In Frank McCourt’s book Angela’s Ashes, in chapter 13, he includes the passage “‘Adroit, McCourt. You mind for the priesthood, my boy, or politics. Think of that.’ ‘I will, sir.’ ‘Tell your mother come and see me.’ …. A few days later Mam tells me give my face and hands a good wash, we’re going to the Christian Brothers. I tell her I do not want to go, I want to work, I want to be a man. She tells me to stop whining, I am going to secondary school and we will all manage somehow. I am going to school if she has to scrub floors and she will practice on my face. She knocks on the door…. ‘We do not have room for him,’ says brother Murray and closes the doors in our faces. ‘Listen to me, she says. That is the second time a door was slammed in your face by the Church’ …. I don’t mind. I want to get a job. Her face tightens and she is angry. ‘You are never to let anybody slam the door in your face again. Do you hear me?’ she says. I do not know what to do or say, I am so relieved I do not have to stay in school for five or six more years. I am free” (288-290). McCourt’s book is an autobiography telling of his rough catholic childhood and the struggles they faced. McCourt included this section to show how unfair life could be based on your social class or economic status.

For example, Frank really did not want to go to school anymore, he longed to be part of the working class and prove he was a man, unlike his father who drank away his money. He had no interest in schooling anymore he just wanted to prove himself he could get a job. He longed to be a hardworking man and make money and prove to be something and prove that you could become wealthy if you worked for it even though the odds were against him. His strength and compassion helped him endure and get through the hardships.

Angela, on the other hand, was infuriated when the school slammed the door in their faces. She expressed her concern by saying that it was the second time he had the door slammed in his face by the Church. She even gets so upset she begins to cry while Frank honestly could not be more relieved. Angela wants nothing but the best for her children but she feels she is unable to help them because they are so poor. The wealthy feel little compassion for the poor and did litle to assist them.

Mr. O’Halloran is on the same page as Angela. He claims it is a “Disgrace that boys like McCourt, Clarke, Kennedy, have to hew wood and draw water. He is disgusted by this free and independent Ireland that keeps a class system foisted on us by the English, that we are throwing our talented children on the dungheap.” He tells them they must get out of the country, go to America. Mr. O’Halloran can see the unfairness in his country and does not understand why such smart, ambitious and deserving people have to settle with a crumby, low paying jobs when they could have bright futures ahead of them. Frank hopes to go to America to try to make a better life for himself. His whole goal in life is to save enough money to go to America to get out of the poverty and sadness he endured in his childhood.

Clearly, there is unfairness in Ireland at this time and a lot of people are unable to get the opportunities some feel they should be getting. The higher classes tend to look down on the poorer citizens because they are not as privileged as them. A lot of people are unhappy with the situation but are not able to reform the city. Frank felt his best chance at equality was getting out of Ireland and trying his luck in America.