Child Abuse In The Glass Castle

Child abuse is the maltreatment of a minor, and it can come in many different forms. The most common forms of abuse are physical, neglect, or sexual molestation. In The Glass Castle, all of these forms of abuse become more pronounced as the story line progresses. As Jeannette Walls grows from girl to woman, most of her abuse stems from her alcoholic father and her selfish mother. The abuse Jeannette faces as an adolescent, shapes a woman later affected by her events, that are created by her parents' selfishness. Jeannette experiences neglect from her own parents, physical abuse from her distraught father, and sexual abuse from strangers, all before she turns eighteen.

The most common form of abuse Jeannette faces during her childhood is neglect, which is forced upon her by both Rex and Rose Mary. Neglect can be defined as refusing to intentionally or unintentionally care for a child and his or her needs. According to a study conducted by

Sadly, she is abused by multiple offenders, such as her uncle, her employer, a classmate, and most importantly, her own father. Although her father does not molest her, he exploits her in other revealing ways. Sexual exploitation is when a child is sexually abused so their parent/caregiver may gain something in return (Schwartz-Kennedy, Beth M., et al 3). On one occasion in the book, Jeannette is exploited when her father is drunk at a bar, and he hands her over to another man to do whatever he wants to her (Walls 212-213). According to The International Encyclopedia of Marriage and Family, one in five underage girls are sexually assaulted by an adult (Schwartz-Kennedy, Beth M., et al 19). Jeannette narrowly escapes rape, but because her father exploits her in a way that makes it seem like she would consent to underage sex, she is abused. The sexual abuse Jeannette suffers results in her having more trust in her own intuition as she