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Angela Sheehan McCourt
The old, severe mother of Angela McCourt, and Frank McCourt’s grandmother, Margaret Sheehan plays an important role in Frank’s growth and development. It is Margaret who first arranges for Angela and Malachy Sr. to travel from Brooklyn to Limerick, bringing Frank and his siblings along. Although Margaret despises Malachy Sr. for being lazy, drunk, and a Northerner, she gives Angela’s family food, money, and shelter long after they’ve settled in Limerick. One could say that Margaret Sheehan is the embodiment of Limerick itself: she’s strict, she’s cold, and she’s fiercely religious (and has no patience for Frank when he’s reluctant to embrace Catholicism), but she’s also extremely loyal to her family.
Margaret Sheehan Quotes in Angela’s Ashes
The Angela’s Ashes quotes below are all either spoken by Margaret Sheehan or refer to Margaret Sheehan. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Chapter 1
Quotes
The minute she losses one child there is another one on the way. We don't know how she does it. She's married four years, five children and another on the way. That shows you what can happen when you marry someone from the North for they have no control over themselves up there a bunch of Protestands that they are. He goes out for work every day but we know he spends all his time in the saloons and gets a few dollars for sweeping floors and lifting barrels and spends the money right back on the drink. It's terrible, Aunt Margaret, and we all think Angela and the children would be better off in her native land. We don't have the money to buy the tickets ourselves for times is hard but you might be able to see your way. Hopping this finds you in fine form as it leaves us thank God and His Blessed Mother.
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Chapter 2
Quotes
Grandma whispers to Aunt Aggie, Who'll put the child in the coffin? and Aunt Aggie whispers, I won't. That's the job for the mother.
Uncle Pat hears them. I'll put the child in the coffin, he says. He limps to the bed and places his arms around Mam's shoulders. She looks up at him and her face is drenched. He says, I'll put the child in the coffin, Angela.
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Margaret Sheehan Quotes in Angela’s Ashes
The Angela’s Ashes quotes below are all either spoken by Margaret Sheehan or refer to Margaret Sheehan. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Chapter 1
Quotes
The minute she losses one child there is another one on the way. We don't know how she does it. She's married four years, five children and another on the way. That shows you what can happen when you marry someone from the North for they have no control over themselves up there a bunch of Protestands that they are. He goes out for work every day but we know he spends all his time in the saloons and gets a few dollars for sweeping floors and lifting barrels and spends the money right back on the drink. It's terrible, Aunt Margaret, and we all think Angela and the children would be better off in her native land. We don't have the money to buy the tickets ourselves for times is hard but you might be able to see your way. Hopping this finds you in fine form as it leaves us thank God and His Blessed Mother.
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Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 2
Quotes
Grandma whispers to Aunt Aggie, Who'll put the child in the coffin? and Aunt Aggie whispers, I won't. That's the job for the mother.
Uncle Pat hears them. I'll put the child in the coffin, he says. He limps to the bed and places his arms around Mam's shoulders. She looks up at him and her face is drenched. He says, I'll put the child in the coffin, Angela.
Related Characters:
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