Before reading it, I thought the title implied there would be some issue about what to do with Angela's ashes. But it has nothing to do with that, so why is it titled "Angela's Ashes"?

9 likes · like
9 years ago
13 answers

To answer questions about Angela’s Ashes, please sign up.

Jennifer Have you read the whole book? Angela often stares into, and stirs, the gray ashes of the fireplace. It seems that the title has a metaphoric meaning...the ashes of a former life, or a life that has burned out, much like those mentioned in the Shinedown song 45: "I'm swimming through the ashes of another life"

flag

Tom

This answer contains spoilers… (view spoiler)

flag

Jeanne Biebel During her pensive moments, Angela (Frank's mother) often stares into the ashes of the fire. Read the book, and you will get the deeper meaning to this.

flag

Lynn

This answer contains spoilers… (view spoiler)

flag

Renee Kahl The sequel, 'Tis, is where the ashes are dealt with. Go figure.

flag

Cecille Soriano At first, I thought that since Angela smokes and stares at the cigarette ashes, then that's why the book was entitled so. But when I read the second book. 'Tis, then I understood why.

flag

Josephine Briggs Possibly she was thinking about she might have made a mistake about coming to the United States and leaving her own family. She made a mistake by marrying Malachy McCourt and having children. Her two cousins forced his hand when she got pregnant. After the ladies felt they made a mistake. She should have had her baby, put him up for adoption, gone on with her life. Staring into the fireplace she may have been thinking what life might have been like. Maybe a better man. A better life, just staring into the fire and ashes. Who knows.

flag

Wendya i think the ashes equal the effort angela took to raise her children as well as she could. There was a moment near the end of the book that the ashes may have meant the taking of her respectability, but think the fact her husband left her to fend for herself was proof enough that by any means possible she put her kids first.

flag

Miryamu

This answer contains spoilers… (view spoiler)

flag

Elizabeth Alvarez I vaguely remember vivid descriptions about the fireplace and Angela. I think. Not sure.

flag

Melissa I was sort of wondering the same thing. Then after it was over, I realized that the version I listened to was an *abridged* audiobook, which I didn't realize as I was reading! In the abridged version there are only a few brief references to the ashes so it would be very easy to miss!

I never would have chosen this if I had known it was abridged. When I have a chance I will go back and read the whole thing.

flag