Pride and Poverty Essay

It is a beggars pride that he is not a thief (Japanese Proverb). In todays economy people be shameless and would rather be on welfare and disability than induct a job and earn a living. self-exaltation has been discarded, and poverty has become normal. People in todays society would rather lie and steal then make an honest living that they are proud of. However in Frank McCourts memoir Angelas Ashes pride and poverty go hand in hand.During the time this memoir was pickings place many families were very poor and didnt have many possessions. One thing they could always hold dear was their pride. The master says it is a vivid thing to die for the faith and Dad says it is a glorious thing to die for Ireland (McCourt 113). This is important because from a young age children were taught to be proud of who they were and what they believed in. They were to a fault raised in an era where it was almost assumed that every adult person either was an alcoholic or smoked cigarettes. It was the norm. Not because of an addiction but as a status quo or for relaxation during hard times. A puff of the fag is the only comfort we have in the homo (McCourt 64). As Mams friend, Nora, says this Mr. Quinlivan he gets angry because he understands that all of the women at the St. Vincent De Paul have families at home starving but they can silence find money to buy cigarettes.Pride is truly a huge part of the memoir. Frank clearly shows this in his writing Even the poorest of the poor get int go out on Christmas Day picking coal off the road. Theres no use asking Dad to go because he will never stoop that low and even if he did he wont carry things through the streets (McCourt 99).This shows that even as a young child Frankie understands that even though his family isnt the poorest of the poor his parents lifestyle force him and his brothers to humilify themselves and humbly do things to survive.Frankie gets frustrated at his parents when he gets older and starts to realize they c an spend so much money on cigarettes and alcohol but they never have enough food in the house. There may be a lack of tea or bread in the house but Mam and Dad always manage to get the fags (McCourt 138). Even though the McCourt family doesnt have any money Mam sends Malachy to the store to get cigarettes on their familys tab. Throughout the book Mam and Dad spend a lot of money on cigarettes and alcohol and it isnt necessarily for an addiction but for a getaway of sorts.