Point of View

As a memoir, Angela’s Ashes is told from the first-person point of view of Francis McCourt. His point of view gradually becomes more adult as he grows from a child to a young man in the story.

Setting

The setting is primarily Limerick, Ireland, where Frank spent most of his childhood and adolescence. The first chapter of Angela’s Ashes takes place in Brooklyn, NY, where Frank was born.

Language and Meaning

Much of the language in Angela’s Ashes is colorful, sprinkled with Irish colloquialisms and some vulgarities, and McCourt uses no quotation marks when he quotes the people in his life. Words like “arse” and “eegit” and “och” appear frequently in the text.

Structure

This memoir is told in chronological order, beginning with Frank’s earliest memories and ending with his trip to America. The story is divided into 19 chapters, with the...