Angela's Ashes Chapter Summary & Analysis - Chapter 5 Summary

Chapter 5 Summary

Frank discusses the art of ignoring someone as something that can take years to learn. He explains that offenses committed by deceased family members can be used as reasons to avoid speaking to the living. Frank says, "If anyone in your family was the least way friendly to the English in the last eight hundred years it will be brought up and thrown in your face and you might as well move to Dublin where no one cares."

Angela is friendly with a neighbor named Bridey Hannon. Frank sometimes eavesdrops on their conversations. He listens as Angela shares a poem called, The Man From The North, with Bridey, which describes Angela's happiness with Malachy. Frank also describes how neighbors come to his father when they need to write important letters to the government. Malachy refuses their money, but Angela takes it.

Margaret Sheehan takes in a border, named Bill Galvin....
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