Themes and Conflicts
One of the primary conflicts in the book is based around class differences. Throughout his life Frank is repeatedly put down due to his social stature, for example he is denied the position of altar boy despite his obvious intellectual superiority. As the plot progresses, however, Frank begins to realize that he can overcome this disadvantage with hard work. An early example of this can be seen when Frank's soccer team achieves victory over the Ballincurra boys. Frank eventually realizes that in order to move up in social stature, he must look towards the United States as a land of opportunity. Another major conflict point is centered around guilt. Being a member of the Catholic Church, Frank is repeatedly reminded by his preachers of the consequences of committing any of the deadly sins. As Frank gets older, he finds it increasingly more difficult to deal with his own sexual desires. Eventually Frank acknowledges that even his firm faith in the Church cannot prevent his natural desires and learns to avoid guilt by confession.
Read more about this topic: Angela's Ashes
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