▁to ▁the ▁pub ▁to ▁buy ▁him ▁his ▁first ▁be er . ▁Frank ▁gets ▁dr unk ▁and ▁returns ▁home , ▁singing ▁like ▁his ▁father ▁used ▁to . ▁When ▁his ▁mother ▁sh ames ▁him ▁for ▁drink ing ▁the ▁way ▁his ▁father ▁did , ▁Frank ▁hits ▁her , ▁acc using ▁her ▁of ▁being ▁a ▁wh ore ▁for ▁Lam an ▁Griff in , ▁and ▁is ▁immediately ▁ash amed ▁of ▁himself . ▁ ▁One ▁day ▁Frank ▁returns ▁to ▁the ▁m one yl ender ' s ▁home ▁to ▁find ▁she ▁has ▁died . ▁Liber ated , ▁Frank ▁takes ▁money ▁from ▁her ▁pur se ▁and ▁throws ▁her ▁led ger ▁of ▁deb t ors ▁into ▁the ▁river ▁to ▁free ▁the ▁neighborhood ▁of ▁their ▁deb ts . ▁The ▁contents ▁of ▁the ▁m one yl ender ' s ▁pur se ▁give ▁him ▁enough ▁money ▁to ▁return ▁to ▁America ▁at ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁nin ete en . ▁Frank ▁arriv es ▁in ▁P ough ke eps ie , ▁New ▁York , ▁ready ▁to ▁begin ▁a ▁new ▁life ▁in ▁the ▁country ▁of ▁his ▁birth . ▁ ▁Character ▁list ▁McC ourt ▁family ▁ ▁Francis ▁McC ourt : ▁The ▁writer ▁of ▁the ▁book ▁and ▁main ▁character . ▁Frank ▁is ▁a ▁religious , ▁determined , ▁and ▁intellig ent ▁Irish ▁American ▁who ▁strugg les ▁to ▁find ▁happiness ▁and ▁success ▁in ▁the ▁har sh ▁community ▁ ▁Mal ach y ▁McC ourt : ▁Frank ' s ▁father ▁and ▁an ▁alco hol ic . ▁Though ▁his ▁add iction ▁almost ▁ru ins ▁the ▁family , ▁Mr . ▁McC ourt ▁man ages ▁to ▁obtain ▁his