The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls: A Memoir of Hardships and Happy Childhood Memories
1. Introduction
The book The Glass Castle is a memoir of Jeanette Walls, focusing on the kind of life their family went through and the hardships they experienced. The book has been a New York Times bestseller for over seven years.
2. Summary of The Glass Castle
The story mainly focuses on the life of Jeanette and her siblings, and how they were raised by their parents Rex and Rose Mary Walls. The Walls were always on the move, never staying in one place for more than a few months. They often squatted in abandoned buildings or sometimes even in the open air. The children were constantly hungry and had to forage for food to eat. They also had to deal with their father’s alcoholism and their mother’s mental illness.
Despite all the difficulties, the children still managed to have happy childhood memories. They would often play games together and make up stories. Their mother would teach them about art, music, and literature. Their father would take them on adventures in the desert or up into the mountains.
As they got older, the children started to drift apart. Jeanette moved to New York City to pursue her dream of becoming a journalist, while her brother Larry ended up in prison. Her sister Lori got married and had children of her own. But despite all their differences, the bond between the siblings was never broken.
3. Jeanette Walls’ Life Experiences
Jeanette Walls was born in Phoenix, Arizona in 1960. When she was two years old, her family moved to Welch, West Virginia where her father Rex Walls was from. Rex was an alcoholic and often physically abusive towards his wife and children. Rose Mary Walls was a talented artist who suffered from mental illness.
The family lived in poverty and often had to move from place to place because they couldn’t afford rent. The children were constantly hungry and had to forage for food to eat. They also had to deal with their father’s alcoholism and their mother’s mental illness. Despite all the difficulties, the children still managed to have happy childhood memories.
As they got older, the children started to drift apart. Jeanette moved to New York City to pursue her dream of becoming a journalist, while her brother Larry ended up in prison. Her sister Lori got married and had children of her own. But despite all their differences, the bond between the siblings was never broken.
4. Hardships Experienced by the Walls Family
The Walls family experienced many hardships throughout their lives. They were always on the move, never staying in one place for more than a few months. They often squatted in abandoned buildings or sometimes even in the open air. The children were constantly hungry and had to forage for food to eat. They also had to deal with their father’s alcoholism and their mother’s mental illness.
Despite all the difficulties, the children still managed to have happy childhood memories. They would often play games together and make up stories. Their mother would teach them about art, music, and literature. Their father would take them on adventures in the desert or up into the mountains.
As they got older, the children started to drift apart. Jeanette moved to New York City to pursue her dream of becoming a journalist, while her brother Larry ended up in prison. Her sister Lori got married and had children of her own. But despite all their differences, the bond between the siblings was never broken.
5. Conclusion
The book The Glass Castle is a memoir of Jeanette Walls, focusing on the kind of life their family went through and the hardships they experienced. The book has been a New York Times bestseller for over seven years. Despite all the difficulties, the children still managed to have happy childhood memories. As they got older, the bond between the siblings was never broken.