AP+P2+2014-15+Irish+immigration+to+America

Joy Kosik, Jonathon Davis, and Meagan Poarch

Aim (purpose) - Joy Michael Patrick MacDonald wrote All Souls: A Family Story From Southie, about his family and growing up in Southie, or Southern Boston, during the late 1900s. He describes his neighborhood as being part of the Old Colony Housing Project and being in poverty, controlled by organized crime groups. In an interview with Brian Lamb, MacDonald explained why he wanted to write his story when he said, “I use my family's story as an activist to raise awareness, to do work against gun violence, to do work on youth development in the communities” (Lamb). This is stated implicitly, since in the story he does not directly tell readers why the story is written, but readers can tell he wanted to bring light to the terrible life he had before because he talks about events that people do not usually talk about. What MacDonald went through most people do not want to talk about, because it was so hard for him and dangerous. Him writing about it and bringing attention shows his purpose of raising awareness about what was going on in Boston. MacDonald achieves his purpose by sharing his story and not leaving anything about his life out. He shares all the details, and because of this his story is more effective and connects with readers emotionally. Throughout his book the events described bring more and more attention to what he wants people to be aware of.

Audience - Joy Michael Patrick MacDonald wrote his book as an activist to raise awareness about violence. His focus is on people who had been in poverty and neighborhoods of violence as well as young people, because he wants to provide them help and support. This would be his primary audience, or those who have experienced situations similar to what he experienced. His secondary audience is everyone else, and anyone who wants to get involved or learn more. According to the American Program Bureau MacDonald, “has developed Gun Buyback programs and local support groups, which give voice to adult and youth survivors of poverty, violence and the drug trade” (Michael 1). The author assumes that his audience has some experience with similar events, at least with the primary audience. With the secondary audience the author assumes that they have had little to no experience, and so describes his life in detail in order to teach them. This is a strength in the sense that people who have had little experience will learn so much more, and people who have had experience will connect with MacDonald and hopefully be encouraged to do something more, like volunteer to get involved or take the help offered to get out.

Cultural - Meagan

Michael Patrick MacDonald author of All Souls: A Family Story From Southie immigrated to the United States, specifically south Boston, from Ireland with his family in search of a better life. About 1000 years prior to immigrating to the United States there was a flood of immigrants coming to the United States due to the Great Potato Famine. According the Constitutional Rights Foundation, “ Between 1845 and 1855 more than 1.5 million adults and children left Ireland to seek refuge in America” (BRIA 26 2). There was such a large amount of people coming in to the United States from Ireland at this point that other countries noticed and started flooding to the US in search of opportunity. Prior to the Great Potato Famine there was a slight Irish population influencing the American culture, but following the mass immigration the Irish population in America grew vastly causing more influence on the American culture. The United States started adopting the ideas of the Irish by introducing them to the American people. Upon arriving in the United States, “...these immigrants contributed to the "American culture" in many ways. They became political and religious leaders. They used their drive and charm (and their "way with words") to achieve special success in journalism, entertainment and sports” (Irish Contributions). By allowing such a large amount of Irish immigrants into the United States, Americans were able to learn the ideals of these foreign people as well as teach them the American culture. Due to the irish immigration the United States now has Irish-American leaders, religions from Ireland, famous Irish-American people, etc.

Historical - Jonathon



Historically boston was going through a period where this region was suffering through large white poverty and gang violence. MacDonald stated “always missed Southie, would wander through Southie sometimes just to kind of--just to kind of find my family's spirit or my brothers' spirits” (Lamb). The author was born in this era and region and through his knowledge of the location he connects to his audience. The author uses the historical context of the book to give the audience a better sense of the times. The historical events in the book influenced the text because the author personally lived through those events. The experiences endured by the author affected the text because of the authors views on the events he experienced. History will be made from this text in the sense that history is documented through this book, and history not written might as well not exist.

Works Cited

Lamb, Brian. Interview with Michael Patrick MacDonald. Booknotes. (1999): Print.

"Michael Patrick MacDonald | Speaker Profile and Speaking Topics." American Program Bureau. 2013. Web. 4 Nov. 2014.

“BRIA 26 2 The Potato Famine and Irish Immigration to America.” Constitutional Rights Foundation. 2010. Web. 4 November 2014.

“Irish Contributions to the American Culture.” Library of Congress. Web. 4 November 2014.