Broken Promises by Nathalie

Fantasy vs Reality

nathalie7fragoso — 2025-02-27 18:18:02 UTC

Fantasy vs Reality plays an important role when showing that the harsh truths of reality always infiltrate and corrupt the distracting fantasies. In the memoir Walls says, “I wondered if the welfare agency had found some millionaires to be our foster parents and they had arrived to take us away, but Dad was inside the house, twirling a set of keys on his finger.” This is an example of Fantasy vs Reality because it shows how Jeanette uses fansay as a coping mechanism to escape her harsh reality. The picture of broken glass is reflective to when Rex would say he was going to build a Glass Castle for the family to live in, he just needed gold to execute it. He had it all planned out with a plan and blueprints, but like Jeannette said to Rex, less than three months before she left for New York city, "you'll never build the Glass Castle."

Acceptance

nathalie7fragoso — 2025-02-27 18:21:42 UTC

Acceptance is the act of surrendering to our reality, without judgment or fear. In the memoir, The Glass Castle, Rosemary says, "You have to get right back in the saddle. You can’t live in fear of something as basic as fire." This is an example of acceptance because this was Rosemary's philosophy of accepting hardships as a natural part of life rather than something to be feared. Another example is Rosemary's acceptance of Rex's alcoholism. This means she is accepting the life of poverty, instability, physical danger, and starvation he inflicts upon the family. The picture of a women next to a man in a hospital bed is reflective to when Jeannette visited Rex in the hospital. In that moment, she had a realization that she cannot change her father, but she can accept him for who he is and appreciate the love he was able to give.

Disappointment

nathalie7fragoso — 2025-02-27 18:47:51 UTC

When children experience deep levels of disappointment in their parents or life, it can lead to reduced self-esteem and strained parent-child relationships. In the memoir, The Glass Castle, Jeannette writes, “I had to believe they'd come back, I told myself. If I didn't believe, then they might not return. They might leave us here forever.” This is an example of disappointment because it shows Jeannette's disillusionment of her parents being there to take care of them. She tries to convince herself that believing in them will guarantee their return, but underneath this hope there is a deep sense of disappointment. The picture of a drunk man is reflective to the time when Jeannette asked Rex to stop drinking as her birthday gift but he was unable to fulfill this promise, leaving her heartbroken.

Self-sufficiency

nathalie7fragoso — 2025-02-27 19:05:57 UTC

Self-sufficiency is the quality of being able to take care of yourself, to be happy, or to deal with problems, without help from other people. In the memoir, The Glass Castle, Walls mentions, "'Mom says I'm mature for my age, ' I told them, 'and she lets me cook for myself a lot.'" This is an example of self-sufficiency because it shows Jeannette's ability to take care of herself from a young age. She takes pride in her independence, believing it is a sign of maturity. The picture of a mother saying goodbye to her daughter is reflective of the time when Rose Mary left for the summer and Jeannette was forced to be self-sufficient. Jeannette had to take care of Maureen, Brian and herself, while trying to keep Rex out of trouble.

Perseverance

nathalie7fragoso — 2025-03-03 03:27:43 UTC

Perseverance is the progress into the next stage of an individuals' life. In the memoir, The Glass Castle, Walls says, “Lori, Brain, and I braced one another with our arms, like we always did when Dad went on some wild chase that we knew would get bumpy.” This is an example of perseverance because it demonstrates how Jeannette and her siblings had to constantly support each other to survive their unpredictable and chaotic life. Even with the challenges and dangers they faced, they kept moving forward together. They relied on their bond to persevere through the hardships. This picture of a broken piggy bank and a robber is reflective to the time when Rex stole the children's saving, but they still persevered and continued to save their money and didn't give up on their dream to move out and leave Welsh.

Unconditional Love

nathalie7fragoso — 2025-03-03 03:59:18 UTC

Unconditional love is the the selfless act of loving someone with full acceptance and without expecting anything in return. In the memoir, The Glass Castle, Jennette tells Rosemary, "'I don't blame Dad' I said. And I didn't. But Dad seemed hell-bent on destroying himself, and I was afraid he was going to pull us all down with him. 'We've got to get away' 'But I can't leave your father!'" This is an example of unconditional love because Rosemary loves Rex to much to leave him. Even though Rex is destructive and unreliable, her love for him stays firm. The picture of an arm holding a knife is reflective to the time when Maureen stabbed Rosemary. Even after this traumatic situation, she insisted that Maureen had not meant to kill her.