Angela’s Ashes

by

Frank McCourt

Teachers and parents! Our Teacher Edition on Angela’s Ashes makes teaching easy.

Gerard “Laman” Griffin Character Analysis

A cousin of Angela Sheehan McCourt, Laman Griffin is a charismatic yet unpredictable man. After Angela and her family move in with Laman, Frank McCourt begins to like Laman, admiring his fondness for reading and music. But as time goes on, Frank begins to see that Laman is actually a violent alcoholic. As a result, Frank leaves Laman’s house and never comes back. It’s suggested that another factor in Frank’s decision to leave Laman’s house is his discovery that Laman and his mother are sleeping together.

Gerard “Laman” Griffin Quotes in Angela’s Ashes

The Angela’s Ashes quotes below are all either spoken by Gerard “Laman” Griffin or refer to Gerard “Laman” Griffin. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Irish Social Tensions Theme Icon
).
Chapter 13 Quotes

I can hear Mam crying when she blows into the globe of the paraffin oil lamp and everything goes dark. After what happened she'll surely want to get into her own bed and I'm ready to go to the small one against the wall. Instead, there's the sound of her climbing the chair, the table, the chair, crying up into the loft and telling Laman Griffin, He's only a boy, tormented with his eyes, and when Laman says, He's a little shit and I want him out of the house, she cries and begs till there's whispering and grunting and moaning and nothing.
In awhile they're snoring in the loft and my brothers are asleep around me.

Related Characters: Frank McCourt (speaker), Angela Sheehan McCourt (speaker), Gerard “Laman” Griffin (speaker)
Page Number: 294-95
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 14 Quotes

I can't tell her about Mam and Laman Griffin and the excitement in the loft. I tell her I was thinking of staying here a while because of the great distance from Laman Griffin's house to the post office and as soon as I get on my feet we'll surely find a decent place and we'll all move on, my mother and brothers and all.
Well, she says, that's more than your father would do.

Related Characters: Frank McCourt (speaker), Aunt Aggie (speaker), Malachy McCourt Sr., Gerard “Laman” Griffin
Page Number: 308
Explanation and Analysis:
Get the entire Angela’s Ashes LitChart as a printable PDF.
Angela’s Ashes PDF

Gerard “Laman” Griffin Quotes in Angela’s Ashes

The Angela’s Ashes quotes below are all either spoken by Gerard “Laman” Griffin or refer to Gerard “Laman” Griffin. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Irish Social Tensions Theme Icon
).
Chapter 13 Quotes

I can hear Mam crying when she blows into the globe of the paraffin oil lamp and everything goes dark. After what happened she'll surely want to get into her own bed and I'm ready to go to the small one against the wall. Instead, there's the sound of her climbing the chair, the table, the chair, crying up into the loft and telling Laman Griffin, He's only a boy, tormented with his eyes, and when Laman says, He's a little shit and I want him out of the house, she cries and begs till there's whispering and grunting and moaning and nothing.
In awhile they're snoring in the loft and my brothers are asleep around me.

Related Characters: Frank McCourt (speaker), Angela Sheehan McCourt (speaker), Gerard “Laman” Griffin (speaker)
Page Number: 294-95
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 14 Quotes

I can't tell her about Mam and Laman Griffin and the excitement in the loft. I tell her I was thinking of staying here a while because of the great distance from Laman Griffin's house to the post office and as soon as I get on my feet we'll surely find a decent place and we'll all move on, my mother and brothers and all.
Well, she says, that's more than your father would do.

Related Characters: Frank McCourt (speaker), Aunt Aggie (speaker), Malachy McCourt Sr., Gerard “Laman” Griffin
Page Number: 308
Explanation and Analysis: