In the aftermath of the book’s publication, controversy arose regarding the accuracy of the depictions of the events and people portrayed. How much embellishment do you think is allowable when someone writes a memoir, especially at a remove of several decades? Consider the nature of memory and whether it evolves over time.

The impact of alcoholism on family is a central theme in Angela’s Ashes. For the working class of Limerick, alcohol use is a feature of daily life. What does the memoir have to say about the nature of how people in the book use alcohol?

Explain how the book contrasts idealism and gritty realism.