AA-ECQs+Week+5

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Dominant Theme: Parents behavior influences the behavior of the child

"They fire him for his ways and Malachy tells them they can kiss his royal Irish arse and they say that's the kind of foul language and behavior you'd expect" (McCourt 353).

At this point in the book, Frankie has been talking about Malachy's job troubles. Malachy's behavior towards his jobs completely resembles the ways of Malachy's father. Frankie and Malachy's father was fired from his job every three weeks due to his bad behavior, and when he was, he seemed uncaring that it had happened, though his family needed the income he made. In this situation, Malachy shares this behavior. Firstly, this is not Malachy's first time of having his employers "fire" him from a job. He is only fifteen, the age when you can finally get a job, and has already been fired from two occupations because of his irresponsible behavior. Furthermore, when Malachy was fired he told them to "kiss his royal Irish arse," instead of asking to be able to keep the job because he needs it. Thusly, showing that he was uncaring about being fired. Additionally, Malachy's father had a gargantuan ego. With this, he would not go out and get tinder for the fire from the street, carry grocery bags for his pregnant wife, or allow being seen as lesser than by anyone. Identically, Malachy can not steadily keep a job: due to his towering ego. This time, Malachy's employers "fire him" from a job of serving those who live at a Catholic boarding school. "They fire him for his ways" because he was always looking everyone he served in their eyes, which was an affront to them because he put himself in the same rank as them, when he is overly inferior to their rank. Moreover, by telling them "kiss my royal Irish arse," he is demonstrating his monstrous pride. He believes his "arse" is royal," and if they must "kiss" it, they have become subordinates to him. Moreover, if they must "kiss" it, he is showing unbelievable disrespect towards them, and he is doing this because his pride has inflated him to think that that is the way he should behave. Therefore, through the behavior of Malachy's father due to his great ego, Malachy attained a huge ego that has cost him his job. -Leia Trice

Dominant Theme: Parents behavior influences the behavior of the child

"She calls up the lane after me. You should have something in your stomach, but I give her my back and turn the corner without answering. I still want to tell her I'm sorry but if I do I'll want to tell her she's the cause of it all" (McCourt 341).

The night before, Frank had had his first pint and returned home drunk. Coming home drunk is a behavior identical to Malachy's, Frankie's father. Moreover, this behavior the morning after particularly portrays Frankie's father. Malachy hardly ever ate and was always going for walks. The mornings after he had returned from drinking, were times that he had especially went for walks or did not eat because if he had stayed home to eat or just stayed, he would have had to talk with Angela. This morning, after Frank's drunk homecoming, shares those behaviors. His mother "calls up the lane" as Frank has begun to take his walk. This is happening early in the morning, and that is why Angela is "calling... after" Frank. He had left so early that Angela had only just woken up as Frankie was already out the door. He had left this early because he did not want to "answer" Angela, which could then cause him to "tell her" something that would cause a fight or her crying. Moreover, this is the cause of why he did not want "something in his stomach" or want to eat. He did not want to talk with her and have the chance to "tell her...she's the cause of it all," his unhappiness and his dislike of talking with her. Both going for walks early in the morning and not eating to not be confronted by Angela, resembles how Malachy, Frankie's father. would behave. Therefore, Malachy's behavior has influenced Frankie's behavior, so that after drinking they will take walks and not eat to escape Angela's confrontation. -Gabby McCormack