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The Glass Castle Character Analysis Essay

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Substance abuse can ruin the best of relationships. Throughout Glass Castle this is demonstrated by Jeanette and her father’s relationship. Rex (Jeanette’s father), is an alcoholic which over time deteriorates his and Jeanette’s relationship.

When Jeanette is a young child, she sees no flaws in her father and he is her hero. Jeanette only sees the inventive creative side to him when he explains his grand ideas. She claims “...Dad was perfect.” She even believes her father is smart enough to “...[outsmart] the fat­cat bank owners.(p71)” and that he taught her binary numbers. Throughout Jeanette's childhood, she encourages her father. When Jeanette's father comes up with unfathomable ideas such as The Glass Castle. Jeanette accepts the concept …show more content…

Jeanette’s father is constantly breaking promises and claiming he can fix what he has broken. When Jeanette is young she trusts her dad with his entire Glass Castle concept. However Jeanette finds herself becoming disappointed and in danger non-stop due to the fact that her father can’t keep his promises on anything. Even after the family moves to Welch, Rex tells Jeanette that a hole he just dug will be the foundation for the Glass Castle. However as Jeanette states “...Brian and I watched, the hole for the Glass Castle's foundation slowly [fill up] with garbage.(p98)” Rex postpones filling these promises by telling Jeanette that the trash post will be “...temporary measure.(p98)” Even though Rex’s motives to get sober for his daughter as a birthday gift, he can not stay sober. On page 75 Jeanette’s father is strapped to a bed trying to become sober, however throughout the book we see him constantly going to bars time after time. Due to this Jeanette realizes her father can no longer help her due to his lack of credibility and she see’s that in order to keep herself safe she must leave her father alone, ultimately leading to the downfall of their tight

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