also would like to give my gratitude to my major sponsor Drs. L. Bambang Hendarto Y., M.Hum, for all his wisdom, kindness, patient and support to guide me and willing to spent his precious time to help me to finish my thesis. I also would like to thank Sr. MargaretO’Donohue FCJ who has been very kind to correct my grammar. I appreciate the time that she has spent for me.

My next gratitude is for all lecturers of English Education Study Program for guiding and sharing their knowledge during my study in Sanata Dharma University, for all English Education Study Program secretariat staff and Sanata Dharma library staff for their assistance, friendliness and best services.

My grateful dedication is conveyed to my beloved family Papa Anis and Mutti Metty for the support, never ending prayers and unconditional love. For my dear brothers Bung Eci, and Bung Ray and my dear sister Zus Dina and her husband Bung Peter, I thank them for their love, support and understanding. For my God Parents, Pa’ani Agus and Ma’ani Tiny, thank you for everything that you have taught and given me. Love and lesson that really worth for my life and thank you for being my God Parents since everyone envy me to have both of you in my life. For my niece Alvie, my nephews Nuel, and Rinto, I love you all and I’m blessed to have the most loving family in this world.

I would like to thank my best friends, Lia, Nana, “Rabbit”, Ita, Santi, Ale, Henry, Catur, Herp, Piet, Nucee, Ukhe, Michael for the love, support, happiness, beautiful moments, crazy things that you have spent and shared with me.

My sincere and special thanks go to my colleagues in German Red Cross (Mbak Arlin and Marc), Japanese Red Cross and in International Federation of

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Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in PMI Chapter Jogjakarta for the precious moments, experiences, many beneficial lessons of life and have allowed me to help all of you in your duty and be part of it. Thank you for teaching me with the knowledge of Red Cross and make me fall in love with the world of Red Cross. For all the people whom I love, may God bless them all and keep them all with His Almighty Hands.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

TITLE PAGE ...……... i

APPROVAL PAGE ...……... ii

PAGE OF ACCEPTANCE ...……... iii

STATEMENT OF WORK ORIGINALITY ...……... iv

PAGE OF DEDICATION ...……...… v

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ...…...…. vi

TABLE OF CONTENTS ...…...…. viii

ABSTRACT ...…...… xi

ABSTRAK ...…...… xii

CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION A. Background of the Study ...……... 1

B. Problem Formulation ...……... 3

C. Objectives of the Study ...……... 3

D. Benefits of the Study ...……... 4

E. Definition of Terms ...……... 4

CHAPTER II REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE A. Review of Related Theories ...……... 6

ix

2. Character ...……... 7

a. Meaning ...……... 7

b. Kinds ...……... 8

3. Characterization ...……... 9

a. Meaning ...…... 9

b. Ways of Characterization ...……... 10

4. Motivation ...……....…. 12

a. Meaning ...……...… 12

5. Human Basic Needs ...……...… 14

6. Struggle for Life ...……...… 16

B. Criticism ...……...… 18

C. Theoretical Framework ...……...… 19

CHAPTER III METHODOLOGY A. Subject Matter ...……... 21

B. Approach ...……... 22

C. Procedures ...……... 23

CHAPTER IV ANALYSIS A. The Description of Frank McCourt ...……...… 25

1. Odd ...……...… 26

2. Kind-hearted ...……... 28

x

4. Caring ...……....…. 34

5. Hard Working ...……...… 39

6. Smart ...……… 41

B. Frank’s Struggle for a Better Life……….. 43

1. The Causes of Frank Struggle for Life ...……....… 44

a. His Father Drinking Habit ...……... 44

b. The Family’s Economic Condition ... …...…. 47

c. The Society’s Treatment toward Frank’s Family …...…. 51

2. Frank’s Struggle ...……...…. 53

a. Finding good jobs ...……...…. 54

b. Giving a better life to his family ...……...…. 57

c. Going to America ...……...…. 61

CHAPTER V CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS A. Conclusions ...……... 64

B. Suggestions ...……... 66

1. Suggestion for future researchers ...……... 66

2. Suggestion for teaching- learning activities ... 66

BIBLIOGRAPHY ... 69

APPENDICES ... 72

A. Summary of the novel ... 73

B. Biography of the author ... 75

C. Lesson Plan for Teaching Speaking ... 77

xi ABSTRACT

Leatemia, Sunny Eclipsia. 2007. An Analysis of Frank’s Struggle for Life as Seen in McCourt’ Angela’s Ashes: A Memoir of A Childhood. Yogyakarta: English Education Study Program, Department of Language and Arts Education, Faculty of Teacher Trainings and Education, Sanata Dharma University.

Every person lives with problems that emerge in their life. Some of the problems are easy to solve but some others are not. People cannot avoid the problems and therefore they need to struggle for life, in order to solve the problems. In the novel by Frank McCourt entitled Angela’s Ashes: A Memoir of a Childhood that talks about life; Frank the main character has to struggle for life because of the problems that emerge in his life. He has to live under poor and miserable conditions in a slum area in Limerick Ireland.

There are two problems to be discussed in this study related to the main character: (1) How is Frank, the main character, portrayed in the novel? (2) How does Frank manage to survive in his struggles for life?

The library research is the method that is used in this study where I use the novel as the primary data, books of literature and psychology and other sources from Internet. The approach used in this study is psychological approach since the study aims to analyse the main character.

Based on the analysis of the main character, there are two points that can be concluded. First, is the description of Frank. Frank is portrayed as kind-hearted, caring, honest, hard working and smart though he has the odd manner like his father that comes from Northern Ireland. The second deals with Frank’s struggle for life. He struggles for life because of his father’s drinking habit that grows serious, the family’s economic condition that is miserable and the society’s treatment toward Frank’s family. Frank manages to survive because of three reasons that motivate him. The first is finding good jobs, the second is giving a better life for his family and the last one is going to America. Finally, Frank is able to solve all the problems that made him struggle for life.

This thesis also provides some suggestions for the future researchers related to other possible studies on Angela’s Ashes: A Memoir of a Childhood. Future researchers may analyse minor character that influence Frank to struggle for life and the social historical background of the novel. In addition, the thesis also provides lesson plan using some parts of the novel on teaching English, especially in speaking class.

xii ABSTRAK

Leatemia, Sunny Eclipsia.2007. An Analysis of Frank’s Struggle for Life as Seen in McCourt’ Angela’s Ashes: A Memoir of A Childhood. Yogyakarta: Program Studi Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris, Jurusan Pendidikan Bahasa dan Seni, Fakultas Keguruan dan Ilmu Pendidikan, Universitas Sanata Dharma.

Setiap orang hidup dengan masalah yang muncul dalam kehidupan mereka. Beberapa masalah dapat dengan mudah diselesaikan akan tetapi ada masalah-masalah lain yang sukar untuk diselesaikan. Mereka tidak bisa menghindar dari masalah- masalah tersebut, maka dari itu mereka harus berjuang untuk hidup dalam rangka untuk menyelesaikan masalah-masalah yang ada. Dalam sebuah novel karya Frank McCourt yaitu Angela’s Ashes: A Memoir of a Childhood yang menceritakan tentang kehidupan, Frank, tokoh utama dalam novel ini harus berjuang untuk bertahan hidup karena masalah- masalah yang timbul dalam kehidupannya. Ia harus hidup dibawah tekanan kemiskinan dan kehidupan menyedihkan yang ia alami di daerah kumuh di Limerick, Irlandia.

Ada dua masalah yang dibahas dalam studi ini yang berhubungan dengan tokoh utama: (1) Bagaimana Frank, karakter utama dalam novel ini digambarkan? (2) Bagaimana Frank berusaha untuk bertahan dalam berjuang untuk hidup?

Metode yang digunakan dalam studi ini adalah penelitian perpustakaan meliputi novel sebagai data utama, buku-buku mengenai literatur dan psikologi dan juga data dari internet. Pendekatan yang digunakan dalam studi ini adalah pendekatan psikologi karena studi ini mengenai karakter utama dalam novel.

Berdasarkan analisis terhadap tokoh utama, terdapat dua hal yang bisa disimpulkan. Pertama adalah penggambaran tokoh Frank. Frank digambarkan sebagai seorang yang baik hati, penyayang, jujur, pekerja keras, dan pintar walaupun ia memiliki tingkah laku yang aneh seperti ayahnya yang berasal dari Irlandia Utara. Kedua adalah penyebab Frank berjuang untuk hidup. Ia harus berjuang untuk hidup karena sifat ayahnya yang suka minum yang bertambah parah, keadaan ekonomi keluarganya yang miskin dan menyedihkan dan perlakuan masyarakat terhadap keluarganya. Frank berusaha untuk bertahan hidup karena ia termotivasi oleh tiga hal. Pertama, Frank berusaha untuk mendapatkan pekerjaan yang bagus, yang kedua adalah berusaha memberikan kehidupan yang lebih baik untuk keluarganya dan yang terakhir adalah pergi ke Amerika. Pada akhirnya, Frank mampu menyelesaikan semua permasalahan yang membuatnya harus berjuang untuk hidup.

Skripsi ini juga memberikan beberapa saran untuk peneliti-peneliti yang akan datang mengenai kemungkinan penelitian lainnya terhadap Angela’s Ashes: A Memoir of a Childhood. Peneliti yang akan datang dapat menganalisis karakter pembantu yang mempengaruhi Frank dalam berjuang untuk hidup dan latar belakang sosial budaya dalam novel ini. Sebagai tambahan, skripsi ini juga menyediakan rencana pembelajaran menggunakan novel dalam mengajar bahasa Inggris, terutama pada kelas berbicara.

1 CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION

This chapter presents background of the study, problem formulation, objectives of the study, benefits of the study and the definition of terms. The background of the study provides the information of the topic and the reason that become the basis of writing this thesis. The problem formulation states the problem or questions of the study. The objectives of the study aim to answer the questions stated in the problem formulation. The benefits of the study explain the advantages and importance of the study. Finally, the definition of terms provides an explanation of some important terms used in the study.

A. Background of the Study

All human beings in this world live their own life differently. Some of them may have a beautiful life and some of them may not have it. Though they live their life normally, problems may come everyday. Moreover, they cannot avoid the problems and therefore they will try hard to face and overcome them until they win the battle of struggle for life and achieve a better life in the future.

The problems that emerge are many. Some of the problems concern family, health, economical and others. These problems cause most people have to struggle for life. They can also be reflected in works of literature because they portray human life experiences. An author of literary works reflects what he experiences in his life into his works. He lives in the same world that we live in and he shares his

own experience with his readers through his works.

Since a work of literature is about reflection of life experiences, an author uses one of the media in literature called novel. Novel is the most common media that is used to reflect human life experience since the novel presents life itself. Van De Laar and Schoenderwoend say, “a novel as a work of art so far it introduces as into a living world; in some respect resembling the world we live in, but with an individuality of its own” (63). Through novels, many authors present stories about life because they can give support, strengt h, and reflection of struggle for life for the readers.

One of the authors who presents his life experiences in his works is Frank McCourt. He has had experiences of human struggle and he applies his experiences in his novel. His novel entitled Angela’s Ashes: A Memoir of a Childhood talks about life and how a man struggles for life and survives. Besides, it also describes human experiences that can happen to everyone in this world.

Frank, the main character in the Angela’s Ashes: A Memoir of a Childhood has to survive since he is three years old. He also has to face the death of his little sister that is barely one-year-old named Margaret. The death of Margaret causes his mother to grieve too much and because of it, she gives little attention to Frank and his brothers. Since then, Frank learns that his family’s condition grows worse and so does his father’s drinking habit. However, when his family moves to Ireland, he finds that his parents are still unable to support them and it makes him aware that he has to work so that his family will have a better life. Working as a newspaper seller, he can earn some money for his mother and his brothers. Sadly, another problem comes. He suffers from typhoid that causes him to stay in the hospital

for three months and he has to loose his job. He, then, has to start to find another job and must be more determined than ever so that he can help his mother and his brothers though it means that he has to start from the bottom line.

In this story, Frank faces many problems. First, his father drinking habit that grows serious even after the family moves to Ireland. Second, his family’s economic condition that is poor and miserable. Third, the society’s treatment toward his family that is rude. Frank has to struggle for life because many conflicts appear continuously in his life.

The novel is interesting to discuss because it shows how a person has to struggle for life in order to achieve a better one. We can also learn many lessons for life from this novel.

B. Problem Formulation

Based on the background of the study, there are two problems that can be formulated as follows:

1. How is Frank, the main character, portrayed in the novel? 2. How does Frank manage to survive in his struggle for life?

C. Objectives of the Study

The objectives of the study are to answer the questions stated in the problem formulation. First is to find out how Frank is portrayed in the novel. Second is to find out the things that causes Frank to struggle for life and to find out how Frank manages to survive.

D. Benefits of the Study

There are some benefits of this study. Firstly, I hope that this study will be useful for readers in broadening their knowledge about life as well as about literature, especially the knowledge of Irish-American writers and their works.

Secondly, for future researchers who intend to conduct the study of the same novel, I hope that this study can provide information on Frank McCourt’s Angela’s Ashes: A Memoir of a Childhood and also offer some beneficial information about the main character, the causes of the struggle for life and how he manages to survive. Hopefully, this thesis can be a start for further studies on Frank McCourt and his works. Finally, for myself, by studying this novel I learn about life and how each person has to survive for life in every condition.

E. Definition of Study

This part clarifies some important terms in order to avoid misunderstanding about the content of the thesis.

1. Struggle

In Merriam Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary struggle means to proceed with difficulty of with great effort (1167).

2. Life

Collins Cobuild English Dictionary for Advanced Learnersdefines life as a state of being alive, especially, when there is a risk or danger (893). On the other hand, Google.com defines life as an account of human events and activities that making up someone’s life where it becomes the experience of being alive. Thus, in my opinion struggle for life can be defined as an effort made by someone in order to

live where it becomes the experience of being alive. 3. Motivation

Morris defines that motives are “an inner direct force of a need or want that arouses the organism and directs behaviour toward a goal” (408). So it means that a motive is a power that enables someone to fulfil or reach his goal.

4. Character

Abrams states that character means “the person in a dramatic or narrative work, who is interpreted by the reader as being endowed with moral and disposition qualities that are expressed in what they say and by what they do” (20). Thus, in my opinion character is an individual that has qualities and moral values that are expressed in his dialogue and his action.

CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

This chapter discusses theories that support the analysis of the thesis. In order to understand theories underlying this thesis, I divide this chapter into three parts. The first part is review of related theories. The second part of this chapter states criticisms that will cover the critics on McCourt’s work, while the last part of the chapter is theoretical framework.

A. Review of Related Theories

The content of this part concerns all the theories relating to the study. The theories that I use are critical approaches, character, characterization, motivation, human basic needs and struggle for life.

1. Critical Approaches

Rorhberger and Woods Jr. (6-15) propose five approaches that can be used to analyse the novel, namely the formalist approach, the biography approach, the sociocultural approach, the mythopoeic approach and the psychological approach.

a. The Formalist Approach

The focus of this approach is on the literary object and the esthetic value of the novel. The approach itself makes no attempt to focus on the author’s life and the sociocultural background in which the literary takes place.

b. The Biography Approach

This approach aims to consider the author’s life, the personality, and the ideas 6

that become the major element in the author’s work.

c. The Sociocultural Approach

The focus of this approach is to analyse the no vel reference to the civilization that produces the novel. The civilization is defined as the attitudes and actions of a specific group of people. Meanwhile, a novel takes those attitudes and action as it subject matter. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate the social milieu, the cultural and historical background in which a novel is created.

d. The Mythopoeic Approach

The focus of this approach is to discover certain universally recurrent pattern of human thought. These patterns are considered to have shared the universally common belief toward certain community mind.

e. The Psychological Approach

The main concern of this approach is to identify any aspects of psychology that underlie a certain element of literary works. The element particularly points up the character in the story. In this case, theory of psychology is meant to explain the character’s personality, where it comes from, the idea that each character’s behaviour could be referred to the psychology of human being. Thus this approach can be used to understand the character’s behaviour and thought.

2. Character

There are several ways to know about characters by defining the character from the meaning and the kinds of characters.

Since there are many interpretations of the word “character”, Stanton (17) defines two meanings of character. The first is that characters are the “individuals” who appear in the story. Meanwhile, the second definition is “a mixture of interests, desires, emotions and moral principles that makes up each of the individuals.” Thus, character can be defined as the individual who appears in the story that has the mixture of interest, desires, emotion and moral principles.

However, Abrams (20-21) defines the word “character” based on the performance of the character. The first definition of character is a short and usually witty, sketch in prose of a distinctive type of person. The second definition of character that Abrams proposes is that characters are the persons presented in a dramatic narrative work, who are interpreted by the reader as being endowed with moral and dispositional qualities that are expressed in the dialogue and action. So, from both definitions of character proposed by Abrams, character is a distinctive type of person that is presented in a dramatic narrative work and interpreted with moral and dispositional qualities.

b. Kinds

Forster as quoted by Abrams (20) categorizes characters into two kinds, flat and round characters based on internal complexity. A flat character also called as two-dimensional type is presented without much individualizing detail and it is also built around “a single idea or quality”. In other words, a flat character is a character that never changes. Meanwhile, a round character is a character that is complex, both in temperament and motivation, which is difficult to describe.

Furthermore, Holman and Harmon divide character into two namely static and dynamic. A static character is one who changes little or does not change at all, because there is nothing happening within. It means that a character begins as the same kind of character as in the end. A dynamic character is one who is modified by actions and experiences that influence the character to change. That is why a dynamic character is one who often changes (83).

Based on the aspect of importance, Henkle (88-97) categorizes character into major and minor character. A major character is the centre of the story. A major character is the most important and complex character in the story. Usually he/she can be identified through the complexity of his/her characterization and the attention given to them by the other character. Thus, a major character deserves the fullest attention since she or he performs a key structural function where upon he/she builds expectations and desires, which in modification establish our values. Whereas, minor characters are the characters that perform a more limited function. They just appear in a certain setting, less sophisticated and drawn in shallower relief and usually they jus t become the background of the major character.

3. Characterization

This part will discuss the theory of characterization, which is used in order to analyse the character in the novel. This part also divided into two, the first is the meaning of characterization while the second is concern on ways of characterization. In order to analyse the character in the novel, we can use Murphy’s theory on nine ways of characterization.

Holman and Harmon (81) define characterization as the creation of an imaginary person. The aim that lies beneath the creation is to make the imaginary person exist for the readers or audiences as lifelike or seen as real. In addition, Rohrberger and Woods Jr. (20) say that characterization is a process applied by an author to create a character. Thus, characterization can be defined as the process to create an imaginary person as lifelike so that the readers are able to accept him as real person.

b. Ways characterization

Related to characterizatio n of character, Murphy (161-173) mentions nine elements that can be used to determine the characteristics of a character. The description of each element is as follows:

1) Personal description

The author can describe a person from his appearance and clothes. 2) Character as seen by another

Instead of describing a character directly, the author can describe a character through the eyes and opinions of another.

3) Speech

The author can give us an insight into the character of one of the persons in the book through what that person says.

4) Past life

By letting the reader learn something about a person’s past life, the author can give us a clue to events that have helped to shape a person’s character. 5) Conversation of others

The author can also give us clues to a person’s character through the conversations of other people and the things they say about him.

6) Reactions

The author can also give us a clue to a person’s character by letting us know how that person reacts to various situations and events.

7) Direct comment

The author can describe or comment on a person’s character directly. 8) Thoughts

The author can give us direct knowledge of what a person is thinking about. 9) Mannerisms

The author can describe a person’s mannerisms, habits or idiosyncrasies, which may also tell us something about his character.

As it is stated before that characterization is the creation of imaginary person that has to exist for the reader as lifelike, there are other methods of characterization that is proposed by Holman and Harmon theory (81). The first method is the explicit presentation by the author of the character through direct explanation either in an introductory block or illustrated by action. The second is the presentation of the character in action with the expectation that the reader will be able to conclude the attributes of the actor from the actions. The last is the presentation from within character, without comment on the character by the author, with the expectation that the reader will come to a clear understanding of the attributes of the character.

Another theory of characterization that can be used to determine character is proposed by Barnet (71-72). Barnet states four things to determine that the

character can be seen. The first is what the character (the figure) says. It means that the words that the character expresses through his opinion and dialogue which can be a clue for the reader in order to know his/her characteristics. The second is what the character does. This refers to the action (movement, body language, gestures) of the character that can be used to analyse the characteristics of the character. The third is what the other characters (including the narrator of the story) say about him. It also includes the comments and opinions of other characters through a dialogue that can be used to analyse the character. The last one is what other characters do and the description of the actions of other people toward a character whether they like the character or not and how they behave toward him.

4. Motivation

This section concerns the theory of motivation where it explains the definition of motivation given by the psychologists. The motivation theory is also used to investigate the main character through the psychological aspects.

a. Meaning

There are many definitions of motivation given by psychologists. Motivation is reviewed in this study since the aim of this study is to analyse how someone manages to struggle for life and to survive. Besides, it makes me curious about the main character’s motivation to struggle for life and the ways he chooses to do it. Bootzin, Loftus, Zajonc, Blake, Lo Piccolo and Holahan (367) say that a “motive” is a force power of behaviour that organizes the behaviour in which it is conducted by some purposes that lead to a goal or the satisfaction of needs. The process of the motive is what we know as motivation. Motivation is also broadly concerned with

the temporary determinants of choice (direction), persistence, and vigour of goal-directed behaviour (Beck 24). In other words, Beck tries to explain that motivation is a determinant that causes a person to do something continually based on the aim to achieve.

Another definition of motivation is given by Morris. Morris (408) states that motivation is “a specific need, desire, or want such as hunger, thirst, or achievement, that energizes and direct goal-oriented behaviour”. It means that motivation makes human beings continually do their specific need and desire in order to achieve their goal.

Furthermore, some of the psychologists explain motivation as a determinant of choices, whereas others convey it as a specific desire, while Jung (4) claims that, “When we speak motives we are referring to the causes or reasons that underlie a given behaviour”. For example a man is motivated to save his money so that he can buy a car. Therefore, we cannot concentrate on motivation only when we discuss it, because we also need to know what causes someone to do the action.

Kalish (29-30) explains that motivated behaviour is a behaviour set into motion by a need. A need indicates that some satisfaction is lacking and implies that the organism is activated to reduce dissatisfaction. Thus, a need for food signifies that a person feels a lack of food, and it sets into motion hunger-motivated behaviour. Motivation is strong enough to activate goal-seeking behaviour, which begins with agitated feelings and ended with behaviour that satisfied the needs. Motivation and needs are concepts, not things. They cannot be seen or heard or touched: the y must be inferred or assumed. Many psychologists believe that all

human behaviour is motivated, even if the person is not necessarily aware of his motives at the time of behaviour.

To sum up, motivation is a forcing power of a specific desire, need, or want that is conducted by some purposes and becomes the reason for a person to do the action that leads to a goal. Besides, through motivation a person is able to achieve his goal with satisfactory feelings.

5. Human Basic Needs

When people do some actions, they are motivated by the need to fulfil those actions. Maslow (47) says that “man is initially motivated by a series of basic needs; as those are satisfied, he moves toward the level of the higher needs and become motivated by them”. It means that human motivations are based on human needs. Maslow also proposes seven basic needs but only five needs are reviewed in the study.

The needs are the physiological needs, the safety needs, the belongingness and love needs, the esteem needs, and the self-actualization needs (Maslow 38-42). These five basic needs are also known as the hierarchy of human needs. He argues that usually the lowest need of the hierarchy has to be satisfied first before the higher needs on the hierarchy are satisfied.

The explanation of each need is as follows: 1) The Physiological Needs

The physiological needs are the most basic needs in our life. They are the need for food, liquid, shelter, sex, sleep and oxygen. When someone is lacking food, love or shelter; he is absolutely going to demand food first and he will ignore

the other needs until the need for food is fulfilled. In order to survive in life, of course, the needs that we should fulfil first are the physiological needs (Maslow 38).

2) The Safety Needs

After the physiological needs are sufficiently satisfied, the safety needs emerge. They emerge because of the needs to feel secure, stable, independent, protected, free from fear, anxiety and chaos. Someone will feel that other higher needs become unimportant when his life is in danger. A man needs the security and protection from anything that is considered as being harmful. He also needs a peaceful society, familiar surrounding, secure jobs and some of the evidence of the needs for safety (Maslow 39).

3) The Belongingness and Love Needs

When the two needs of physiological and safety are satisfied there will emerge the belonging and love needs. After a person fulfils the physiological and safety needs, now he will find the absence of friends, a sweetheart, a wife, or children. He will seek for affectionate relations with people in general, for a place in his group or family or a feeling that one “belongs” and he will strive with great intensity to achieve his goal. The love needs require both the receiving and giving of love- love from another and someone to love (Maslow 40).

4) The Esteem Needs

When the first three classes of needs are satisfied, the needs for esteem can become dominant. These involve needs for both self-esteem and for the esteem a person gets from others. A person has a need for a stable, firmly based, high level or self-respect and respect from others. When these needs are satisfied, the person

feels self confident and valuable as a person in the world. Unfortunately, if these needs are frustrated, the person feels inferior, weak, helpless and worthless (Maslow 42).

5) The Self-actualization Needs

The self-actualization needs emerge after all of the foregoing needs are satisfied. Self-actualization is a person’s need to be and do that which the person was “born to do”. It is also the identification of the psychological need for growth, development and utilization of always know what are he desire but when it comes to the self-actualization it is not always clear what a person wants in his life (Maslow 42).

All the basic needs mentioned above are important but it depends on each person on how he or she is able to fulfil it. Each person will experience a different process in fulfilling their needs and those needs may appear not as described. Maslow states that the process of needs may not work based on the theory since most people have been able to fulfil most of their basic needs. For example, nowadays a lot of people choose to find a secure job first in order to fulfil their basic needs such as food and shelter. It can be assumed that we cannot guaranty that the physiological needs will appear first. On the contrary the safety needs may appear first and then proceeds to the physiological needs or other needs (qtd. in Huitt 2001).

6. Struggle for Life

Problems always emerge in our daily life. People always live with problems in their life and they are never certain whether the problem is easy or difficult to

solve. In order to overcome the problem, people need to struggle. In Merriam Webster Collegiate Dictionary (1167) struggle means to proceed with difficulty or with great effort. People need to struggle because of events that happen in their life, when these events change their life and become their problem that they need to solve them. Braun, Linder, and Asimov (478-80), state that there are many life events that cause people to struggle for life. These life events can be the death of a close family member, personal injury or illness, fired from work, gain of new family member, etc. People will react differently toward the life events in their life if they are unable to cope with it. When people cannot cope with these life events that happen in their life, they will become stressed. Stress is one of the reactions that emerge if people are unable to overcome their problems. Because of stress, people then need to adjust.

Morris (490) defines adjustment as any effort to cope with stress. Every adjustment is an attempt to balance our desire against the demands of the environment, to weigh our needs, and to cope as well as we can within the limits of the situation. According to Braun, Linder, and Asimov (478-80), there are three categories in adjustment that people can do in order to cope with difficulties. The first category is problem solving. Problem solving is what people think as coping. The development of problem-solving skills to meet a wide variety of situations is a very useful aid in adjustment. The second category is acceptance of the situation. The acceptance of the situation can also be an effective tool in the process of adjustment. The last category is the use of defense mechanisms. This last category is a tool to cope with stress and anxiety but if it is overused it can lead to severe disturbance.

B. Criticism

Abrams (35) states that criticism is the study that concerns defining, classifying, analysing and evaluating works of literature. In order to have a better understanding about what the literary works talk about, we absolutely need criticism from critics. Through the critics, the readers are not only able to have a better understanding inside the literary works as a reading material but also able to appreciate both the novel and the author.

Gordon, in the book review of Frank McCourt’s Angela’s Ashes: A Memoir of a Childhood says “ Frank McCourt story is a story of a survival and growth beyond all odds; it moves the readers to read and enjoy it because this book is written in a beautiful language” (McCourt 1997).

Alix Madrigal for San Francisco Chronicle states “Frank McCourt’s memoir is a joy to read because it serves his Irish childhood that poor and miserable where he combines it with funny moments and written in beautiful language” (Madrigal, sec.18).

Felice Aull, an annotator from New York University School of Medicine says that one important factor in McCourt’s memoir is the love with which he shows and give for his family. Though his father is an alcoholic that always make his mother suffers and never able to give them a proper and decent life still Frank never hates him. On the other hand, McCourt Senior never abuses his children and that is also one of the reasons that makes Frank never wants to hate his father. “I think my father is like the Holy Trinity with three people in Him, the one in the morning with the paper, the one at night with the stories and prayers, and then the one who does bad things and comes home with the smell of whiskey………”. His

love for his mother and brothers even hilarious that he is willing to sacrifice his childhood times to help his mother and work hard in order to gain some shillings to his mother so that they can buy some food to eat and clothes to wear on (Aull, sec.3).

Aull also states “The memoir of Frank McCourt is a wonderful memoir that is valuable to read because we can learn not only about the Irish culture that covers almost all element inside the story but also the human spirit that McCourt shows to us in order to struggle and survive in desperate condition” (Aull, sec.3).

C. Theoretical Framework

The approach and the theories that I have stated are used to help the analysis of the study. In this part, I would like to explain what approach and theories that are used and how they are applied in the analysis of the study.

The first aim of the analysis is to describe the character of Frank as the major character of the novel. In order to describe his characterization, I use the theory of character by Henkle about the differentiation of major character and minor character. In this study, it is used to reveal the characterization of Frank. Forster’s theory is also used to find out whether Frank’s characterization is flat or round.

Furthermore, the theory of characterization proposed by Murphy is used to analyse what sort of person Frank is described in the novel. Murphy’s theory is used in this analysis to discover and obtain the description of Frank’s character. There are several ways to describe Frank’s character that I used from the nine ways

that Murphy proposed. Those are personal description, character as seen by other, speech, reaction, direct comment, thoughts and mannerism.

The second analysis is to find out the causes of Frank’s struggle for life and his motivation. The theories that are used in this study are that motivation; the human basic needs theory and struggle for life. Proposed by Beck, Morris, Bootzin, and Kalish these theories are applied to find out the motivation of Frank’s struggle for life since he happens to experience many problems in his life. I also use the human basic needs theory by Maslow, to support the analysis and to find out the basic needs of Frank that cause him to struggle. Furthermore, the struggle for life theory by Braun, Linder, Asimov and Morris is also applied to help the analysis of Frank’s success to struggle for life.

CHAPTER III METHODOLOGY

This chapter is divided into three parts, namely the subject matter, the approach and procedures. The subject matter discusses the novel itself, Angela’s Ashes: A Memoir of a Childhood. The approach states the approach that is used in analyzing the novel and the main character. Meanwhile, procedures state the explanation on the steps of writing this thesis.

A. Subject Matter

The novel analysed in this study is entitled Angela’s Ashes: A Memoir of a Childhood that was written by Frank McCourt. The novel was published for the first time in 1996 by HarperCollinsPublishers London. The novel used in the study was published in 1997 by Flamingo, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers. It consists of 425 pages and is divided into 18 chapters.

The novel Angela’s Ashes: A Memoir of a Childhood by Frank McCourt starts with the narration of Frank, the main character, about the reason why his family has to return to Limerick, Ireland. Frank is born in Brooklyn, New York in a great depression era from Irish immigrant parent s. His father is Malachy McCourt and his mother is Angela McCourt. With three younger brothers, Malachy Junior, the twins Eugene and Oliver and a younger sister named Margaret, Frank realizes that his family belongs to a poor family. The family lives in a poor condition, because Frank’s father never has steady jobs and he always spends his money in pubs, drinking, but on the other hand he is a loving father to his children. Angela,

Frank’s mother, is a housewife and she is so stressed as she has to raise four children but she has no money to give them enough and decent food and they never have proper clothes and diapers to wear.

Then they return to Limerick, Ireland where Angela’s mother lends them some money to rent a room and to buy daily needs such as food, coal and clothes because they cannot afford to buy it. In Limerick, Malachy McCourt is unable to find steady jobs because of his Northern Ireland accent and his serious drinking problem. All that he can do is to go to the Labour Exchange to sign for the dole every Friday where the dole money usually ends for the Irish pints. Their life becomes more miserable that makes Angela takes Frank and Malachy Jr. to St. Vincent de Paul Society and the Dispensary to take the charity tickets to buy food, coal and clothes. His family living in poor condition makes Frank have to struggle for life. He needs to grow up very quickly, to find a good job and keep on surviving so that he can help his mother and his brothers from starvation and poverty and be able to fulfil the daily needs.

B. Approach

The approach used to support the analysis of this study is the psychological approach. This approach is used in order to get the description of the character in the novel. Rohberger and Woods Jr. (13-14) states that the unconscious area of the human mind is the wellspring of man’s imagination, his ability for creation and the complexity of his thought and behaviour, and that the contents of this region of the mind lead to expression in symbolic words, thought and actions. Thus this approach enables me to observe the character of Frank through his actions and

dialogues in the novel. Moreover, this approach helps me to discover the struggle of Frank to face the problems that emerge in his life and how he manages to survive.

C. Procedures

In conducting this study, I followed several steps. The first step was choosing Frank McCourt’s novel Angela’s Ashes: A Memoir of a Childhoodas the primary data. I was interested in the main character of the novel named Frank. He experiences a miserable childhood and he has to struggle for life in order to survive. Then, I read the novel several times in order to get a better understanding of the story. Since Frank’s character was interesting to analyse, and I determined and chose to analyse Frank’s struggle for life.

The second step was finding some theories and references from many books and from the Internet. These theories and references were related to the story and literature study and were used to analysed Frank’s characteris tics. Henkle’s theory of character, theory of characterization by Murphy, the psychological approach proposed by Rohrberger and Woods Jr. were several theories that were used to help the analysis.

The third step was analysing the description of Frank’s characteristics and the reasons, which caused him to struggle for life since the study aimed to answer the questions stated in the problem formulation. I quoted and applied the theory of characterization by Murphy, the psychological approach from Rohrberger and Woods Jr. and the human basic needs theory proposed by Maslow to support the analysis.

The fourth step was to draw the conclusion based on the analysis. I made several suggestions for further researchers who intended to conduct a study of the same autho r and for the implementation for teaching learning activity.

CHAPTER IV ANALYSIS

This chapter is divided into two parts. The first part is the answer of the description of Frank McCourt. The second part concerns with the struggle of Frank to survive for life.

A. The Description of Frank McCourt

In reading a novel, the readers usually focus their main attention on the characters that have many different types of characteristics. Characters become the most important element of a novel. Moreover, characters are the soul of a novel. There are two kinds of character according to Henkle (88-97) a major character and secondary character. The readers of a novel usually have the tendency to put their attention on the major character that serves as the centre of the story, who frequently appears, is complex and observed most often in the novel.

In the novel Angela’s Ashes: A Memoir of a Childhood, the major character is Frank. Frank becomes the centre of the story. Based on the explanation about a major character by Henkle, Frank’s character is a character that most often appears in the story and he is observed most often in the novel because of his complexity. Furthermore, Frank’s character also can be considered as a round character. Forster (47) states that a round character is complex in temperament and motivation. A round character is also difficult to describe with any adequacy and tend to change from the beginning of the story until the end of the story. Frank’s character is round because his character changes through times and he has motivation to struggle for

life.

To analyse the characteristics of Frank McCourt, the theory of characterization by Murphy (161-73), which consists of the personal description, character seen by other, speech, past life, the figure’s reactions, direct comment, thought and mannerism are applied. However, only several are used to analyse and describe the characteristics of Frank McCourt. He is characterized as odd person, kind- hearted, honest, caring, hard working and smart.

1. Odd

In the novel, Frank McCourt is often described as a person who has an odd manner. His family from his mother side are those people who often say that he has the odd manner. They say that he has the odd manner because his father comes from Northern Ireland and he lives in the republic of Ireland where the majority of the people hate the Northern Ireland man.

Frank’s mother Angela says to her neighbour in New York, Mrs. Leibowitz that Frank has the odd manner when she compares him to his brother Malachy.

My mother tells Mrs. Leibowitz down the hall that Malachy is the happiest child in the world. She tells Mrs. Leibowitz down the hall; Frankie has the odd manner like his father (14).

Through the conversation between Angela and Mrs. Leibowitz, it can be seen that his own mother says that he has the odd manner like his father when her mother compares him to his brother Malachy Jr. His mother’s word makes him feel different from his brother and he wonders what the odd manner means.

Not only his mother who says that he has the odd manner, his aunt Aggie even says that he has the same odd manner as his father who comes from

Northern Ireland.

I’m about to give the money to the woman in the shop when my hand is slapped down and there’s Aunt Aggie, ragging. “Is this what you do, she says, on the day of your brother’s funeral?” “Gorgin’ yourself on sweets”. “And where’s that fathers of your?”

“He’s, he’s, in the pub”.

“Of course he’s in the pub”. “You out here stuffin’ yourself with sweets and him there gettin’ himself into staggerin’ condition the day your poor little brother goes to the graveyard”. She tells the shop woman, Just like his father, the same odd manner, the same oul’ northern jaw (91-92).

It can be seen that Aunt Aggie also considers Frank to have the same odd manner like his father. She hates Frank’s father because he comes from Northern Ireland.

Furthermore, his grandma torments him with her words on his First Communion Day. His grandma says that his hair is North of Ireland’s hair that he gets from his father.

“Come here till I comb your hair”, said grandma. “Look at that mop, it won’t lie down. “You didn’t get that hair from my side of the family”.

“That’s that North of Ireland hair you get from your father”. “That’s the kind of hair you see on Presbyterians”. “If your mother had married a proper decent Limerick man you wouldn’t have this standing up, North of Ireland Presbyterian hair” (142).

Again, Angela tells other people that her son Frank has the odd manner like her husband. It happens when she meets her old dance mate, Mr. Dennis Clohessy, the father of Frank’s best friend. She comes to the Clohessy’s house to pick Frank because he stays overnight there.

“...and thanks, Mrs. Clohessy, for having Frank here off the streets”. ‘Twas no trouble”, Mrs. McCourt. He’s quiet enough.

“Quiet enough”, says Mr. Clohessy, but he’s not the dancer his mother was. Mam says, ‘Tis hard to dance with one shoe, Dennis.

I know Angela, but you’d wonder he didn’t take it off. “Is he a bit strange?”

Ah, sometimes he has the odd manner like his father.

Oh, yes. The father is from the North, Angela that would account for it. They’d think nothing of dancing with one shoe in the North (190).

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

Frank is also known as an honest person. Though he tries to hide all his faults, he always ends up by confessing all his faults. He always keeps in his mind

that God is always watching him and he will be doomed because of all his faults. Frank tries to help his grandma to deliver a dinner for Bill Galvin who rents a room in his grandma’s house, so that he can earn sixpence for his mother. Unfortunately, one night he feels hungry and starts to eat the dinner by telling himself that Bill Galvin will not notice the amount of food that is not as much as usual. Then he cannot stop eating the dinner. He finishes it and when Bill Galvin knows it, he is very angry and asks Frank to return to his grandma and ask her to make him another dinner. He cannot lie to his grandma about the dinner of Bill Galvin.

Grandma says, “What are you doin’ back with that can?” He could bring that back himself.

He wants more dinner.

“What do you mean more dinner? Jesus above, is it a hole he has in his leg?” He’s falling down with hunger below the limekiln.

“Is it coddin’ me you are?”

He says send him any class of a dinner. “I will not. I sent him his dinner”. He didn’t get it.

“He didn’t?” “Why not?” I ate it.

“What?”

I was hungry and I tasted it and I couldn’t stop (152).

Frank feels afraid and guilty of Bill Galvin and his grandma that he chooses to tell his grandma that he eats the dinner for Bill Galvin.

In one occasion, Angela puts Frank into an Irish traditional dance class, because she wants him to be able to dance the traditional dances but Frank does not want to join the class because his friends tell that he will be like a “sissy” and will not fit to any Gaelic sports or football. Then, he decides that he will not continue the dancing class. Instead, he uses the money that his mother gives to him to watch a movie in the Lyric Cinema with his friend. Every time he returns from the cinema

he lies to his parents and creates a lie dance in front of his parents so that they believe in him. However, one day he returns from the cinema wit h toothache.

She’s there by the fire and Dad is there and they’re asking me the same old questions, the dance and the name of the dance. I tell them I learned “The Walls of Cork” and I dance around the kitchen trying to hum a made up tune and dying with the pain of my tooth. Mam says, “Walls o’ Cork” my eyes, there’s no such a dance, and Dad says, “Come over here”. “Stand there before me”. Tell us the truth; “Did you go to your dancing classes today?”

I can’t tell a lie anymore because my gum is killing me and there’s blood in my mouth. Besides, I know they know everything and that’s what they’re trying telling me know. Some snake of a boy from the dancing school saw me going to the Lyric Cinema and told and Mrs. Connor sent a note to say she hadn’t seen me ages and I was all right because I had great promise and could follow in the footsteps of the great Cyril Benson (160-61).

Through the reactions of his parents, it can be seen that Frank knows there is no use to lie. He cannot lie to his mother because she is a great dancer in her young age after all. He feels afraid too because there is blood in his mouth. He has to be honest because that is the only way for him to tell his parents that he does not want to continue joining the dancing class.

Once his father is away spending the money from his Grandfather from the North on drink. Angela is very angry and sends Frank to find him in every pub in Limerick. However, Frank is hungry and since he eats nothing, then he steals fish and chips from a drunken man. He feels guilty and choose to go to church for confession.

Bless me Father, for I have sinned, it’s a fortnight since my last confession. I tell him the usual sins and then, I stole fish and chip[s from a drunken man. “Why my child?”

I was hungry; there was nothing in my belly. My mother sent me out looking for my father in the pubs and I couldn’t find him. He’s drinking the five pounds Grandpa sent from the North for the new baby and my mother is ragging by the fire because I can’t find my father (208)

the drunken man since he had nothing to eat. He knows that God is always watching him from the heaven and whenever he makes any mistake it is better for him to go to confession so that God will forgive him.

On his sixteen birthdays, uncle Pa buys him his first pint because his father is in England. After drinking his pint, he chooses to return home and then he quarrels with his mother. Angrily and in drunken condition, he unconsciously slaps his mother. He feels very sad and sorry for his mother. The next day, he goes to the church and cries in front of the statue of St. Francis where Father Gregory comforts him.

“My child sit here with me”. “Tell me what troubles you”. “Only if you want to”.

I am Father Gregory. I’m sixteen today, Father.

“Oh, lovely, lovely, and why should that be a trouble to you?” I drank my first pint last night.

Yes?

I hit my mother.

“God help us my child. But he will forgive you”. “Is there anything else?” I can’t tell you, Father.

“Would you like to go to confession?” I can’t Father, I did terrible things.

“God forgive all who repent”. “He sent His only Beloved Son to die for us”. I can’t tell, Father. I can’t.

“But you could tell St. Francis couldn’t you?” He doesn’t help me anymore.

“But you love Him don’t you?” I do. My name is Francis.

“Then tell Him”. “We’ll sit here and you tell Him the things that trouble you”. “If I sit here and listen, it will be only be a pair of ears for St. Francis and Our Lord”. “Won’t that help?” (402)

Not only once Frank makes such confession and asks the Priest to forgive him after his conducts. Again he goes to the church to confess his mistakes. His confession shows that he is in a desperate condition and he feels that he has hurt his beloved mother and he made her cry. He feels disappointed, sad and ashamed of himself

and thinks that God will not listen nor forgive his mistakes.

Based on Frank’s speech with his grandma and the conversation between Frank and his parents and the Father in the church, we can conclude that Frank is an honest person. For him, it will be much better to tell the truth about his mistakes rather than lying to other people and especially to God. He knows that God is always watching him from above and He knows every time Frank makes mistake. He is afraid of God and that is his main reason to confess all his mistakes so that God will forgive him.

4. Caring

Frank may have the odd manner like his father, but he really cares about others. He shows his love and care toward the entire members of his family and even to the people that he knows.

His father has already been a drunkard since he arrived in New York. Even after he marries Angela Sheehan, he is never able to stop his bad habit. He often spends all his wages on drink only and leaves his family starving at home. The thing that often happens is that he loses his job in the third week because he spends his money in the pubs and is too drunk to go to work the next day. This condition makes Frank feel very sorry for his mother and all the troubles caused by his father.

I crawl to bed with Malachy and the twins. I look out at Mam at the kitchen table, smoking a cigarette, drinking tea, and crying. I want to get up and tell her I’ll be a man soon and I’ll get a job in the place with the big gate and I’ll come home every Friday night with money for eggs and toast and jam and she can sing “Anyone can see why I wanted you kiss” (21-22).

Frank’s reaction to such condition shows that he cares about his mother and he wishes that he could do something to help his mother and ease her pain. He wishes

that he would grow up soon and replaced his father’s place to earn the money for his mother and his brothers so that he would not see her crying aga in.

Frank shows most of his love, attention and care for his twin brothers Oliver and Eugene. Both Frank and Malachy have to take care of the twins and play with them in the playground to help their mother to have a rest with their little sister Margaret. Because of his love, Frank is even willing to steal a bunch of bananas from the Italian grocery for the twins who are always hungry so that he can feed them.

My mother tells me all the time, Never, never leave that playground except to come home. But what am I to do with the twins bawling with the hunger in the pram? I tell Malachy I’ll be back in a minute. I make sure that no one is looking, grab a bunch of bananas outside the Italian grocery shop and run down the Myrtle Avenue, away from the playground, around the block and back to the other end where there’s a hole in the fence. We push the pram to a dark corner and peel the bananas for the twins (26).

It can be seen that his love for his twin brothers makes him be willing to steal a bunch of bananas for them. He wants to satisfy both Oliver and Eugene by feeding them though the way he gets the food is absolutely wrong.

Frank does not only show his care and love for his family but also to his uncle, Pat Sheehan that allows him to help sell the “Limerick Leader”. He feels angry when Declan Collopy insults his uncle and makes him fight with Declan.

Uncle Pat says, “Go ‘way, go ‘way, or I’ll walk on you”.

“Ah shut up, Mr. Stupid that was dropped on your head”. He pushes uncle Pat on shoulder and knocks him back against the wall. I drop the papers and run at him but he steps aside and punches me on the back of the neck and my forehead is rammed into the wall and it puts me in a such rage I can’t see him anymore. I go at him with arms and kegs and if I could tear his face off with my teeth I would but he has long arms like gorilla and he just keep pushing me away so that I can’t touch him (199).

it, and I dance around the kitchen with my hands down by my sides making my own music, diddley eye di eye di eye diddley eye do you do you, Dad and Mam clapping in time with my feet. Dad says, Och, that's a fine dance and you'll be a powerful Irish dancer and a credit to the men who died for their country. Mam says, That wasn't much for a sixpence.

Next week it's a George Raft film and the week after that a cowboy film with George O'Brien. Then it's James Cagney and I can't take Billy because I want to get a bar of chocolate to go with my Cleeves' toffee and I'm having a great time till there's a terrible pain in my jaw and it's a tooth out of my gum stuck in my toffee and the pain is killing me. Still, I can't waste the toffee so I pull out the tooth and put it in my poclcet and chew the toffee on the other side of my mouth blood and all. There's pain on one side and delicious toffee on the other and I remember what my uncle Pa Keat-ing would say, There are times when you wouldn't know whether to shit or go blind.

I have to go home now and worry because you can't go through the world short a tooth without your mother knowing. Mothers know everything and she's always looking into our mouths to see if there's any class of disease. She's there by the fire and Dad is there and they're asking me the same old questions, the dance and the name of the dance. I tell them I learned "The Walls of Cork" and I dance around the kitchen trying to hum a made-up tune and dying with the pain of my tooth. Mam says, "Walls o' Cork," my eye, there's no such dance, and Dad says, Come over here. Stand there before me. Tell us the truth, Did you go to your dancing classes today?

I can't tell a lie anymore because my gum is killing me and there's blood in my mouth. Besides, I know they know everything and that's what they're telling me now. Some snake of a boy from the dancing school saw me going to the Lyric Cinema and told and Mrs. O'Connor sent a note to say she hadn't seen me in ages and was I all right because I

had great promise and could follow in the footsteps of the great Cyril Benson.

Dad doesn't care about my tooth or anything. He says I'm going to confession and drags me over to the Redemptorist church because it's Saturday and confessions go on all day. He tells me I'm a bad boy, he's ashamed of me that I went to the pictures instead of learning Ireland's national dances, the jig, the reel, the dances that men and women fought and died for down those sad centuries. He says there's many a young man that was hanged and now moldering in a line pit that would be glad to rise up and dance the Irish dance.

The priest is old and I have to yell my sins at him and he tells me I'm a hooligan for going to the pictures instead of my dancing lessons although he thinks himself that dancing is a dangerous thing almost as bad as the films, that it stirs up thoughts sinful in themselves, but even if dancing is an abomination I sinned by taking my mother's sixpence and lying and there's a hot place in hell for the likes of me, say a decade of the rosary and ask God's forgiveness for you're dancing at the gates of hell itself, child.

I'm seven, eight, nine going on ten and still Dad has no work. He drinks his tea in the morning, signs for the dole at the Labour Exchange, reads the papers at the Carnegie Library, goes for his long walks far into the country. If he gets a job at the Limerick Cement Company or Rank's Flour Mills he loses it in the third week. He loses it because he goes to the pubs on the third Friday of the job, drinks all his wages and misses the half day of work on Saturday morning.

Mam says, Why can't he be like the other men from the lanes of Limerick? They're home before the Angelus rings at six o'clock, they hand over their wages, change their shirts, have their tea, get a few shillings from the wife and they're off to the pub for a pint or two.

Mam tells Bridey Hannon that Dad can't be like that and

won't be like that. She says he's a right bloody fool the way he goes to pubs and stands pints to other men while his own children are home with their bellies stuck to their backbones for the want of a decent dinner. He'll brag to the world he did his bit for Ireland when it was neither popular nor profit-able, that he'll gladly die for Ireland when the call comes, that he regrets he has only one life to give for his poor misfortunate country and if anyone disagrees they're invited to step outside and settle this for once and for all.

Oh, no, says Mam, they won't disagree and they won't step outside, that bunch of tinkers and knackers and begrudgers that hang around the pubs. They tell him he's a grand man, even if he's from the North, and 'twould be an honor to accept a pint from such a patriot.

Mam tells Bridey, I don't know under God what I'm going to do. The dole is nineteen shillings and sixpence a week, the rent is six and six, and that leaves thirteen shillings to feed and clothe five people and keep us warm in the winter.

Bridey drags on her Woodbine, drinks her tea and declares that God is good. Mam says she's sure God is good for someone somewhere but He hasn't been seen lately in the lanes of Limerick.

Bridey laughs. Oh, Angela, you could go to hell for that, a n d Mam says, Aren't I there already, Bridey?

And they laugh and drink their tea and smoke their Wood-bines and tell one another the fag is the only comfort they have.

'Tis.

Question Quigley tells me I have to go to the Redemptorist church on Friday and join the boys' division of the Arch Confraternity. You have to join. You can't say no. All the boys in the lanes and back streets that have fathers on the dole or working in laboring jobs have to join.

Question says, Your father is a foreigner from the North and he don't matter but you still have to join.

Everyone knows Limerick is the holiest city in Ireland because it has the Arch Confraternity of the Holy Family, the biggest sodality in the world. Any city can have a Confraternity, only Limerick has the Arch.

Our Confraternity fills the Redemptorist church five nights a week, three for the men, one for the women, one for the boys. There is Benediction and hymn singing in English, Irish and Latin and best of all the big powerful sermon Redemptorist priests are famous for. It's the sermon that saves millions of Chinese and other heathens from winding up in hell with the Protestants.

The Question says you have to join the Confraternity so that your mother can tell the St. Vincent de Paul Soc iety and they'll know you're a good Catholic. He says his father is a loyal member and that's how he got a good pensionable job cleaning lavatories at the railway station and when he grows up himself he'll get a good job too unless he runs away and joins the Royal Canadian Mounted Police so that he can sing "I'll Be Calling You Ooo Ooo Ooo," like Nelson Eddy singing to Jeanette MacDonald expiring with consumption there on the sofa. If he brings me to the Confraternity the man in the office will write his na me in a big book and some day he might be promoted to prefect of a section, which is all he wants in life next to wearing the Mountie uniform.

The prefect is head of a section which is thirty boys from the same lanes and streets. Every section has the name of a saint whose picture is painted on a shield stuck on top of a pole by the prefect's seat. The prefect and his assistant take the attendance and keep an eye on us so that they can give us a thump on the head in case we laugh during Benediction or commit any other sacrileges. If you miss one night the man in the office wants to know why, wants to know if you're slipping away from the Confraternity or he might say

to the other man in the office, I think our little friend here has taken the soup. That's the worst thing you can say to any Catholic in Limerick or Ireland itself because of what happened in the Great Famine. If you're absent twice the man in the office sends you a yellow summons to appear and explain yourself and if you're absent three times he sends The Posse, which is five or six big boys from your section who search the streets to make sure you're not out enjoying yourself when you should be on your knees at the Confraternity praying for the Chinese and other lost souls. The Posse will go to your house and tell your mother your immortal soul is in danger. Some mothers worry but others will say, Get away from my door or I'll come out and give every one o* ye a good fong in the hole of yeer arse. These are not good Confraternity mothers and the director will say we should pray for them that they'll see the error of their ways.

The worst thing of all is a visit from the director of the Confraternity himself, Father Gorey. He'll stand at the top of the lane and roar in the voice that converted the Chinese millions, Where is the house of Frank McCourt? He roars even though he has your address in his pocket and knows very well where you live. He roars because he wants the world to know you're slipping away from the Confraternity and putting your immortal soul in danger. The mothers are terrified and the fathers will whisper, I'm not here, I'm not here, and they'll make sure you go to the Confraternity from this on out so they won't be disgraced and shamed entirely with the neighbors muttering behind their hands.

The Question takes me to the section St. Finbar's, and the prefect tells me sit over there and shut up. His name is Declan Collopy, he's fourteen and he has lumps on his forehead that look like horns. He has thick ginger eyebrows that meet in the middle and hang over his eyes and his arms hang down to his kneecaps. He tells me he's making this the best section in the Confraternity and if I'm ever absent he'll break my arse and send the bits to my mother. There'; no excuse for

absence because there was a boy in another section that was dying and still they brought him in on a stretcher. He says, If you're ever absent it better be a death, not a death in the family but your own death. Do you hear me?

I do, Declan.

Boys in my section tell me that prefects get rewards if there is perfect attendance. Declan wants to get out of school as soon as he can and get a job selling linoleum at Cannock-'s big shop on Patrick Street. His uncle, Foncey, sold linoleum there for years and made enough money to start his own shop in Dublin, where he has his three sons selling linoleum. Father Gorey, the director, can easily get Declan the reward of a job at Cannock's if he's a good prefect and has perfect attendance in his section and that's why Declan will destroy us if we're absent. He tells us, No one will stand between me and the linoleum.

Declan likes Question Quigley and lets him miss an occasional Friday night because the Question said, Declan, when I grow up and get married I'm going to cover my house in linoleum and I'll buy it all from you.

Other boys in the section try this trick with Declan but he says, Bugger off, ye'll be lucky enough to have a pot to piss in never mind yards of linoleum.

Dad says when he was my age in Toome he served Mass for years and it's time for me to be an altar boy. Mam says, What's the use? The child doesn't have proper clothes for school never mind the altar. Dad says the altar boy robes will cover the clothes and she says we don't have the money for robes and the wash they need every week.

He says God will provide and makes me kneel on the kitchen floor. He takes the part of the priest for he has the whole Mass in his head and I have to know the responses. He says, Introibo ad altare Dei, and I have to say, Ad Deum qui laetificat juventutem meam.

165 164

Every evening after tea I kneel for the Latin and he won't let me move till I'm perfect. Mam says he could at least let me sit but he says Latin is sacred and it is to be learned and recited on the knees. You won't find the Pope sitting around drinking tea while he speaks the Latin.

The Latin is hard and my knees are sore and scabby and I'd like to be out in the lane playing though still I'd like to be an altar boy helping the priest vest in the sacristy, up there on the altar all decked out in my red and white robes like my pal Jimmy Clark, answering the priest in Latin, moving the big book from one side of the tabernacle to the other, pouring water and wine into the chalice, pouring water over the priest's hands, ringing the bell at Consecration, kneeling, bowing, swinging the censer at Benediction, sitting off to the side with the palms of my hands on my knees all serious while he gives his sermon, everyone in St. Joseph's looking at me and admiring my ways.

In a fortnight I have the Mass in my head and it's time to go to St. Joseph's to see the sacristan, Stephen Carey, who is in charge of altar boys. Dad polishes my boots. Mam darns my socks and throws an extra coal on the fire to heat up the iron to press my shirt. She boils water to scrub my head, neck, hands and knees and any inch of skin that shows. She scrubs till my skin burns and tells Dad she wouldn't give it to the world to say her son went on the altar dirty. She wishes I didn't have scabby knees from running around kicking canisters and falling down pretending I was the greatest footballer in the world. She wishes we had a drop of hair oil in the house but water and spit will keep my hair from sticking up like black straw in a mattress. She warns me speak up when I go to St. Joseph's and don't be mumbling in English or Latin. She says, "Tis a great pity you grew out of your First Communion suit but you have nothing to be ashamed of, you come from good blood, McCourts, Sheehans, or my mother's family the Guilfoyles that owned acre after acre in County Limerick

before the English took it away and gave it to footpads from London.

Dad holds my hand going through the streets and people look at us because of the way we're saying Latin back and forth. He knocks at the sacristy door and tells Stephen Carey, 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 room for him, and closes the door.

Dad is still holding my hand and squeezes till it hurts and I want to cry out. He says nothing on the way home. He takes offhis cap, sits by the fire and lights a Woodbine. Mam is smoking, too. Well, she says, is he going to be an altar boy?

There's no room for him.

Oh. She puffs on her Woodbine. I'll tell you what it is, she says. 'Tis class distinction. They don't want boys from lanes on the altar. They don't want the ones with scabby knees and hair sticking up. Oh, no, they want the nice boys with hair oil and new shoes that have fathers with suits and ties and steady jobs. That's what it is and 'tis hard to hold on to the Faith with the snobbery that's in it.

Och, aye.

Oh, och aye my arse. That's all you ever say. You could go to the priest and tell him you have a son that has a head stuffed with Latin and why can't he be an altar boy and what is he going to do with all that Latin?

Och, he might grow up to be a priest.

I ask him if I can go out and play. Yes, he says, go out and play.

Mam says, You might as well.

oo

167

xi

ABSTRACT

Leatemia, Sunny Eclipsia. 2007. An Analysis of Frank’s Struggle for Life as Seen

in McCourt’

Angela’s Ashes: A Memoir of A Childhood

. Yogyakarta: English

Education Study Program, Department of Language and Arts Education, Faculty of

Teacher Trainings and Education, Sanata Dharma University.

Every person lives with problems that emerge in their life. Some of the

problems are easy to solve but some others are not. People cannot avoid the

problems and therefore they need to struggle for life, in order to solve the

problems. In the novel by Frank McCourt entitled

Angela’s Ashes: A Memoir of a

Childhood

that talks about life;

Frank the main character has to struggle for life

because of the problems that emerge in his life. He has to live under poor and

miserable conditions in a slum area in Limerick Ireland.

There are two problems to be discussed in this study related to the main

character: (1) How is Frank, the main character, portrayed in the novel? (2) How

does Frank manage to survive in his struggles for life?

The library research is the method that is used in this study where I use the

novel as the primary data, books of literature and psychology and other sources

from Internet. The approach used in this study is psychological approach since the

study aims to analyse the main character.

Based on the analysis of the main character, there are two points that can be

concluded. First, is the description of Frank. Frank is portrayed as kind-hearted,

caring, honest, hard working and smart though he has the odd manner like his

father that comes from Northern Ireland. The second deals with Frank’s struggle

for life. He struggles for life because of his father’s drinking habit that grows

serious, the family’s economic condition that is miserable and the society’s

treatment toward Frank’s family. Frank manages to survive because of three

reasons that motivate him. The first is finding good jobs, the second is giving a

better life for his family and the last one is going to America. Finally, Frank is able

to solve all the problems that made him struggle for life.

This thesis also provides some suggestions for the future researchers related

to other possible studies on

Angela’s Ashes: A Memoir of a Childhood

. Future

researchers may analyse minor character that influence Frank to struggle for life

and the social historical background of the novel. In addition, the thesis also

provides lesson plan using some parts of the novel on teaching English, especially

in speaking class.

xii

ABSTRAK

Leatemia, Sunny Eclipsia.2007.

An Analysis of Frank’s Struggle for Life as Seen

in McCourt’

Angela’s Ashes: A Memoir of A Childhood.

Yogyakarta: Program

Studi Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris, Jurusan Pendidikan Bahasa dan Seni, Fakultas

Keguruan dan Ilmu Pendidikan, Universitas Sanata Dharma.

Setiap orang hidup dengan masalah yang muncul dalam kehidupan mereka.

Beberapa masalah dapat dengan mudah diselesaikan akan tetapi ada

masalah-masalah lain yang sukar untuk diselesaikan. Mereka tidak bisa menghindar dari

masalah- masalah tersebut, maka dari itu mereka harus berjuang untuk hidup dalam

rangka untuk menyelesaikan masalah-masalah yang ada. Dalam sebuah novel karya

Frank McCourt yaitu

Angela’s Ashes: A Memoir of a Childhood

yang menceritakan

tentang kehidupan, Frank, tokoh utama dalam novel ini harus berjuang untuk

bertahan hidup karena masalah- masalah yang timbul dalam kehidupannya. Ia harus

hidup dibawah tekanan kemiskinan dan kehidupan menyedihkan yang ia alami di

daerah kumuh di Limerick, Irlandia.

Ada dua masalah yang dibahas dalam studi ini yang berhubungan dengan

tokoh utama: (1) Bagaimana Frank, karakter utama dalam novel ini digambarkan?

(2) Bagaimana Frank berusaha untuk bertahan dalam berjuang untuk hidup?

Metode yang digunakan dalam studi ini adalah penelitian perpustakaan

meliputi novel sebagai data utama, buku-buku mengenai literatur dan psikologi dan

juga data dari internet. Pendekatan yang digunakan dalam studi ini adalah

pendekatan psikologi karena studi ini mengenai karakter utama dalam novel.

Berdasarkan analisis terhadap tokoh utama, terdapat dua hal yang bisa

disimpulkan. Pertama adalah penggambaran tokoh Frank. Frank digambarkan

sebagai seorang yang baik hati, penyayang, jujur, pekerja keras, dan pintar

walaupun ia memiliki tingkah laku yang aneh seperti ayahnya yang berasal dari

Irlandia Utara. Kedua adalah penyebab Frank berjuang untuk hidup. Ia harus

berjuang untuk hidup karena sifat ayahnya yang suka minum yang bertambah

parah, keadaan ekonomi keluarganya yang miskin dan menyedihkan dan perlakuan

masyarakat terhadap keluarganya. Frank berusaha untuk bertahan hidup karena ia

termotivasi oleh tiga hal. Pertama, Frank berusaha untuk mendapatkan pekerjaan

yang bagus, yang kedua adalah berusaha memberikan kehidupan yang lebih baik

untuk keluarganya dan yang terakhir adalah pergi ke Amerika. Pada akhirnya,

Frank mampu menyelesaikan semua permasalahan yang membuatnya harus

berjuang untuk hidup.

Skripsi ini juga memberikan beberapa saran untuk peneliti-peneliti yang

akan datang mengenai kemungkinan penelitian lainnya terhadap

Angela’s Ashes: A

Memoir of a Childhood

. Peneliti yang akan datang dapat menganalisis karakter

pembantu yang mempengaruhi Frank dalam berjuang untuk hidup dan latar

belakang sosial budaya dalam novel ini. Sebagai tambahan, skripsi ini juga

menyediakan rencana pembelajaran menggunakan novel dalam mengajar bahasa

Inggris, terutama pada kelas berbicara.