The story takes place in Ireland on a street called Blarney Lane. It wasn't necessarily the poorest town because everyone on the street thought them selves better then Mr. Delaney because he was only a laboring man. In Ireland a person is only as good as what they do for a living. This is one of the aspects that cause Mick to have such a selfish attitude, because he needs to feel like he is actually better then them.

Mrs. Delaney is Mick's wife. She was a very hard workingwoman. She had to be with a husband like him. When her husband would go on drinking binges she would end up paying the price. She would have to go out and make excuses for him on why he was not at work. One time after her husband missed two days of work because of his drinking she had to sell their kitchen clock just to pay the bills. This is interesting because it shows that they are so poor

Weber, Owene. Frank O'Connor: New Perspectives. Ed. Robert Evens. West Cornwall, CT: Locust Hill Press, 1998

After Mick went to work the next day Larry's mother came into his room and said, "You were his guardian angel" (271). Although Larry has made a fool of himself and his father he saved his family from having to go through the consequences of his father getting drunk. Like the humility, the loss of money, and the stress that comes with it.

Mick Delaney was a very selfish man, and it seems like all he cares about is himself. Even though he and his family were very poor he would save up his money then spend it on himself. For example he bought himself a brand new blue serge suit and bowler hat that probably took all his savings to buy. He did this just to impress all his neighbors who considered him well beneath them. Sometimes Mick would calculate all his money and say, "He would die worth hundreds" (265). Hundreds even back then, was nothing to really brag about. All of this gave Mick an ego problem and when Mick started to feel like he was stronger then his neighbors he would get cocky and then feel the need for a celebration. In order to celebrate properly he felt he needed to drink.

Mick was furious that his son drank his drink. He began shouting at Larry, and then Larry began to get sick. His father was more concerned with his suit then the well being of his boy. He jumped away from him and told him to go out back. This is another example of how selfish old Mick is, by prioritizing his suit over his boy. When Larry dashed for the back door he ran straight into the wall and gashed his eye open. Mick was so upset that he was getting kicked out of the pup he did not even comfort his son who was sick and injured. This is yet another example of his fathers' selfishness.

He was also his fathers' guardian angel by saving his father from the depression he would have felt from drinking again, because when his father gets drunk he drinks to forget about how big of a fool he is and then stays in bed for a fortnight. So although his father does not realize it Larry saved his money, his feeling of self worth, and his relationship with his family, because who knows how much more his wife could take of him being drunk.

Lar

Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 1551
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)