The Glass Castle

I chose to write about the book, The Glass Castle, written by Jeannette Walls. This book or memoir was quite alarming in that it tells the horrific stories of child abuse, abject poverty to eventually Jeannette and her siblings becoming successful with healthy families and relationships of their own.
The Walls family that was constantly on the move led by mentally ill mother (Rose Mary) and an alcoholic father (Rex). The memoir starts outs with Jeannette seeing her mother crawling through a dumpster looking for food. Later when Jeannette asks her mother what she needs her mother responds with something non-essential or the least bit helpful in sustaining her mom’s life. This is doubly hard for Jeannette in that she was living a grand life …show more content…
Whether it was cooking, learning to read and write, how to get a job and save money. Although their lives were horrific they were survivors and had many life skills entering into adulthood. Jeanette was a fighter. Her father gave her the nickname “Mountain Goat” and taught her many skills such as shooting, swimming, fighting. He promised her many times that he was going to build a “Glass Castle” and was perfecting the plans. The Glass Castle would be the answer to their prayers, a dream come true. Sadly this never came to fruition. Rex and Rose Mary eventually became homeless after following their children to NYC and Rex died of a heart …show more content…
So many of society’s problems or challenges were evident in Jeannette’s life. How does a child overcome the fact their parents were so dysfunctional and abusive? How does one overcome the memories of their father disappearing for days, a mother unaware and incapable of being a mother? Not only were the kids abused, they were hungry and cold. They saw their few personal items and pets cast aside like they were nothing. Despite it all the Wall kids survived. They became successful. Some of them married and had their own children.
The end of the memoir seemed like a happy time. The family gathered for Thanksgiving- with healthy spouses, loved children, plenty of food and warmth. They welcomed their disheveled mother and seemed to forgive their father and all his abuse while remembering him in a fond way.
I think this memoir is a reminder that the human spirit and will can over come many things. Abuse, alcoholism, poverty doesn’t have to be what defines us. Yes, it is horrible but the love and kindness of those we encounter we can overcome a rough start in life. Jeannette Walls certainly fought and overcame her childhood woes. She didn’t quit and she eventually stood up to her father and her mother. Hopefully, this book gives social workers, childcare providers, educational professionals, doctors, clergy an eye opening view to what life is like for many children. Our society