Angela's Ashes Cuchulain Quotes

In Frank McCourt’s novel Angela’s Ashes, McCourt places a great significance on the mythological hero Cuchulain. Cuchulain, born with the name Setanta, grew up in the Northern Ireland like Frankie’s father. At a young age, Frankie’s father tells Frankie the story of Cuchulain. Cuchulain killed the dog of the house of Culain and to repent he guarded the house since the dog no longer could. Later, he guarded not just the house, but the entire region and became the greatest hero. Since that night Frankie had taken possession of the great hero of Ireland saying that it is his story. McCourt’s continued mention of Cuchulain reflects on his relationship with his father and his childhood. The tale of Cuchulain reflects on the complicated relationship …show more content…
Frankie say’s, “I’m happy there on his lap (15).” In these moments, Frankie is content with his father because he is not going off to the pub spending all the dole money. The connection with Cuchulain is apparent since Frankie says he can only drink tea without milk only when his father gives it to him while his father is telling him about Cuchulain (38). Despite being poor, Frankie only cares for tea without milk when his father gives it to him. Frankie has a close attachment to his father and connects that with the hero Cuchulain. Cuchulain also reflects on Frankie’s fathers uselessness in the description of the dream where Cuchulain has a bird on his shoulder. Frankie dislikes the bird because “there’s blood dripping from his mouth when he sings (44).” Cuchulain offers the bird a banana which the bird keeps ignoring. The bird “…just …show more content…
Countless times Frankie tells people they cannot tell anyone those stories because they belong to Frankie. Frankie does not even let his own brother, Malachy, tell his neighbor about Cuchulain. However, the neighbor does not care since he is Jewish and he has his own stories (33). To a child owning something is very special to them. Due to their financial situation, it appears Frankie does not own any toys or anything a normal child would have. Frankie barley has a father since he is always gone. So as a replacement to toys or an actual father, Frankie has Cuchulain to look up to. Frankie clearly has an attachment to Cuchulain since he has tears in his eyes after seeing the statue of Cuchulain (66). Perhaps if Frankie had a more stable living situation he would not need Cuchulain. Frankie states, “When you have your father to yourself by the fire in the morning you don’t need Cuchulain or the Angel on the Seventh Step or anything (291)”. Frankie feels Cuchulain is something that is his and if he had only had his father he would have not need Cuchulain in his life. Cuchulain filled the void in Frankie’s life since he was not fortunate to own anything of his own and filled the void of his father when he was not