Parenting has always been an issue since the brick of dawn and recently been recognized as a problem for our society: remarkably people have finally decided to try to do something about it. In the Glass Castle, Rex and Rose Mary Walls went through many struggles raising their children but ultimately the struggles made the children stronger individuals; despite the alcoholism, sickness, and domestic abuse. Jeanette and her siblings have been through many hardships as they grew up, living with their dysfunctional parents.
Rex and Rose Mary Walls weren’t always bad parents, if anything, they were the parents every kid would want; caring, supportive, kind, and everything there is to having parents. In the beginning, Jeannette’s family roamed around …show more content…
She decided that when she turned ten, she would tell her father how she really felt. Jeannette told him to quit drinking entirely. When her whole family moved to Welch, West Virginia with her, she felt out of place. She decided to make the best of it though. After she told her father to stop drinking he slowly started to stop. After a few weeks, Rex Walls started drinking again. Brian Walls also dealt with domestic abuse by his grandmother, Erma. As Jeannette stated, “… I went to Grandpa’s bedroom and saw Erma kneeling on the floor in front of Brian, grabbing on the crotch of his pants.” (Page 146). When this happened Jeannette’s parents were not in the house at the time. They went to check up on their other home in Phoenix, Arizona. Now Jeannette realizes that her grandma is not a responsible adult. Furthermore, there was a time where Rex Walls tried to harm Rose Mary, “ Dad was holding her by the arms while she tried to hit him in the face. "Help!" Mom screamed. "He's trying to kill me!"...."He tried to kill me," Mom sobbed. "Your father wants to watch me die." "I didn't push her," Dad protested. "I swear to God I didn't. She jumped." He was standing over Mom, holding out his hands, palms up, pleading his innocence.” (Pages 71-72). Not only does this reveal domestic abuse in the dysfunctional family but also how bad of a parent Rex Walls can …show more content…
A part of me still believed all those childhood stories he'd told us about how invincible he was.” (Page 260). Rex Walls was about to die so he decided to stay in the hospital for that long. He knew there was no cure for tuberculous. The mother went to check on him even though the father did not allow anyone to see him--wanting the kids to keep thinking that he was invincible. This is just one example of how Rex Walls was teaching his children how to be strong people. He didn’t want them to remember him in his current state, he wanted them to remember him as who he was. In addition, the TED Talk spoken by Andrew Solomon talked about loving your children no matter what and how strong children can come from families who are not so stable. Solomon spoke about how a child with dwarfism became the first person in his family to go to college, having hope of pursuing a career even with the condition he was born with. The child’s parents were wondering things like “Should we tell him that he is just like everyone else? Or should we raise him to embrace his condition?” Just like Rex Walls, the parents taught the child to be strong and independent and embrace your differences.
Parenthood isn’t going to be easy no matter what is being done and The Glass Castle shows that. Readers will understand what hardships families has to go through but often times it serves to help many individuals become a stronger person, which is shown when Rex and Rose Mary Walls try to make
Rex and Rose Mary Walls weren’t always bad parents, if anything, they were the parents every kid would want; caring, supportive, kind, and everything there is to having parents. In the beginning, Jeannette’s family roamed around …show more content…
She decided that when she turned ten, she would tell her father how she really felt. Jeannette told him to quit drinking entirely. When her whole family moved to Welch, West Virginia with her, she felt out of place. She decided to make the best of it though. After she told her father to stop drinking he slowly started to stop. After a few weeks, Rex Walls started drinking again. Brian Walls also dealt with domestic abuse by his grandmother, Erma. As Jeannette stated, “… I went to Grandpa’s bedroom and saw Erma kneeling on the floor in front of Brian, grabbing on the crotch of his pants.” (Page 146). When this happened Jeannette’s parents were not in the house at the time. They went to check up on their other home in Phoenix, Arizona. Now Jeannette realizes that her grandma is not a responsible adult. Furthermore, there was a time where Rex Walls tried to harm Rose Mary, “ Dad was holding her by the arms while she tried to hit him in the face. "Help!" Mom screamed. "He's trying to kill me!"...."He tried to kill me," Mom sobbed. "Your father wants to watch me die." "I didn't push her," Dad protested. "I swear to God I didn't. She jumped." He was standing over Mom, holding out his hands, palms up, pleading his innocence.” (Pages 71-72). Not only does this reveal domestic abuse in the dysfunctional family but also how bad of a parent Rex Walls can …show more content…
A part of me still believed all those childhood stories he'd told us about how invincible he was.” (Page 260). Rex Walls was about to die so he decided to stay in the hospital for that long. He knew there was no cure for tuberculous. The mother went to check on him even though the father did not allow anyone to see him--wanting the kids to keep thinking that he was invincible. This is just one example of how Rex Walls was teaching his children how to be strong people. He didn’t want them to remember him in his current state, he wanted them to remember him as who he was. In addition, the TED Talk spoken by Andrew Solomon talked about loving your children no matter what and how strong children can come from families who are not so stable. Solomon spoke about how a child with dwarfism became the first person in his family to go to college, having hope of pursuing a career even with the condition he was born with. The child’s parents were wondering things like “Should we tell him that he is just like everyone else? Or should we raise him to embrace his condition?” Just like Rex Walls, the parents taught the child to be strong and independent and embrace your differences.
Parenthood isn’t going to be easy no matter what is being done and The Glass Castle shows that. Readers will understand what hardships families has to go through but often times it serves to help many individuals become a stronger person, which is shown when Rex and Rose Mary Walls try to make