vices present throughout the book. One such device is the use of apostrophe. Apostrophe is used continuously when Frank speaks to the angel on the seventh step and also when he and his parents speak to the dead children such as Eugene, Oliver, and Margaret. The story is told from the point of view of Frank as he grows from a young boy of about three or four to a young man at nineteen. This point of view is especially effective because it shows how he feels about his experiences as he ages and how he felt at that exact time. His views change as he grows and his naivete vanishes. He becomes a stronger, smarter person with the reader following along. I also noticed frequent use of imagery. Frank describes his eyes when they are infected with red and yellow oozing out of them. Vivid images are also used to describe the putrid smells in their house next to the lavatory that was used by the entire street to empty their chamber pots. McCourt also chooses to write very often in the diction of the old Irish language. This word choice adds to the mood of the book and attempts to bring the reader into Ireland. The book is also packed with humor. For instance, when the boys were playing outside, McCourt said that the women stand because all they do is take care of the children, clean the house, and cook but the men sit because the spend their time discussing the problems of the world and wondering what to do with the rest of the day(107). This is a humorous, almost satirical look at the traditional male-female roles in a family. Humor is also used while Frank waits for the angel on the seventh step and his naivete as a young boy. McCourts novel is filled with wonderful, descriptive images that help to shape his fascinating tale from poverty to success....
