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Irony
Definition of Mood
The mood of a piece of writing is its general atmosphere or emotional complexion—in short, the array of feelings the work evokes in the reader. Every aspect of a piece of writing... read full definition
The mood of a piece of writing is its general atmosphere or emotional complexion—in short, the array of feelings the work evokes in the reader. Every aspect... read full definition
The mood of a piece of writing is its general atmosphere or emotional complexion—in short, the array of feelings the work evokes... read full definition
Mood
Explanation and Analysis:
The mood of McCourt’s memoir is ever-changing, as Angela’s Ashes can shift between humor and despair within the course of a sentence. Even in the most desperate of circumstances, McCourt and his family find ways to make each other laugh or to poke fun at their grim lot in life. Relatedly, even in moments of happiness, there’s a sense of discomfort and foreboding, as though nobody believes that good times will last.
Through his use of dark humor, McCourt allows readers to throw their hands up and laugh at the absurdity of his family’s struggles, even while the harsh realities of his childhood—the repeated deaths of siblings, the constant disappointment with his father, the shame and indignity he feels at their poverty and his mother’s helplessness—continue to build. McCourt balances his memoir's many deaths and disappointments with these genuinely funny anecdotes. These moments of humor lighten the story, which might otherwise be unbearably somber and miserable. The reader also often feels the deep warmth between Angela, Frank’s mother, and her children. Despite living a life where every single door is repeatedly slammed in her face, Angela persists. Frank’s love for his mother and his determination to make things better for his family are one of his primary sources of strength, especially during the novel's largely miserable middle section.
The novel ends with the reader feeling suddenly far more hopeful, as Frank throws away the debt-collector Mrs. Finucane’s record-book, freeing a lot of his neighbors and family from her staggering rates of interest. He’s able to get on a ship headed for America, and the reader crosses their fingers that he’ll find a better life there.
Related Themes:
