In Angela's Ashes, Frank endures poverty, hunger, humiliation, and abandonment. He is let down over and over again, by the church and his father. One bad situation to the next, Frank preservers and keeps his eyes set on reaching America. His father, you could say, is the exact opposite where that is concerned. With each bad upcoming he sinks further and further into depression. He uses alcohol to cope with his everlasting sadness. He doesn't keep his eyes up. He gives up and blames most of his problems on being from the north. It is truly a miracle that Frank was able to have that kind of attitude and to be able to push himself even when everything is pulling him down. Frank is similar to Louie, from Unbroken, in that way. Louie also experienced very tough and unimaginable events. Even through all of that he was able to make his way back home to America.
Louie Zamperini experienced starvation, unhealthy living conditions, and shame. When he was at the different POW camps, they were very given very little food. " In all of his time as a POW, Louie had seen only one piece of fruit, the tangerine that Sasaki had given him" (Hillenbrand 273). Most of the food was taken by the guards. Louie also experienced unhealthy living conditions there, at the POW camps, as well as in the raft. While living on the raft, "their bodies, burned by the sun and stained yellow from the raft dye, had withered down to skeletons" (Hillenbrand preface). In addition, to being starved and forced to live in unimaginable conditions, it was also the Japanese's main objective to bring shame on them. Louie, although in a completely different scenario, experienced several of the same things Frankie did.
Frank McCourt experienced starvation in a different manner. Rather than an enemy intentionally trying to starve him, it was his father, whom he loved, depriving him of the food. Almost every paycheck, Malachy wastes away at the pub. In addition to being starved, Frank has to live in terrible conditions. When the bottom of his house floods, the family lives in the upstairs which they call Italy (because it is warmer and drier than the downstairs). If it weren't for his mother's hopelessness, Frank wouldn't even have a fire to keep him warm in the harsh Ireland air. Frank is also embarrassed by his financial status. he claims that My [his] mother is a beggar now and if anyone from the lane or my [his] school sees her the family will be disgraced entirely. My[his] pals will make up new names and torment me[him] in the schoolyard and I[he] know[s] what they'll say,
Frankie McCourt
beggar woman's boy
scabby-eyed
dancing
blubber-gob
Jap
Frankie is humiliated and constantly worries if his mother will be spotted.
Frankie McCourt
beggar woman's boy
scabby-eyed
dancing
blubber-gob
Jap
Frankie is humiliated and constantly worries if his mother will be spotted.