Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt"When I think back to my childhood I wonder how I managed to survive. It was, of course, a miserable childhood: a happy childhood is hardly worth while worse than the normal miserable childhood is the miserable Irish childhood, and worse still is the miserable Irish Catholic childhood." Thus begins the famous memoir entitled Angela's Ashes, written by Frank McCourt. In this book Frank McCourt writes about his childhood, how his parents met in New York and then decided to return to Ireland. He describes what it's like to be at the bottom of that city's harsh social hierarchy, providing vivid descriptions of how class imposes severe limitations and restrictions. It is this topic, this theme, to which I will devote the utmost attention. Angela's Ashes is a work of autobiographical fiction, leading the reader to assume that they are reading about things that actually happened. Therefore it is rather useless to make comparisons between the real story and the life of Frank McCourt. As has been mentioned, the McCourt family moved from New York to Ireland. This happened when Frank himself was only four years old. Although the McCourts hoped to achieve a better lifestyle by returning to their home country, that did not happen. As a matter of fact, life has become even more difficult. Frank's father, Malachy, is shunned by other Irish Catholics, because he was not born in the south of Ireland, but in the northern counties. Even considering that Malachy, not long after setting foot on Irish soil, returns to his old habit of drowning his misery in alcohol, one might doubt whether this family has any chance of creating a better life for themselves. he is satisfied by Irish society's contempt for the lower classes. People are not willing to give Frank the same opportunities as more socially advantaged children. Not having obtained the mandatory introduction to Irish Catholicism, having lived his first four years in the United States, doesn't help matters. As a result, Frank's attempts to climb the social ladder are repeatedly thwarted. Although Frank shows promise in school, displaying a quick mind and naturally leaning towards more challenging literature, he is denied the opportunity to become an altar boy..