Title Significance

The reason behind the title of this memoir is a debatable matter. The name of the novel, “Angela’s Ashes” refers to McCourt’s mother, however the “ashes” has several different meanings. It may be associated to the losses of Angela’s children Margaret, Oliver, and Eugene. When they died, Angela was depressed but continued to have more children knowing their fate. These children could have survived if they were living in better conditions. Several times McCourt mentions that his mother is glaring at the ashes of the fire or the ashes falling from her cigarettes. Ashes are associated with death, dust, and cinders. When McCourt’s family are living in their relative, Laman’s home they must act as slaves when they want something: ”Laman says I’m a good boy and the bike is mine anytime I want it as long as the chamber pot is empty and I’m there to run to the shop for his cigarettes, go to the library for whatever else he wants. He says, You have a great way with a chamber pot. He laughs and Mama stares into the dead ashes of the fireplace” (253). This passage describes what McCourt’s family had to put up with, especially at Laman’s. His mother “staring at the dead ashes” symbolizes her displeasure in this novel. Throughout the memoir she puts in her greatest effort to keep her children living and is discouraged with the struggles she has to face.  She is forced to live an awful life because her husband doesn’t bring home an income or help the family deal with the issues he causes. She is always there for her children trying her hardest to give them a better life, but it is never good enough. Ashes have no purpose and are the aftermath of some sort of energy or life.  In a similar way, McCourt’s mother had a life with very little food and few material things. Her only purpose was to survive and keep her children alive.
Word Count: 329