While the book is based around the McCourts, there are tons of other people in the book who are suffering from poverty and the Clohessy’s are another good example. This quote encompasses both the idea of poverty, misery and survival. Paddy’s family is poor like the McCourts and he is miserable from the condition of his body and them not having the funds to fix any of it. He has no shoes and he shares clothes with six other people. This is something that modern day people take for granted, but Paddy had to physically fight his own family just to get a few scraps to wear. Paddy’s family does not even have the bare minimum of food or clothes, which shows the desperation of his situation. 

Page 236 “It’s wrong to stay from Kathleen with the way she’s always been good to us but if I go in and ask her for bread she’ll be annoyed and tell me I’m ruining her morning cup of tea, which she’d like to having in peace ease and comfort thank you. It’s easier to stick the break up my jersey with he lemonade and promise to tell everything in confessions”.

When Angela gets sick and is stuck in bed, there is no food in the house and Frank has to take things into his own hands if he wants to survive, as well as get his mom the things she needs to hold on until someone can come help. This is the second time that Frank stole and he does the same thing both times to make himself see it as “moral". It is a morality vs survival due to poverty situation and Frank rationalizes why it is okay (the first time was on 184 when he took the fish and chips) due to the cat eating the food instead the first time and this time that he does not want to interrupt Kathleen’s morning tea, as well as saying that he will just go to confession after to clear his conscience. This goes to show that 1) Frank does not really understand the reasoning of religion and 2) that he has to commit all of these sins due to the poverty his family is in and it is either to survive and steal, which Frank knows is wrong from a morality standpoint or to die and “do the right thing” by other people’s point of view. 

Page 257 “The bandages are forever sticking and have to be ripped away and when he comes home she washes the sores with warm water and soap, covers them in ointment and wraps them in clean bandages. They can’t afford new bandages everyday so she keeps washing the old ones over and over till they’re gray”.

This is another example of the poverty that another family other than the McCourts is in. Mr. Hannon has horrible legs and Frank is helping him with his deliveries. He has open sores on his legs, but since they need money to eat and survive, he has to continue to work and his legs will never heal. Also, since they are in such a state of poverty, the same gross bandages are used over and over again on his legs, which does not help with the healing process either. The basic need to just having food and some sort of shelter is jeopardizing Mr. Hannon’s health, but they have to chose one or the other due to their lack of money.  

“The way I look how can I ever start my job at the post office. Everything is torn, shirt, gansey, short pants, stockings, and my shoes were ready to fall off my feet entirely… my teeth are black with rot I’ll never be able to smile in my life.” (305) 

This shows poverty because it shows the extent to which Frank’s condition and appearance was. He was not able to afford new clothes in years, and everything is torn. He was also filthy due to a lack of hygiene and sanitation. 

“If you grow up in the lanes of Limerick you’re bound to rob the odd orchard sooner or later.” (301) 

This shows the poverty levels of the McCourt’s and their town they lived in. If one didn’t steal, they would starve to death. It was bound to happen. 

“…surely there’s no harm if I borrow a loaf or a bottle with every intention of giving it back when I get my job at the post office. I’m not stealing, I’m borrowing, and that’s not a mortal sin. Besides, I stood on top of a castle this morning and committed a sin far worse than stealing bread and milk and if you commit one sin you might as well commit a few more because you get the same sentence in hell. One sin, eternity. A dozen sins, eternity.” (299) 

This shows morality because Frank is trying to justify his wrongdoings. Without stealing, he and his family would have died long ago due to starvation. By stealing, he is able to feed himself just enough to keep himself going and alive. He says there is no harm done if he is just borrowing it. In addition, he had already committed a worse sin earlier that day, so his justification is “what’s one more?” 

The McCourt family becomes so desperate due to their level of poverty that Angela has to go beg for help from the St Vincent de Paul Society, “Next day she tells Dad to mind the twins and takes Malachy and me with her to the St Vincent de Paul Society.” (63) Malachy, the father, associates the St Vincent de Paul Society with shame because he is too prideful to ask for help, but Angela recognizes that this is their only hope at this point in the book. This reflects the theme seed of poverty and morality in Catholicism because the McCourt family is in such poverty that they have to go against what Malachy sees is moral and beg for help from the Catholic church. 
 

Frank later because so desperate for food that he starts stealing bread and milk from the rich parts of town. He justifies his stealing by telling himself he will pay the people back with food once he has money, he also rationalizes his sin by saying, “If you commit one sin you might as well commit a few more because you get the same sentence in hell.” (299) This reflects the theme seed of poverty and morality in Catholicism because Frank is so far in poverty that he has to sin in order to survive. 
 

After the McCourt’s are evicted, they have to go live with Laman in order to survive. Living with Laman provides the family with shelter and food, “Throwing Mam a few shillings to send one of us to the shop so that he can have scones with his tea or a nice it of ham and a sliced tomato.” (281) Though the family is able to escape a little bit out of poverty, they have to do things to keep Laman happy like run his errands, clean the chamber pots, and Angela even has to sleep with him. This reflects the theme seed of poverty and morality because the McCourt’s aren’t financially stable enough to live on their own, so they have to go against their morals to keep Laman happy in order to survive. 

When Frank hears this he realizes that being poor isn’t all there is to life. He can be rich in other ways by keeping his mind sharp and full of knowledge. This is one of the only times Frank is told that there is more to life and that he has the power to make his better with his mind. 

 

“The master says it’s a glorious thing to die for the Faith and Dad says it’s a glorious thing to die for Ireland and I wonder if there’s anyone in the world who would like us to live.”

All his life, Frank is told that he must be willing to die for Ireland and for his Catholic Faith. Faith is a place one is supposed to turn to for comfort and protection, however, Frank is being told that he must fight and die for it. This taints his view of the faith and causes him to begin to realize that something must be wrong. 

 “That's the kind of hair you see on Presbyterians. If your mother had married a proper decent Limerickman you wouldn't have this standing up, North of Ireland, Presbyterian hair.”
Also, Frank has always been told how wrong and bad it is to be Presbyterian. Every day he hears that his father’s Presbyterian background is a shame to the family. This can only make him feel worse about his situation and only adds to the shame his family already feels from being poor.