ipl-logo

Compare And Contrast The Glass Castle And The Perks Of Being A Wallflower

1171 Words5 Pages

I have read numerous different books in my Contemporary Literature class; I have chosen to compare and contrast The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls and The Perks of Being A Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky. Ironically, they both have meanings that are fairly relatable for anyone; we are all impressionable as children however our innocence is often stripped away by life’s challenges. The two contemporary literature books I chose, both show and help to explain how our life experiences influence who we grow up to be. Jeannette Walls wrote The Glass Castle, it is the story of her life growing up in a somewhat dysfunctional yet loving family. Consequently, she uses vivid details and language to help the reader to really feel and understand what …show more content…

Despite her father’s alcoholism her parent’s try to do the best they can by their kids. Incidentally, her father, Rex, is intelligent and hardworking when sober while her mother, Rose, is somewhat of a free spirit however both had a stubborn sense of pride. “I’ve got a houseful of kids and a husband who soaks up booze like a sponge,” Mom said. “Making ends meet is harder than you think” (Walls 197). Moreover, Jeannette recalls pleading with her mother to leave her father so they could go on welfare and at least have food to eat; her mother refused saying that the stigma of welfare would follow them the rest of their life. Her mother’s statement may have had some truth however the stigma of growing up hungry, cold and homeless also left a lasting …show more content…

Ultimately, his repressed memories of sexual abuse subconsciously played a role in his relationships and who he became as an individual. In fact, upon this realization Charlie decides he no longer needs to write to the mysterious stranger; believing he has control over his own life and that he is not defined by his past. For example, Charlie said “I keep quiet most of the time, and only one kid named Sean seemed to notice me” (Chbosky 7). In conclusion, there are perks if you prefer to not be the center of attention and the drawbacks as you maybe a target for bullies and miss out on opportunities, of being a

Show More
Related

  • Comparing Walls The Glass Castle And Hickam's Rocket Boys

    388 Words  | 2 Pages

    While an adolescent may be taught by dozens of educators throughout their academic years, their first teacher is found in their parents. While the lessons taught do not reach to the extent of those given in school, their purpose is to instill proper morals and manners into the child. Forgiveness was an important concept that the protagonists learned in both Walls’ The Glass Castle and Hickam’s Rocket Boys. In The Glass Castle, Jeannette, despite all of the mistakes her parents made, forgave them each and every time.

    Read More

  • Summary Of The Glass Castle By Jeannette Walls

    579 Words  | 3 Pages

    The poverty rates are growing by the year as many families struggle to afford sufficient housing, this ultimately impacts the quality of life for their kids. In the novel The Glass Castle written by Jeannette Walls, it shows the life of Jeannette as a child growing up in a house with a constant cycle of poverty, and homelessness. To push past her families issues, Jeannette thrived in her schoolwork and became a writer for her school newspaper. As she grew older and worked harder, Jeannette moved to New York with her siblings to pursue her career in newswriting. Soon after, both of her parents followed and were homeless for many years.

    Read More

  • Essay On The Glass Castle By Jeanette Walls

    811 Words  | 4 Pages

    The Glass Castle is a great book for people of all ages. Because it can teach people about what its like to travel, for those who have never got the

    Read More

  • Resilience And Redemption In The Glass Castle

    360 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Glass Castle is an extraordinary story of resilience and redemption, and a revelation about a family who was once deeply dysfunctional but uniquely vibrant. I believe that the story is highly suitable for people my age as it covers the issues about how the quality of parenting affects a child’s views, opinions and dreams as he grows up. It clearly shows how parents’ strengths and weaknesses, successes and failures influence how a child thinks and behaves. When sober, Jeannette's brilliant and charismatic father captured his children's imagination, teaching them physics, geology, and how to embrace life fearlessly. But when he drank, he was dishonest and destructive.

    Read More

  • The Glass Castle Theme Essay

    675 Words  | 3 Pages

    In The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls, it tells about how the Walls family move to different desert towns, settling in for as long as their father, Rex, can hold a job. However, his perspective of the state and society, and his alcoholism led them to move frequently. The children - Lori, Jeannette, Brian, and little Maureen- experiences unusual childhood, where they travel like nomads to find new money source. This lead to the theme, sometimes you can be mature and responsible at a very young age. The theme is developed by how Jeannette learns how to take care of herself and her younger siblings, and the way her parent taught her.

    Read More

  • The Glass Castle Homeless Quotes

    672 Words  | 3 Pages

    Homelessness in The Glass Castle In the 1960s, according to American Civil Liberties Union, 20% of the United States population were homeless, and shunned from the rest of society because of stereotypes. The Glass Castle is a memoir written by Jeannette Walls, to tell the story of her life growing up as a homeless child with an alcoholic father and an artistic mother. Her memoir is a story about relationships, and how the outside world influences them. In The Glass Castle, by Jeannette Walls, homeless people are marginalized as uneducated, reckless and mentally unstable.

    Read More

  • Examples Of Conflict In The Glass Castle By Jeannette Walls

    1273 Words  | 6 Pages

    Success: An Escape from Privation Inevitably, the conflicts people face at multiple points in their life is a determining factor in shaping individuals into the person they will eventually become. Namely, these conflicts direct people 's behavior over the course of time; contributing to a person’s ability to achieve success. In particular, Jeannette Walls’ The Glass Castle is an honest depiction of her life and the conflicts that arise throughout her state of impoverishment, as well as the success that stems from her hardships.

    Read More

  • Social Work System In The Glass Castle

    849 Words  | 4 Pages

    I thoroughly enjoyed the book The Glass Castle. I found the book deeply moving as well as meaningful and gives insight to a lifestyle that is usually overlooked in society. The main take away from this book I found is a family such as the Walls, who are just getting by are usually overlooked. They were not constantly living on the streets and moved around multiple times, thus alluding attention that would have affected their life.

    Read More

  • Comparing Adulthood In The Joy Luck Club And The Glass Castle

    814 Words  | 4 Pages

    Aging is a phenomena not only of the body, but of the mind as well. It is situational in practice, giving each journey into adulthood its own “thumbprint”. One’s trials and tribulations gain emotional weight as they are encountered, but the weight one holds at certain periods of time can differ according to their background. The novels Flight, The Joy Luck Club, and The Glass Castle; however, enlighten the possibility of resembling another’s venture into maturity, despite distinct differences in general conditions. Together, these three novels endeavor into their protagonists’ personalities, and they thematically portray coming-of-age transformation.

    Read More

  • Differences Between Rex And Rosemary Walls In The Glass Castle

    980 Words  | 4 Pages

    A balance between a enriching intellectual environment and comfortable living conditions is what all families, especially parents want. This is a constant struggle in the Glass Castle because of the Walls poor living condition, but eagerness to explore and adventure the world. Rex and Rosemary Walls, parents of Lori, Jeannette, Brian, and Maureen, obviously take an exploratory and learning environment over a comforting living space. Although living in rough conditions, which leads to bullying, poverty, I believe that it was more important that the Walls created circumstances for most of the children to explore and enjoy learning. Jeannette Walls, the author and the narrator throughout the book, tells a story about her life from when she was

    Read More

  • The Effects Of Poverty And Mental Health In The Glass Castle

    1030 Words  | 5 Pages

    Poverty and Mental Health Jeannette Walls’ memoir, The Glass Castle, demonstrates the struggles of mental health issues that generate from poverty through her family’s journeys, both mentally and physically. Jeannette Walls displays how poverty can affect an entire family’s life through her use of realism, in-depth descriptions, and imagery in her memoir, The Glass Castle. The Glass Castle focuses on the tie between mental health issues and poverty through the theme of the lasting effects of poverty. Poverty in Jeannette’s younger years is the cause of the majority of her anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues. The Walls family’s period of time in Phoenix contributed to Jeannette’s mental health issues.

    Read More

  • The Struggle In The Glass Castle By Jeannette Walls

    732 Words  | 3 Pages

    In this world, there’s learning things the hard way and the easy way; in Jeannette Wall’s world, there’s only learning things the hard way. The Glass Castle is an adventurous story that reveals the painfully miserable story of Jeannette Walls. A selfish mother, a careless father, and terrible social encounters- these are some of the elements of a harsh reality Rex and Rose Mary Walls failed to shield their children from. Growing up poor was already difficult, but growing up with a selfish parent, specifically an unfeeling mom, made life hell for the Walls children. The family barely had one source of income from Rex Walls, and instead of helping out with the family’s finance issues, Rose Mary spent her days at home painting.

    Read More

  • Reflection On The Glass Castle By Jeannette Walls

    799 Words  | 4 Pages

    The Glass Castle is the life story of a girl, Jeannette Walls, and her siblings who grew up in poverty unnecessarily because of their parents’ irresponsibility. One of its themes is that strength and perseverance can significantly improve your chance at success and your future. The Walls children did not allow their childhood struggles prevent them from creating better and brighter futures for themselves. They all grew up impressively sane considering their living conditions.

    Read More

  • The Glass Castle Book Report

    515 Words  | 3 Pages

    In “ The glass Castle” by Jeannette Walls, Jeannette was the main support in the Walls home. Growing up in a household where her father was an alcoholic and a childish mother, she finds a way to leave the nest with her siblings and become a successful adult. Initially, Jeannette was soft spoken and mature for her age, however over the course the course of the novel she spoke her mind and became successful and independent. In the beginning of the book, Jeannette was well behaved and acted mature for a three year old.

    Read More

  • In Search Of April Raintree Analysis

    1394 Words  | 6 Pages

    The Raintree family is unstable and does not have the capabilities to support and keep it lively. “‘… we moved from one rundown house to another… And of course, we were always on welfare’” (2). Instead of their parents using the welfare-cheque for providing the needs of the family, they would lie and tell their children that they are to use it for medicine to cure their tuberculosis, even though it only goes to their alcohol addiction.

    Read More

More about Compare And Contrast The Glass Castle And The Perks Of Being A Wallflower

Open Document