'Paddy Clarke, Ha Ha Ha' has no authorial presence at all. Yet the reader gains a richer understanding of Paddy's situation than he, or any ten year old child, could ever have. How does Roddy Doyle achieve this with regard to Paddy's parent's break up? One of the first and most relevant passages in the book is when Patrick wakes up and hears the television and from that knows that his parents are still awake. …showed first 75 words of 579 total…

…showed last 75 words of 579 total…abusive to his younger brother. For awhile he thinks that if he were to run away, his parents would stay together. He thinks of questions to ask them so they will talk to him and not fight with each other. But his father leaves for good, and Paddy is left with the teasing chant of his schoolmates: "Paddy Clarke, Paddy Clarke, Lost his Da, Ha, Ha, Ha." Bibliography 'Paddy Clarke ha ha ha'- roddy doyle