Comparing Poverty In Angela's Ashes And The Street

Each author uses their characters, events, and settings to create the theme that is perseverance through poverty. Each story has it's similarities and differences within the theme. Poverty takes many shapes and forms. Poverty takes the form of hunger, poorness, and alcoholism in Angela's Ashes. More importantly, in The Street, it takes the shape of poorness, and the struggle to survive
Angela's Ashes takes place in Limerick, Ireland in February. It takes place during the Great Depression. Four children struggle to keep themselves and their alcoholic mother alive during the cold months. The eldest child has to go out and steal bread for them to split up and share. The mother continues to beg and plead for lemonade. The eldest has to steal "lemonade" for his mother from the local pub. Their mother is "sick", but is really just struggling from the withdrawal of alcohol. The father of this family is working in London, but does not send them money for anything.
The Street is set in New York during November. Lutie …show more content…
Angela's Ashes and The Street share the theme of Perseverance through Poverty. Both of the mothers are single, and are struggling for their lives. Both of these mothers are poverty stricken, and have no money to buy food for them or their children. Within the two stories, the husbands of both of the mothers had left them, and do not send money at all. Their differences are quite unique too. In Angela's Ashes, they have a home for her and her children. In The Street, the mother is looking for a home. Specifically a three bedroom home. In The Street, the mother is a black woman who only has one child. While in Angela's Ashes, she has four children and is white. One last difference is that the mother character in The Street cares about her child and wants what's best for him, but the mother in Angela's Ashes only cares about her getting alcohol, rather than keeping her kids