Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha is a Coming of Age story written by Irish author Roddy Doyle. It follows the childhood antics of the titular character, 10-year-old Patrick Clarke, as he lives his life in 1960s Ireland. However, the innocence of the childish first-person narrative telling his daily activities with his friends hides a darker subtext not only of
his parents' crumbling marriage, but also the Cold War, Vietnam and the prospect of death lingering over everyone.
Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha provides examples of the following tropes:
- Affectionate Nickname: Paddy's brother Francis' nickname was apparently affectionate, but then it became an Embarrassing Nickname as he grew older. Nearing the end of the novel, they agree to call him Francis.
- They Really Do Love Each Other: After spending the entire book either bullying, insulting or ignoring his brother Francis
- Big Brother Bully: Paddy tends to bully Sinbad/Francis a lot at the start of the novel (making Francis swallow lighter fluid, beating him up, leaving him behind etc.) he discovers that in all the chaos, of the rebuilding of the town, him being deserted by his friends getting into a huge fight with kevin and his parents getting divorced he finds that all he wants is to be with his brother, who is also taking it really hard.
- Big Brother Worship: Francis has this to Paddy, copying what Francis did when he was a baby and still likes to copy him occasionally (not even complaining when Paddy's friends pick on him, or Paddy locks him in a suitcase).
- Children Are Innocent: The entire narrative is from Paddy's perspective and starts as a really erratic mindset of innocence, but this soon grows into something different after he realises about his parents crumbling marriage.
- Coming of Age Story: The entire novel is about Paddy coming to terms that his childhood is ending and realising his responsibilities to his younger brother and, ultimately, becoming the man of the house.
- Disappeared Dad: By the end of the novel.
- Domestic Abuse: It turns out that the father is one of these
- Dramedy: The book itself is actually a well-disguised observation on a crumbling family life, but it is indispersed by Paddy's naive antics and points of view, even coming into play at serious moments like when he's looking for signs that his father's having an affair...
I didn't know why there would be lipstick on my da's collar. Maybe women were bad shots in the dark.
- Growing Up Sucks: Paddy may realise this later in the book, but it is the audience that feels it more than him; realising that Paddy's being forced to be as mature as some older teenagers at the age of ten.
I didn't listen to them. They were only kids.
- Lies to Children: Paddy's father, which hits hard for Paddy when he discovers the truth about the so-called 'autograph' of his favourite football player in his 'Pictoral History of Soccer', which his father claims was signed personally by one of Paddy's heroes, footballer George Best.
A year later and I discovered it wasn't a real autograph after all; it was only printing and my da was a liar.
- Lack of Empathy: Paddy starts off with no empathy for others, especially not his brother who, along with his friends, makes him put lighter fluid in his mouth for him to spit out and them to light so it goes 'Like a dragon', but as the book progresses he gains a liking for his little brother and others, finally becoming The Man Of The House after his dad walks out on them.
- Nostalgia Filter: Subverted mostly, as the book is obviously written by a slightly older Paddy recounting experiences, but he doesn't leave out (and sometimes only focusses on) the bad experiences.
- Only Known by Their Nickname: Paddy's younger brother, Sinbad (revealed later in the book that he was so nicknamed due to how he looked like the legendary sailor as a baby), is this at the beginning of the novel. Only till about halfway through the novel is he actually named (Francis).
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Reality Subtext: Many of Paddy's experiences (though not his parents' divorce) are taken from Roddy Doyle's memories of childhood. It also includes subtext of the Vietnam War and other major events of the 1960s. - Rule of Symbolism: Barrytowns building works, which progresses from a demolished farm at the beginning of the novel to the roads being rebuilt and their territory growing smaller, symbolizes how Paddy's world is changing and his freedom is getting smaller and smaller.
- Sadist Teacher: Paddy starts out thinking Mr. 'Henno' Hennessy is one of these, but soon realises he is simply a Stern Teacher, then grows to respect him.
- Spin-Off: The book is set in Barrytown, the same fictional Dublin area from The Commitments, The Snapper and The Van.
- Title Drop:
Paddy Clarke, Paddy Clarke
has no da
Ha Ha Ha!
- Tough Love: Paddy's father hits his sons in an attempt to punish them for their mistakes. The two brothers then go to Paddy's room to hide and exchange injuries. His mother only resorts to this once, slapping Sinbad's legs when he's naughty. Paddy becomes aware of his father's tendency to violence and protects his brother by not telling the father that Mr. Hennessy caught Sinbad crying on his workbook.
- Laser-Guided Amnesia: In the section where the family go out on a day-trip to Dolly Mount in the rain. Paddy's mother leaves the car with his baby sister to stand in the rain for a while, but Paddy doesn't know why. It is implied that the parents have had an argument, but Paddy doesn't mention it and it is simply like the mother got out of the car for no reason other than an awkward silence between the two.
