Ashes to Ashes, we all fall down.

I've read the first four chapters of Angela's Ashes, and it's put me off of a few things. Like drunkard, selfish, worthless, alcoholic fathers, and having kids. I mean, I've already decided I never want kids (that may or may not change), but this book really puts "popping them out" into perspective. If you've never read Angela's Ashes, here's a taste:

It's about this family, formed by two parents-- Angela and Malachy, who by some accidental "I was in the moment and it felt good" incident, had a kid, and we're forced to marry in order to keep the family name respectful and all that. Malachy, the father, is a wooooorrrthless, selfish, non-father, who spends his days working (if he can even get a job) and then spends his wages on beer at the many bars he hops to after the work day ends. It is because of him (well, that's my conclusion anyway), that THREE, not one, not two, but THREE of his 6 children DIE BECAUSE OF MALNUTRITION AND POVERTY. You'd think he'd learn after the first, but noooo. Go ahead, you worthless father, and drink your wages all over again, so that your children will once again go hungry in the middle of the night. Despicable.

The thing about this book, is that it's a memoir. Frank McCourt, the author, and the main character who grows up throughout the book, has amazing stamina and a very large forgiving heart. He paints his father as a loving man, who just messed up a little, not as an out of control alcohol who can't decide what matters most: his starving wife and children, or that bottle of Jack.

Back to the memoir part. Frank McCourt uses humor through a child's eyes as he grows up miserably. It may be because of his childlike ways, that he is ignorant of how things truly work in the world, but it was probably for the best. For instance, Frank goes to confession with all the other little boys in his catholic school, and feels the pressure of coming up with a sin. Frank has a problem--he hasn't actually sinned. The only thing closest would be listening to an inappropriate story, which he can't really help. So, he overhears the other boys sins-- lies to their mother, stealing money, stealing food, stuff like that, and he ends up going to confession and confessing that he had done all the other boys' sins as well. Ha, he ends up sinning by telling that he had sinned to the priest, when in actuality, he had done nothing wrong. Oh, children. Then he throws up his first communion. That apparently, was a sin--so I guess Frank got his sin after all, even though he couldn't help it. I can't understand religion sometimes. A lot of times actually.