The Glass Castle by

Parent Neglect

paezlopezjuana — 2025-02-27 20:06:53 UTC

This image depicts a young child looking up at his dad passed out from alcohol. It reflects on the theme of parental neglect that the Walls children went through focusing more on Rex's alcoholism. In The Glass Castle, Brain says, "He spends more than he earns on booze." (P. 78) It was well known that Rex used most if not all the money on alcohol leaving the children without food. That wasn't the only form of neglect, Rex put the children in danger due to his behavior, driving drunk and reckless, putting them in uncomfortable and unsafe environments as well. Rex being gone for days drinking also caused emotional neglect, not being there for them, guiding, or supporting them leaving them feeling abandon. Rose Mary and Rex failed to provide many necessities even the most basic, the children didn't have regular routines like going to school, regular showers, not even regular meals all very crucial to their developmental years.

Redemption

paezlopezjuana — 2025-02-27 20:39:35 UTC

This image of New York City reflects to the success and happiness Jeannette experiences when she moves. That is an example of redemption because after her hard childhood life living in poverty and neglect, she overcame to be a successful person. In the memoir Jeannette talks about her successful good life in New York, “I still went into the office in the city once a week, but this was where John and I lived and worked, our home--the first house I'd ever owned.” (P.287) Jeannette worked hard for everything she had in life as an adult, a great stable job she enjoyed, a warm home, and getting married to a good man. Even in times of doubt she had enough resilience to keep going for her own self. She is also successful in her personal growth as she gained a deeper understanding of her family, accepting her feelings along with her past.

Broken Promises

paezlopezjuana — 2025-02-28 00:59:06 UTC

This broken home image reflects the unfulfilled promises the Walls children grew up with. This is an example of broken promises because Rex promised the children he would build them a glass castle where they would live comfortably, yet it wasn't fulfilled. A great quote in the memoir that correlates to the theme is, “But he never got around to that, either, and as Brian and I watched, the hole for the Glass Castles foundation slowly filled with garbage.” (P. 155) Despite the great plans and all the assurances Rex would tell the kids, poverty, Rex's instability and alcoholism prevents him from actually fulfilling his promises. Jeannette talks about how Rex had the kids dig for the foundation of the house but after Rex couldn't afford to pay the town's trash collection it became a trash dump. Rex assured Jeannette that it was just a "temporary measure" and that he would hire a truck to collect all the trash at once which he also failed to accomplish.

Chaos and Order

paezlopezjuana — 2025-02-28 02:01:07 UTC

This hospital room picture reflects back to when Jeannette stayed in the hospital for her burns and enjoyed spending time in such an orderly place. This is an example of chaos and order because Jeannette lived the opposite being at home yet liked it. Some quotes from The Glass Castle relating to the theme greatly show the theme of chaos and order like, "I wasn't used to quite and order, and I liked it." (P.11) and "You never had to worry about running out of stuff like food or ice or even chewing gum. I would have been happy staying in that hospital forever." (P. 12) Jeannette liked having things to herself she didn't have back at home such as a TV, room, food, attention, care, and gum. The hospital was clean, sterile, had order, there were routines and protocols that workers had to follow. At home things were dirty and cluttered, hygiene was neglected and their daily routines weren't predictable like at the hospital.

Unconditional Love

paezlopezjuana — 2025-03-02 04:21:04 UTC

This photo of Jeannette Walls reminds me of her love and forgiveness towards her parents. This is an example of unconditional love because even after the hard childhood she endured due to their actions and life views she still deeply cared for them, especially her dad which she was the closest to, as a child. Relating to the theme in the memoir Jeannette said, "I wanted to buy them something that would improve their lives. It could be a small car. It could be the security deposit and a few months' rent on an apartment. It could be the down payment on a house in an inexpensive neighborhood." (P.269) After all the neglect and instability that the children had to go through for a part of their lives, Jeannette still had love in her heart to want to help them. Even as a child she took adult responsibilities to be able to support her family in a way and even as an adult when she kept a distance from them. This unconditional love was present throughout her live, especially towards Rex, she forgave and still did things out of love.

Poverty

paezlopezjuana — 2025-03-02 23:05:37 UTC

An image like of this young boy reflects on poverty that the Walls children also went through. This is an example of impoverished lifestyle, a tough lifestyle that Rex and Rose Mary could have over came for their children yet because of their attitudes they couldn't. In The Glass Castle Jeannette says, "Other kids wanted to fight us because we had red hair, because our dad was a drunk, because we wore rags and didn't take as many baths as we should have, because we lived in a falling-down house that was partly painted yellow and had a pit filled with garbage, because they'd go by our dark house at night and see we couldn't even afford electricity." (P.165) An impoverished lifestyle is due to lack of stability and from that the children learned to be resourceful and resilient. The children went through frequent moves, lack of basic needs, scavenging for food, and trying to creating solutions to the needs their parents failed to provide. Their lifestyle as children could have changed but due to Rex and Rose Mary's mentality they never did.