In Jeannette Walls’ memoir, The Glass Castle, she uses many symbols to show important moments in her life. One symbol being the broken down house in Welch. In the story the family lived at 93 Little Hobart Street which consisted of a house without indoor plumbing, and no insulation. The roof had constant leaks, and faulty electrical wiring. For example in the text the roof collapses in Brian’s bedroom, so he is forced to go sleep on the porch that wasn’t closed off under a blow up mattress to stay warm and dry. This broken down house also symbolizes the family and how they are broken apart from each other. For example from the story, Rex lost any respect he had with his children once he whipped Jeannette, as that was her final straw with him.
In Jeannette Walls’s memoir The Glass Castle, fire symbolizes the instability that the Walls family constantly deals with. Jeannette questions if fire is out to get her and how she “lived in a world that at any moment could erupt into fire”. Jeannette has this viewpoint due to Rex’s own contribution of unreliability in the household. The fire in this instance also represents the chaos of Rex’s abhorrent alcohol abuse.
Near the beginning of Jeannette Wall’s memoir The Glass Castle, she recalls how she was taught to swim. Her family already struggled with money, moving around constantly, and she had grown to be independent. As she learns to swim, her father employs a concerning strategy: letting her sink and nearly drown before saving her for just a moment, then throwing her back into the water. Jeannette eventually catches on, realizing it’s more harmful to let him save her: “And so, rather than reaching for Dad’s hands, I tried to get away from them…and finally, I was able to propel myself beyond his grasp.”
The Glass Castle is a memoir about the author, Jeannette Walls, she is raised by her nomadic and senseless parents which create conflicts for her siblings and herself, which transforms the kids into successful and mature adults. The Walls family Consisted of Jeanette being the middle Child, then Lori being the oldest, Brian being the youngest, and of course their parents Rex Walls and Rose Mary. In The memoir Jeannette tell the readers about the setting in various places such as, Small towns in Nevada, Phoenix, West Virginia, and many other places. Moving from place to place never gave the children a chance to get used to where they were living or make friends.
[“I lived in a world that at any moment could erupt into fire. It was the sort of knowledge that kept you on your toes.” In the Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls she writes about her life growing up as a kid.] From moving around her whole childhood and not ever having enough food, to growing up to being a successful writer. They somehow make it through, proving that money can't buy happiness…but it can pay the rent and buy clothes and food, which helps.
There are times in summer in which a student wonder’s around doing nothing. Giving a rising senior a book such as The Glass Castle, by Jeannette Walls will give them an academic activity during their summer break. The vocabulary in The Glass Castle, presents an opportunity for rising seniors to be actively learning in the summer. The words in the book will make the reader engage to new vocabulary. Together with a great plot of rags to riches, Jeannette Walls will captivate any reader not only rising seniors.
The Glass Castle is a memoir written by Jeannette Walls. The book switches back and forth between her childhood adventures and her current life in New York City. During the childhood adventures, Jeannette describes growing up with her mom, Rosemary Walls; her father, Rex Walls; and her three siblings, Lori, Brian, and Maureen Walls. Life is not pleasant or comfortable with this family. They are constantly short on food and money.
Like most best-selling books, “The Glass Castle” has taken up the opportunity to be made into a movie. A book based on a memoir of the Jeannette Walls who portrays that the idea of family, poverty, and education, was not always what it seems. An alcoholic father played by Woody Harrelson and a condescending artistic mother played by Naomi Watts who showed that there was still hope beyond the conditions that they were in yet failed to show. When it was first released back in August 2017, the anticipation for the movie wasn’t as expected compared to the book in my opinion. It didn’t really portray what Jeannette Walls had felt and seen in the book.
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.
The book The glass Castle by Jeanette Walls is a very interesting as well as inspiring novel. She and her family the Walls carry the idea of the american dream throughout the entirety of the book. The American dream is defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as “the idea that every citizen of the United States should have an equal opportunity to achieve success and prosperity through hard work, determination, and initiative.” A big reason I believe the Walls experience the American dream is because of all of their traveling all over the United States. And also because of all of the neat experiences Jeannette has lived through and humbley told about.
Glass Castle: The “glass castle” symbolizes Rex’s; Jeanette’s father’s hope and dreams. Before Lori was born; Rex and Rose had a baby girl whom unfortunately died at nine months. This caused a spiral downfall in Rex’s life making him become bitterer, gloomy, dark, and an increasing consumption of alcohol. But even though that situation occurred he still held on to that dream of building the glass castle. One of the biggest current problem he faces in his life is alcoholism.
The Consequences of the Walls Children's Insufficient Upbringing In Jeannette Walls' memoir, "The Glass Castle," the author reflects on her childhood and the impact of her parents' unorthodox parenting style. Throughout the book, Walls recounts instances where her parents, Rose Mary and Rex Walls, neglected, starved, and failed to provide a stable home for their children. As a result of their irresponsible behavior, the children in "The Glass Castle" suffered from a lack of basic necessities, emotional trauma, and long-lasting scars. Although Jeannette’s parents’ parenting style can be clearly identified as horrific as it left Jeanette and her siblings afflicted and broken, their unconventional methods can be argued that it actually had a few
While many writers just write about objects that are incorporated their own life, In the Glass Castle through close critical analysis Jeannette Walls uses symbolism that are hidden beneath her words to represent ideas in order to write her memoir. The words she uses colors the mind of the listener and the language colors the mind of the reader. Right before a reader opens the book the title already symbolizes something. The title evokes certain responses in the reader.
Kai Sebastian English 10H Mrs. Denchfield 8/27/15 10H Summer Assignment: The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls 1.“‘We could live like this forever,’ I said. ‘I think we’re going to,’ she said.” (Walls 18) This is near the beginning of the books between the two siblings of the narrator (Jeannette Walls) and her older sister (Lori Walls) as they are lying underneath the stars on a clear night in the desert. The reason for these exchange of words was the fact they were on one of their dad’s
Paul Ryan once said, “Every successful individual knows that his or her achievement depends on a community of persons working together.” Individuals must strive upon excellence based on the society they are placed in. Watching how others react can help one become the best they can be. Throughout The Glass Castle, Jeannette is exposed to society by her parents. Her parents, Rex and Rose Mary, see society in different means than how others perceive it.
The setting of the house represents the influence of World War II. The house is standing alone amidst the destroyed neighbor houses, just like England who remained independent during the war. The war, however, did leave marks on the English society which is now on the verge of collapsing: the house is tilted and needs the support of “wooden struts” because of the “blast of the bomb” (88). The broken pipes represent the damage caused by World War II. Pipes are essential to a house’s daily function of water circulation.