Comparison of Problems Experienced by Poor and Affluent Mothers as Depicted in The Memoir Angela’s Ashes by Frank Mccourt

The Traditional Housewife

Frank McCourt’s Angela’s Ashes, portrays the lives of impoverished and wealthy mothers. It shows the struggle that many mothers went through no matter their economic status. Frank’s mother being from the low end of the spectrum has many difficulties, such as taking on both parental roles of the mother and father in the house. At times, Angela has to worry about how her children will eat and where they will get the food from. While other mothers like Fintan’s does not have to worry about such things and has the luxury of being able to have food. Fintan’s mother also has the luxury of having one child. Although all mothers in the book face some type of struggle, impoverished mothers suffer the worst encounter since they had to care for both themselves and their children.

Throughout the entire memoir Angela has had a total of six children, not including the miscarriages she has had. Impoverished mothers usually had many more children than that of a wealthy mother because they could not afford the doctor visits and the medicine needed for their sickly children “Dr. Troy came and said the child died of pneumonia and why wasn’t he in the hospital long ago?”(99) Therefore they usually had a higher death rate amongst their children than that of a wealthy mother that could pay to get the medicine and doctors for their child’s survival.

Angela not only has to deal with the death of her children but she must deal with an alcoholic husband. Many times Angela will have to play the role as the father and supply the family with their needs “Mam takes Malachy and me to the St. Vincent de Paul Society to stand in the queue and see if there’s any chance of getting something for the Christmas dinner”.(118) Although it’s not ideal especially with Malachy, someone has to go out and get food to provide for the family. Angela is usually the parent at home while Malachy is drinking the money away, disciplining the children and teaching them how to survive. She plays the role of not only the mother but the father as well.

One of the big differences between wealthy mothers and poor mothers is the fact that poor mothers were more likely to have a larger family due to the high immortality rate amongst the children of the home. Angela lost a total of three children not including her miscarriages “He straightens up and shakes his head. She’s gone.” (36) During this time they lost so many children, if it were not for the fact that their children died so quickly and at such a young age their families would be smaller. It is possible that the poor families might even have enough to provide for their family if there were not so many children. During the memoir it was never said that Fintan’s mom struggled and that is because she only has one child.

Poor mothers and wealthy mothers never tended to associate with one another. The reason for this is possibly the fact that they lived and lead on different lives. Poor mothers and wealthy mothers truly had no reason to bond with another they tended to bond with another woman in the same boat as them. Angela’s best friend is in the same position as her. She is poor and with children, she has to go to St. Vincent as well to get food and clothes just like Angela. Never does Angela and Fintan’s mother ever spend time with each other.

There are many differences between poor mothers and wealthy mothers. Poor mothers face many difficult tasks such as the death of many of their children and lack of food within in their home. Angela is the best example of the hardships a poor mother has to face.