Teacher Man -- Chapter 11

Chapter Summary

McCourt begins chapter eleven by characterizing the “good teacher”. Good teachers have control, power, and authority. Good teachers never allow their students to talk out of turn, to swear, or to go to the bathroom for more than five minutes. Good teachers, in short, follow the rules and know how to please the administrators.

From there, McCourt seems to fall into a trance. He’s not the “good teacher”. In fact, he’s never been really good at anything his whole life. He just walks aimlessly from one job to another. He has no goals. He has no ambitions. He really doesn’t know what to do with himself. All he has are his silly little fantasies and his what-could-have beens.

Later, McCourt somehow manages to land a dream spot at Trinity College in Dublin. One of his fantasies has finally come true, and he strolls around the campus feeling proud. He’s a doctoral candidate, and surely that’s something. He’ll get the degree, he’ll earn the money, and he’ll finally get the respect he’s been striving for his whole life. Unfortunately, that’s where the dream ends. McCourt isn’t able to focus on his dissertation, and he spends his time drinking, sleeping around, and researching random tidbits on the Irish in America.

At this point, McCourt realizes that the Irish heritage he’s so proud of is actually the one that’s struggling for acceptance in America. He returns to America a failed doctoral candidate, and sadly, things only get worse from there. McCourt loses his teaching job and now earns money being Mrs. Katz or Mr. Gordon or whatever teacher happens to be absent on that particular day he’s called in to sub. McCourt is definitely on a downward spiral. Will he be able to “pull it together”?

Chapter Response

This chapter was a lot longer than most of the other chapters we’ve read so far. McCourt’s conversation with Andrew was particularly interesting because it sounds as though McCourt might be the kid’s illegitimate father. I also thought it was interesting that McCourt made a note of Boom Boom Brandt’s advice on life. Whenever you think too much of yourself, go home and clean the toilet. That will remind you of how unworthy you really are. Anyway, I saw no other reason for McCourt to include this bit of advice other than to use it as a comment for his own life. McCourt thought too much of himself when he headed into Dublin wearing his American uniform, and he was punished for it when he could only attract the attention of Mary—a heavily obese Irish woman. McCourt also thought too much of himself when he was accepted to Trinity College. He eventually wound up failing to get his degree and had to return to America empty-handed. Maybe McCourt feels he should have cleaned the toilet a little more often. Finally, the time he spent with the psychiatrist was also rather funny. McCourt’s almost forty years old and yet, he’s still so concerned with impressing people. As a result, he spends more time trying to win the shrink’s approval than trying to get to the root of his own problems.

Thought Questions

1. How did you respond to Andrew? Did you dislike him or feel sorry for him? He spent everyday in class challenging McCourt just so that the other students would remember him.

2. How do feel about Boom Boom Brandt? He had the smarts to graduate from high school but ultimately chose to fail. Do you agree with his view on life – that you should remember your place and not get too cocky?

3. Do you agree with McCourt’s definition of what makes a “good teacher”? Is there anything you would add to or delete from this definition?