“Angela’s Ashes” by Frank McCourt: Rhetorical Devices

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Metaphors in Angela’s Ashes
Hyperboles in the Novel
Rhetorical Questions in Angela’s Ashes
Conclusion
Bibliography

Introduction

Angela’s Ashes rhetorical devices are one of the main reasons why Frank McCourt’s autobiographical novel was able to gain immense popularity with the reading audiences. Wisely deployed rhetorical strategies increase the extent of novel’s emotional appeal. In this essay, I will aim to substantiate the validity of an earlier suggestion at length while focusing on McCourt’s utilization of metaphors, hyperboles, and rhetorical questions.

Metaphors in Angela’s Ashes

The principal purpose of the deployment of metaphors and figurative language in the work of literature is to emphasize the emotional intensity of the characters’ experiences. In its turn, this is meant to increase the overall plausibility of the plot.

For example, while exposing readers to his childhood memories, McCourt states: “The Limerick moon was so bright I could see bits of it shimmering in the water and I wanted to scoop up moon bits but how could I with the fleas leaping on my legs” (34). It is understood, of course, that the narrator could never literally ‘scoop up moon bits.’ Nevertheless, by articulating such his desire, he was able to provide readers with insight into his soul as an utterly romantic individual.

In the light of such a revelation, on narrator’s part, the plot’s consequential developments make perfectly good sense, as it was McCourt’s endowment with the spirit of romantic idealism that prompted him to address life’s challenges in the way he did. In its turn, this explains why, even though throughout his childhood years, the novel’s main character never ceased being exposed to extreme poverty, he nevertheless managed to retain his sense of optimism.

Another reason why metaphors are being commonly deployed in literary texts is that they enhance the authenticity of the background setting and provide credibility to secondary characters’ acts. The legitimacy of this suggestion can be well illustrated in regards to the novel’s scene in which narrator reflects upon his fear that there was something wrong with both of his parents: “Dad frightens me with his och, och, och, and Mam frightens me with her small bird sounds, and I don’t know what to do” (44).

By being exposed to the narrator’s referral to his mother’s coughing in terms of ‘small bird sounds,’ readers can gain an additional clue as to the essence of McCourt’s childhood hardships. Apparently, it was not only his exposure to the constant shortage of food, which used to undermine the sense of McCourt’s self-worth but also his realization that he was incapable of helping his impoverished parents and siblings.

Hyperboles in the Novel

McCourt also uses hyperboles as rhetorical devices in Angela’s Ashes that provide additional depth to the conversations that take place between the characters.

For example, while referring to Angela’s habit of following her husband to the Labor Exchange, so that he would not have an opportunity to squander the received welfare-money on drinking, Malachy’s (Frank’s father) friends state: “If all the women start acting like Mam the horses will stop running and Guinness will go broke” (46).

It is needless to mention, of course, that such a remark, on the part of Malachy’s friends, cannot be referred to as utterly rational. Nevertheless, given the fact that just about all drunken men tend to exaggerate things, this remark makes a perfectly good sense in readers’ eyes.

It helps them to gain a better understanding of what it felt like being the unemployed representative of Ireland’s working class, prior to the outbreak of WW2. This, of course, increases the plot’s authenticity rather significantly, because by being provided with an opportunity to assess characters’ experiences through the lenses of contemporary code of ethics, readers naturally grow to think of these characters as three-dimensional human beings.

Life’s problems through the lenses of one’s

Another excellent example of the author’s masterful deployment of literary devices in Angela’s Ashes is hyperbolic exaggeration that can be found in the chapter where the character of Pa Keating expounds on his wartime exploits. Even though initially, this character did not want his stories to be taken literally, as he went on elaborating on how much gas he had in its bowels, he ended up believing that what he was telling about did take place in reality.

After all, according to Pa Keating: “There was so much gas in his system now he could supply light to a small town for a year” (50). Even though that there are clearly defined humorous undertones to this particular Keating’s remark, the fact that despite living in poverty, this character is being shown as someone naturally inclined to exaggerate things for the sake of other people’s amusement, emphasizes the overall seriousness of novel’s humanistic themes and motifs.

Rhetorical Questions in Angela’s Ashes

What also contributes to McCourt piece of writing’s literary richness is the fact that the author never skipped an opportunity to expose many of novel’s characters as being quite capable of coming up with composition of rhetorical questions, which in turn emphasizes these characters’ realistic attitudes towards life and their quick-mindedness – hence, making them more appealing to the reading audiences.

For example, while trying to hurt young Angela on account of her’ uselessness,’ her mother says: “You’re pure useless. Why don’t you go to America where there’s room for all sorts of uselessness? I’ll give you the fare” (4).

Apparently, it never occurred to Angela’s mother that her daughter did not think of this question as being purely rhetorical. Therefore, it does not come as a particular surprise why the earlier mentioned rhetorical question appears to be essentially symbolical, as it underlines the story’s central theme of how the experiences of ‘socially useless,’ on the part of novel’s characters, were gradually depriving them of their humanity.entr

In the scene, where drunken Malachy (Sr.) comes back home at starts encouraging children to consider joining IRA by the time they grow up, Angela comes up with the rhetorical question, in order to try endowing her husband with the sense of shame, on the account of his irresponsible behavior: “Can’t you leave them alone? she says… Isn’t it enough that you come home without a penny in your pocket without making fools of the children on top of it?” (11).

As the summary evidences, such Angela’s attempt suffers an utter fiasco, of course – Malachy never stopped drinking. Thus, in this particular scene, McCourt’s utilization of the rhetorical question was meant to stress out the full tragedy of his mother having no other choice but to be coping with her drunkard-husband, which in turn represents story’s another important theme.

On many occasions, some rhetorical questions, uttered by novel’s characters, appear to have an element of allusion (a reference to famous historical/religious figures) to them. For example, while being exposed to the sight of Angela’s birth, Nurse O’Halloran exclaims: “Jesus, Mary and holy St. Joseph, if you (Angela’s mother) don’t hurry with this child it won’t be born till the New Year and what good is that to me with me new dress?” (3).

In its turn, this strengthens an unmistakably Irish authenticity of how novel’s characters reflect upon the surrounding environment. By being provided with an insight into an early twentieth century’s ‘Irishness,’ readers can gain a better understanding of this novel’s actual plot.

Conclusion

As it was illustrated throughout Angela’s Ashes rhetorical analysis, there are good reasons to think that McCourt’s novel’s popularity can indeed be referred to as having been predetermined by the author’s acute understanding of what accounts for the contextual appropriateness of rhetorical devices’ deployment. This is the actual reason why literary critics have traditionally been pointing out to this particular McCourt’s novel as such that emanates a strong spirit of genuineness.

By being provided with an opportunity to read about McCourt’s childhood experiences, people do, in fact, get the taste of what it felt like being a small boy, coping with the realities of an impoverished Irish living, throughout the course of the thirties. I believe that this conclusion is being entirely consistent with the paper’s initial thesis.

Bibliography

McCourt, Frank. Angela’s Ashes. New York: Scribner, 1996. Print.

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