So we had a chance to read part of Frank McCourt's immigration story tonight. We learned that he had a lot of mixed emotions about coming to the States--on one hand he was excited to come, but on the other hand, we learned that he was going to miss aspects of his life in Limerick. Your job is to consider his story as an example for your own writing project. Here's your question: Respond as a comment to this post.
What was one aspect of Frank McCourt's story that you might consider using for your own immigration narrative? Think about how he starts the story (his reasons for leaving), how he gets the money to travel, how he prepares to leave, how he describes the journey, and how he encounters the new world in which he arrives. Which part did you find most interesting, and how could you adapt that part of the story structure to your own story?
The parts of Franks McCourt's i might use for my immigration story is the journey. The way he describes the journey and the people he meets along the way make for a fun and rather compelling story. The attitude that he had in general made the story fun to read. He was ready for the new world and the fresh start in america, but still missed his home in Limerick. My relatives where similar in that respect that they did miss their old homeland, but in america they found something better.
ReplyDeleteOne aspect of Frank McCourt's story that I may consider to use in my own immmigration narrative is religion. In my interview with my mother, listening to her describe her grandparents travel from Ireland to the New Land, she metioned how her grandmother always carried a rosery, "for goodluck from Go. Adding religion to my personal narrative can be used to represent the hope and trust my great-grandparents had while on their journey. I am also going to use his worry for only have $400 to live in Canada. Though my great-grandparents came straight to Ellis Island- money was still a great concern because labor was hard to come by and my great-grandfather had to support his unemployeed wife and growing family. Finally, like McCourt I plan to start my narrative by describing after the journey- then work my way back to describing my great-grandparents home in Ireland, all the way through the journey until coming back to the the beginning point about life in American after the journey. The most interesting part to me was the small number of passengers on the boat- my mom is unsure how many people her grandparents came here on the boat with, I could use this as a template since McCourt desrcibes a boat from Ireland is well. His story is very relevant to mine and I can find many ways to incorporate his details into the missing details of my narrative.
ReplyDeleteI think the part of Frank McCourt's story that I might use in my own immigration story is the journey. He talks about how interesting the journey was for him. He meets many different people along the way that all have different advice for him in the new land where he is going. I think the way McCourt described the journey made the story interesting. It kept me interested. The part I found most interesting was when he talks about America being his dream destination, but also really misses Limerick. It shows how lots of immigrants feel about leaving their homeland. It can be hard for them to leave. I think I can use this in my story becuase my great-grandparents came from Canada and missed their life back there, but found happiness in America. This story will help me a lot in writing my own story.
ReplyDeleteI would use the journey like Adam and John said. His journey to me, was the most interesting part. It gave me a good image in my head, it wasn't because of any detailed worlds but he did say that America was his Dream destination. It makes it sound like America was the place to be at that time. He does sit on the deck and think about his home that he left and cries about. It shows most immigrants miss there homeland when they leave in search for a better life. Like i was saying before, i think that the journey would be the best part to write about because there is so much to write about. McCourt gives us a great example in this reading
ReplyDeleteI think I would use the journey as one aspect of my narrative. He gives lots of details about his journey while at the same time making it interesting. I feel like I can picture where he is and what he is doing. This is really helpful when reading a story. I found the part when he was reading the book and he compared it to his real life interesting. This provides a little background on how he got the money to come to America in the first place. I think I could use some little stories like that to give my character background.
ReplyDeleteOne part in Frank McCourt's story that I would consider using for my own immigration narrative would also have to be the journey. He talks about the surprises and experiences he had while on the boat. On this boat is where his path in life will be started. The priest told him that the only way to get ahead in life was to talk to the rich Protestants, because they might offer him a job on their stable. While a Crew Member erged him to race to the library right when they docked to get all of Dostoyevsky's books. He has to make a choice, stay in New York and get the books which could lead him to a career in writing or be nice to the rich people and live and work on a stable. Which ever advice he takes in consideration, will be the one that will start his new life. This story will definatly help me while writing my narrative because it gives me an idea of what my great-grandparents had to think about on their way to America. And how each of their decisions affected thier life.
ReplyDeleteThe part of Frank McCourt's story that I could use in my own immigration story would be the journey. McCourt talks about how much he liked the journey and how he meets so many new people. Well, in the interview with my uncle, he told me that when my great-grandparents came down, that's when they met and fell in love. The part I found most interesting would be how he loves American but still misses Limerick, his homeland. This shows how immigrants don't always love the fact of leaving their original land and how they get homesick. In fact, my great-grandparenst kept going back and forth between Massachusetts and Canada before deciding where they wanted to stay. Therefore, I can find many ways to incorporate this writing into my own story.
ReplyDeletei am most likely going to use the journey because one of my relatives moved from Denmark and went to Canada and then too America. so i think that , that is going to be a big part of my story. so i think in my story i will have just as interesting story as McCourt did. The thing that i found very interesting was that sailors where not aloud to talk to you and i am wondering why that was not aloud but i think that is very interesting. and i would have to agree with Adam that i will use this story as a reference when i write mine.
ReplyDeleteIn this chapter of Frank McCourt's 'Tis the aspect is using as much information as possible. He explains how he will miss his church and how the men who drank in the back would complain. Then he also talks to the priest about going to this new country. Last he was woken up by a first officer and they start a long conversation that started over a book. What I found interesting is when he compared himself to a serial killer because he stole money from an old lady who had passed away. He says that he is just as bad as Dostoyevsky even though his need for money was to go to the U.S. and didn't kill anyone. Like Frank I would put different characters into the story and give them a role instead of just having a bubble around my character. Also these characters would impact the travel experience and decisions that my character makes.
ReplyDeleteOne part of "'Tis" that i would consider using would be the journey, and the the change is the destination. I would use this because when I was interviewing my grandmother, she told me that my great grandpa was scheduled to dock in New York, but was unable to because of the strong and rough waters. He later went on to dock in Rhode Island. I found two things of this story very interesting. The first thing was how he got his money to buy the ticket. I thought it was very funny, and somewhat disrespectful, that he had to steal money from his dead boss. I also found it interesting that McCourt brought but his looks a couple of times. He thinks he doesn't had the right look to live in America, and that if he doesn't change the way he looks, especially his teeth, then he will not be as successful has he had to chance to be. I am not very sure how i could relate this to my person family story, only because my Great Grandpa was only 11 when he come here in 1911 from Sicily.
ReplyDeleteOne part in Frank McCourt's story that I would consider using in my own immigration narrative we also have to be the journey. In McCourt's story he mainly bases it off the journey and how he gets there by boat and everything that he goes through. He shares with us his feelings, his fears and dreams of America the new land that is like the perfect world. He describes his journey very well and keeps it interesting and compelling with lots of detail and emotion. I really enjoyed that because it allowed me to connect some of what he said to how my family came to America when they immigrated. By seeing these connections and the ways that he used to make the journey come across to the reader in an interesting way, I believe that I can attempt to do the same in my immigration narrative with my family an hopefully give my readers the same satisfaction and details that he gave me.
ReplyDeleteThe part of Frank McCourt story that I would conciser using in my own immigration story is what John said his journey, I thought it was very interesting and I could really pay attention to the story he was telling us. I liked the way he wrote and told us how he met all the different people and how he was really excited to go to America but he was also going to miss like back home even thought it was not the best life. That is how my family was to they were really excited to move to America but going to miss home.
ReplyDeleteOne aspect of the short story "Tis" by Frank McCourt that I would use in my narrative would most likely be how he encounters the new world. Upon arrival, the narrator, Micheal was moved to Montreal and did not have enough money to make the journey to America. When asking a man if they will be funding the trip the man responds, "No the company wasn't responsible." In this way, Micheal encounters much confusion in the new world. Also, along with many other immigrants, this man thought Americans all looked like the celebrities. He is constantly comparing his appearance to theres and feels ashamed and nervous to enter the US. Furthermore, his mother even tells him that, "the devil you know is better than the devil you don't know." Thus, America may not be as great as the picture that Micheal and several other immigrants beleive it to be. Thus, I will definetly include the fact that hunger, poverty, and racism still exists in America. Also, I will probably focus on the confusion immigrants experience in relation to the new economy, government, and langauge.
ReplyDeleteOne detail that was used by author, Frank McCourt in his short story "Tis" that I would use in my own immigration narrative is the way that the narrator, Michael twists in his family and memories from his hometown of Limerick. The narrator uses specific details in the text to describe his dream life that is interrupted by his past experiences in Limerick. After proclaiming that Fifth Avenue is his dream home and greatest experience, he turns back to the memories he has of Limerick where "women [were] standing at doors chatting away and pulling their shawls around their shoulders, children with faces dirty from bread and jam, playing and laughing and crying to their mothers". He uses this imagery to explain in detail what his life was like when he lived in Limerick and how he always dreamed of becoming free from the non-friendly society that he grew up in. Michael not only explains to readers what his culture is like but he also explains the differences in his family members. When the priest is trying to get Michael to talk to the rich protestants, he explains that his brother, Malachy "would walk right up to the rich people and charm them and they'd probably adopt him" whereas his Uncle "would refuse to talk to the rich people entirely and then he'd tell the priest to kiss his royal Irish arse". Malachy was the charming child that everyone gave into but Michael's Uncle knew the way that the rich people worked therefore wanting nothing to do with him. McCourt uses this story to connect a person's home culture to the new American culture that they would experience in America by using family and memories to give readers a specific imagery of his past and future lives.
ReplyDeleteAn aspect of Frank McCourt’s story that I could use for my narrative is definitely the emotional uncertainty he feels upon leaving, and showing what life was like before leaving. For one part he doesn’t want to leave, but he knows that leaving will give him a better life. For my narrative, my ancestor had to leave because of a war that was going on, and he was an enemy of the country so he had to flee with his family to protect them. He would definitely have been feeling mixed emotions; for one part Ireland was his home and he will miss it but if he doesn’t leave it could kill him and his family. What I found really interesting in the story was what he imagines New York to be when he arrives there. He has this set image in his head of New Yorkers with their nice tan skin and white, straight teeth. I could use this imagining what life will be like in my story as well. Every immigrant who ever came here definitely had an image of what they think it will be like, so it would be something that I could definitely fit into my narrative.
ReplyDeleteLike my fellow classmates i must agree that the topic that i would include in my narrative would be the journey. I think that the journey is the most important part of this narrative as it explains why and how these people moved to immigrate into another place. Also showing the journey gives the reader a sense of understanding from where the author is coming from. However in this passage, Frank McCourt explains and talks a lot about the religion that he endured. I too think that she be included in my narrative as well because it provides background information about ho the experience was and what the people looked up to. Both Religion and the journey are very good points in which i will most definitely include in my narrative.
ReplyDeleteOne aspect used by Frank McCourt's in his short story "Tis "that I might consider to use for my own immigration narrative would be the journey to his new life. I feel as though the journey is extremely important because this is the time one may ponder about what lies ahead of them. I think that it would be a very creative aspect to write about the internal conflicts an immigrant may face during the travel to their new lifestyle. I want to narrow my focus on writing about previous experiences my Fathers uncle had in Portugal just as Frank McCourt would flash back to previous memories of the main character, Michael within the short story. I believe that by doing so this gives background of the character himself and how he perceived his old way of living. In addition, Michael portrayed himself as being very stereotypical by stating, "I'd try to see Fifth Avenue or Central Park or GreenwichVillage where everyone looked like movie stars, powerful tans, gleaming white teeth." I think that these stereotypes exemplify a lack of knowledge of the reality of New York. I believe that stereotypes are very common to assume when traveling to an unknown vicinity. I think it would make my story more rich by adding in stereotypes of America that an immigrant might have been worried about before arriving and then counteracting those stereotypes with the reality of it all.
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ReplyDeleteThe author used an interesting tie-in method of writing. He ties in different points of his immigration story in a nonlinear manner, it seams. He goes about talking about one thing and then goes and talks about another thing; not going off topic, but just going on to something else related to what he previously mentioned. Let me explain, he said, "pulling their shawls over their shoulders, children with faces dirty...and crying to their mothers," which is what he said he saw, so he explained that as a piece of imagery. After he mentioned that, he continued with, "I'd see people at Mass on Sunday..." in which he continued describing what he saw, although that was also how he flowed into his talk about religion. He then spoke about what went on at church. He talked a lot about that, but his transition was great. The way he transitions, I may use in my narrative, for Ai think it is really effective to the reader.
ReplyDeleteI find it interesting how he, like Cassandra said, uses the stereotypes when describing his journey to America, he describes New York as everyone describes it, without knowing what it is actually like. Stereotypes are what most immigrants would ponder about on their trip to America, and I too, think that would be a great thing to incorporate into my narrative as well.
The part I find most interesting is when he was describing what he was thinking on his way to America. He talked about how he thought about the stereotypical future and then the true past that he was escaping. He escaped Limerick, as he referred to it as, "misery."
I think I would probably use the journey aspect of McCourt's story. I think it gives a lot of insight to the fears of the immigrant, their reflections on their homeland and also about many of the people they meet. It sets some of the anticipation of what is to come after moving to a new place. Also, during the journey there is a time where the immigrant reflects back on their life until this point so it builds a good background on the character while the story is still moving foward.
ReplyDeleteAs other people have already said, I think I'll include Frank McCourt's journey in my immigration story. His experience on the ship was interesting where he had met new people who gave him advice on what to do when he got to America. It was up to him to decided what to do in order to be successful. I would also really want to incorporate in my story how much he missed his home country. It is very hard to have to leave all that you know behind and start a new life in a new place where you don't know what to expect. The most interesting part of McCourt's memoir was when he talked about the bad conditions back home. The little events he put in there about his life in Ireland made the story more interesting and would be good to use for my story.
ReplyDeleteThe part of "Tis" by Frank McCourt I would use is his journey. His story is really detailed in the fears that immigrants had in making the journey to America. The way he tells about what his life was like before and after coming to America gives readers a very good contrast of the two lives. The way he loves his home in Ireland, and the sadness to having to leave. Yet he knows that it will kill him to stay, and that he may have a better life in America. His description of what New York and America should be is really interesting, like many immigrants he over imagines the utopia he is supposedly going to.
ReplyDelete(I had an internet malfunction last night)
The part i am using from his story is how he describes the things he misses and the things he is excited for coming to America. He uses great detail and does not describe general things such as missing the farm he describes missing the cows and crying babies with their mothers. Also the journey will help me a lot. He shared his most important aspects of the boat and the people on the boat. Even though i was not there when my grandmother came to American reading "Tis" will help me imagine what it would have been like for her.
ReplyDeleteAlthough Frank McCourt's "'Tis" does not particularly contain an aspect I will be using, but I could consider using in my immigration narrative is the money situation. My uncle had to save up his money in order to come to America and the narrator of "'Tis" only had forty dollars on his trip. Money is always a big issue and budgeting as well.
ReplyDeleteThe part of this story I found the most interesting was his relationship with Owen. Even though they were not allowed to talk to each other, they bonded over a book. I thought that their growing relationship was very well written and I learned to love them. If I were to adapt this into my story, I would focus on one of my uncle's friend that he met here in America and how they got along and things like that.
Like Paige I also had an internet malfunction, I just forgot to include it in my above comment, sorry!
ReplyDeleteOne aspect of Frank McCourt's story that I might use for my own immigration narrative would be the journey. The way that he describes his journey and the people that he meets along the way make the story much more enjoyable to read because he seemed to have a positive attitude while taking the journey from Ireland to America. He was ready for a new start in America, but he did miss his old town in Ireland. I believe this story will help me in writing my own immigration story.
ReplyDelete(I also have an internet problem, so that's why mine is late as well).
The part of his story that he included was what he's looking forward to when coming to American and his perspective on what he might expect. He has this idea that all Americans live lives as movie stars and that everyone has white teeth. I thought it was interesting that what he really did expect from arriving in America is something that I doubt most immigrants were looking forward to. Many come here for a new life and dream of having land for their children and living in new houses. Instead, Frank expresses that he's most looking forward to the white teeth and movie star lifestyles. In my narration, I'll probably express my great grandfather's desire for different things besides looking for a job and property to own. It adds a different aspect on the opinions and thoughts that immigrants have when coming to America.
ReplyDeleteOne aspect of Frank McCourt’s story that I might consider for my own immigration story is how he talks about the specific trip to the United States; what it was like, and what his surroundings were like. I also will write specifics about how my journey came to be and why I was put in the place to even start my journey. The part that I found most interesting is how he talks about what he misses about Limerick; specifically talking about mass and the men in the back of the church that always want to get beer. I could adapt some flashbacks in my writing of my immigration story.
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