The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls

The Glass Castle” is a memoir that tells the story of Jeannette Walls’ childhood and coming-of-age. Walls grew up in a dysfunctional family with parents who could not provide a stable home for their children due to their struggles with alcoholism, poverty, and neglect. The book is a candid and powerful reflection on the experiences of growing up in such challenging circumstances and the impact that this had on the author and her siblings.

Wall’s book has been widely praised for its honesty and authenticity and its ability to explore complex themes such as poverty, resilience, and the human capacity for forgiveness. The book has been embraced by readers worldwide and has become a beloved classic in the memoir genre.

Plot Summary

The book is divided into three parts, each detailing a different stage in her life.

Part 1, titled “A Woman on the Street,” begins with Jeannette living in New York City as a successful writer and journalist. She sees her mother, Rose Mary, digging through a dumpster and remembers her difficult upbringing. The book then shifts back to Jeannette’s childhood in the late 1950s and early 1960s.

Jeannette’s parents, Rex and Rose Mary, are unconventional and often neglectful. They move their family around frequently, living in various small towns and rural areas throughout the American Southwest. They struggle to provide for their children, and the family often goes hungry.

Despite their difficult circumstances, Jeannette and her siblings – Lori, Brian, and Maureen – are close and rely on each other for support. They learn to be resourceful, often finding creative ways to feed themselves and make ends meet. Rex, an alcoholic, spends much of his time drinking and making grand plans to build a “glass castle” – a dream home for the family he never manages to construct.

Part 2 of the book, titled “The Desert,” covers the Walls family’s move to the desert town of Battle Mountain, Nevada. Here, Rex becomes increasingly violent and erratic, putting his family in dangerous situations. Jeannette, a teenager, becomes aware of her father’s drinking problem and begins to see the flaws in her parents’ behavior.

Part 3, titled “Welch,” covers the family’s move to Welch, West Virginia, where they live in an impoverished mining town. The family’s poverty is more acute than ever, and Jeannette struggles to fit in at school. She eventually decides to leave her parents and move to New York City, where she attends Barnard College and begins a successful career as a writer and journalist.

Throughout the book, Jeannette struggles to reconcile her love for her family with the pain they caused her. She remains haunted by her past and feels a sense of responsibility for her siblings, who continue to struggle with poverty and the effects of their dysfunctional upbringing.

Overall, the plot of “The Glass Castle” is a compelling and emotional portrayal of a family struggling to survive in difficult circumstances. The book is both heartbreaking and uplifting, demonstrating the power of resilience and the importance of family bonds.

Themes

“The Glass Castle” explores several important themes that are relevant to many readers. Here are some examples of those themes and how they are portrayed in the book:

• Poverty: Poverty is a pervasive theme in “The Glass Castle.” The Walls family constantly struggles to make ends meet, and they often don’t have enough food or shelter. The children are forced to be creative and resourceful to survive. For example, they learn how to catch and cook their food and create imaginary games to distract themselves from their hunger.
• Resilience: The Walls children are incredibly resilient despite their many challenges. They refuse to give up or let their circumstances defeat them. Despite their poverty, they are determined to succeed and work hard to improve their lives. For example, Jeannette teaches herself how to swim and Brian becomes a successful police officer.
• Family: The theme of family is central to “The Glass Castle.” Despite their parents’ many flaws, the Walls children remain fiercely loyal to each other and to their family. They continue to love and support each other even as they struggle to understand their parent’s behavior. For example, when Jeannette moves to New York, her siblings come to visit her and support her in her new life.
• Addiction: Addiction is another crucial theme in the book. Rex’s alcoholism is a major source of conflict in the family, often putting them in danger. His addiction causes him to neglect his family and put their lives at risk. Despite this, the children continue to love and support their father, and they struggle to help him overcome his addiction.
• Forgiveness: Forgiveness is an essential theme in “The Glass Castle.” Despite the many challenges they face, the Walls children are able to forgive their parents for their mistakes and flaws. They recognize that their parents did the best they could with their resources, and they accept their family for who they are.

Writing Style

Jeannette Walls’ writing style in “The Glass Castle” is characterized by its simplicity, honesty, and emotional impact. Here are some specific elements of her writing style:

1. Clear and Straightforward Language: Walls’ language is simple, clear, and direct. She uses short sentences and avoids complex vocabulary. This style makes the book accessible to a wide range of readers and emphasizes the honesty of her storytelling.

Example: “Dad drank. He drank a lot. Sometimes he didn’t come home at all.”

2. Vivid Descriptions: Walls’ descriptions of people, places, and events are vivid and detailed, bringing them to life in the reader’s mind. She often uses sensory details to create a sense of immersion for the reader.

Example: “The night was quiet, and the moon cast an eerie light over the desert. The air smelled of sagebrush and dry earth, and the stars seemed close enough to touch.”

3. Emotional Impact: Walls’ writing is highly emotional, and she is able to convey the intense feelings of her family and herself with great power. She writes about difficult experiences with sensitivity and grace, without sugar-coating the harsh realities of her upbringing.

Example: “I wanted to be mad at Dad for what he’d done to us, but I couldn’t help feeling a sense of sadness and compassion for him. He was trapped by his own demons, and I knew he was suffering too.”

4. Dialogues: Walls’ dialogues are realistic and convey the personalities of the characters. She avoids excessive use of quotations and instead conveys the conversation in a natural way.

Example: “Hey, Jeannette, what’re you doin’ out here all by yourself?” Dad asked, squinting against the sun.

“I’m just looking at the stars,” I said.

5. Use of Imagery: Walls uses metaphorical and symbolic imagery to express her emotions and illustrate her experiences.

Example: “Dad had always told us that the glass castle was his dream, and it would be ours too, once we were grown up. But now I realized that the glass castle was just a mirage. It shimmered in the distance, promising us everything we ever wanted, but when we got closer, it disappeared into the desert air.”

Overall, Walls’ writing style is highly effective at conveying the emotions and experiences of her family, and the book is a compelling read from start to finish.

Critical Reflection

“The Glass Castle” has received both praise and criticism from literary critics and readers alike. Here are some of the main points of critical reception:

1. Praise for Walls’ Writing Style: Many critics have praised Walls’ writing style as engaging, clear, and emotionally powerful. The book is written straightforwardly, effectively conveying the experiences and emotions of the Walls family.
2. Appreciation for the Memoir’s Honesty: Critics have also commended Walls for her honesty in recounting her family’s experiences. Walls does not shy away from depicting the more difficult aspects of her childhood, including her father’s alcoholism, her family’s poverty, and her mother’s neglectful behavior.
3. Criticism for Glorifying Poverty: While some critics have praised “The Glass Castle” for its honest portrayal of poverty, others have criticized it for romanticizing the experience of growing up in poverty. They argue that the book fails to address the harmful effects of poverty and neglectful parenting adequately.
4. Disapproval of Neglectful Parenting: Critics have also criticized Walls’ parents, particularly her father Rex, for their neglectful behavior towards their children. Some argue that the book does not do enough to address the harm caused by Rex’s alcoholism and Rose Mary’s prioritization of her art over her children’s well-being.
5. Criticism of Inadequate Self-Reflection: Some critics have argued that Walls does not reflect enough on her own role in perpetuating her family’s cycle of poverty and dysfunction. They argue that the book presents her as a victim of circumstance rather than taking responsibility for her own choices and actions.

Despite criticisms, “The Glass Castle” remains a widely respected and celebrated memoir. It has been on the New York Times bestseller list for years, translated into multiple languages, and adapted into a successful film.

Final remarks

Overall, “The Glass Castle” is a powerful and moving memoir that explores the complexities of family relationships and the human capacity for resilience.

Walls’ writing style is highly effective at conveying the emotions and experiences of her family, and the book is a compelling read from start to finish. While some critics have criticized the book for glorifying poverty and neglectful parenting, it remains a highly regarded work worth reading.