Wednesday, January 16, 2013

What are the similarities and differences between the novels Angela's Ashes (Frank McCourt) and Night (Elie Wiesel)?

Both books tell very powerful stories of suffering and survival from a young boy's perspective. While at first glance, they may seem quite different, they actually do have some similarities.


One of the key similarities between Angela's Ashes and Night is that both tales are about family tragedy. In Angela's Ashes, a young boy (the protagonist) suffers because of his family's poverty and his father's alcoholism. In Night, a young boy (the protagonist) suffers because of the family's persecution by the Nazis and his father's illness. Both stories are non-fiction memoirs and explore the obstacles the protagonists must overcome to survive. Another similarity is that there is a sense of community in both stories; other poor families in McCourt's story and other Jewish prisoners in Wiesel's story give support to the protagonists.


One of the key differences between Angela's Ashes and Night is the setting. McCourt's story takes place in Ireland, whereas Wiesel's take place primarily in Germany. Another difference is that McCourt's mother is a key character in his story, while Wiesel's mother and sister are separated from him early in the story, never to be seen again.  

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