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The Glass Castle (For AP classes)

After reading the opening segment of the book, I began to wonder about who this book is about. The author was in the cab, living on Park Place in New York, so she must have some money. Her mother was rooting through trash like a homeless person. And it was clear that the author was embarrassed by her mother's actions. So, I guess the book will explain how each woman ended up at polar opposites of the financial spectrum.

Comments

Blair said…
This book really threw me off guard after I read the title and then started reading about a successful women living in New York ducking down in a taxi, becuase she sees her homeless mother. I don't get hooked on a book very easily, but this definitely has yanked my attention to keep on reading. I also wondered what had to of happen in this families life that they are on opposite poles. At first when she said her homeless mother, I thought that was pretty cold that your going home ducking in a cab and she's looking for food in a garbage can. However, it was clear there was more to the issue when she gets home and starts to hate and feel guilty for everything she owns while she thinks of her cold, helpless parents. Then I thought what would possess her parents to be okay with their situation have a way out, but not run at the opportunity. This is an interestingly odd beginning for a book!
Tuesday, June 22, 2010 at 6:34:00 PM GMT+1
Jonathan P> said…
The beginning of The Glass Castle is very interesting. Jeannette Walls leaves multiple loose ends that immediately pulls me into the story. Her relationship with her parents is very complicated, being she attempted to help them and they refused. It's also complicated due to the fact that she is better off than her mother, riding in a taxi to a party while her mother is trying to survive by rummaging through a Dumpster. Their two different outlooks on life makes me believe that she may have been adopted. Yet, when she mentions that her mom’s gestures were all similar, my prediction seems off. From this comment, she may have been raised by her parents, which would be a very hard life, considering her parents were happy with the way they were living. Either way, the story’s beginning leaves me very intriqued with a seemingly complex storyline.
Sunday, June 27, 2010 at 9:12:00 PM GMT+1
Jonathan P> said…
Wow, the Walls children had it rough. The very beginning bears witness to this statement, in which Jeanette Walls catches on fire. It’s even worse that she enjoys the hospital more than her own home. Then again, it’s no wonder she enjoyed it there more with the way she’s treated at home. It’s a sad situation she had to deal with, her parents unable to supply the basic necessities at all times. Other than that, they also, in my opinion, weren’t good parents psychologically, telling her again and again that they were disappointed in her for their own failures. Jeannette Walls did her best not to cause trouble, but trouble always found its way to her. She was forced to mature quickly and undertake grown-up problems at an incredibly early age. Despite this burden, she still loved her parents for their attempt to take care of them. Even though her mom and dad aren't good parents, they seem to be raising good (and hardened) children. But I wonder how they're going to become sucessful from here...
Saturday, July 3, 2010 at 8:25:00 PM GMT+1
Justin said…
I'm confused. What does a taxi have to do with a glass castle? Why was Dumpster capitalized every time? Are her parents homeless or something?
Wednesday, July 7, 2010 at 4:18:00 PM GMT+1
Unknown said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010 at 4:18:00 PM GMT+1
Jana said…
This story drew me in right away. The detail in the night and her mother and the Dumpster is so vivid. However, it was quite aggravating to know how embarrassed of her mother she was. Personally, I feel like that stage is usually outgrown during adolescent years. But when she describes her mother from when she was a kid, I am confused. How is it that she and her mother are so different? Also, if she had tried to help them and they refused, why did it bother her so? That was the life they chose. They both have interesting character and I look forward to seeing how their personalities play out!
Friday, July 9, 2010 at 5:57:00 PM GMT+1
Hunter said…
I think that this is starting off as a very interesting book, as I hope it will also end that very same way. The picture of a daughter watching her mother dig through a dumpster immediately caught my attention. I think that Jeannette really loves her mother, but she just can't stand to see her and her father live the way that they do. She offers her parents help on numerous occasions, yet they always turn it away. Jeannette needs to learn to accept the lifestyle of her parents. That said, I am looking forward to further digging into this book!
Monday, July 19, 2010 at 7:34:00 PM GMT+1
Jenny said…
The first few pages of the book are very descriptive. It almost feels like you are there with Jeannette. What I find sad is that while Jeannette knows that her parents need help they continually refuse to be helped. Also, it was not very nice to duck down when she saw her mom, she should not feel the need to be ashamed of her family. I agree with Jeannette's mom on one thing, she needs to accept the truth of her parents and what they do to live.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010 at 4:11:00 PM GMT+1
Amber said…
Embarrassment of one's parents is often experienced by adolescents; but the extent the author goes to was completely unexpected. I wonder why she does not accept her parents for who they are? I'm also anxious to discover just how she escaped the poverty that her parents are still living through. Why would anybody be comfortable enough to look forward to scouring the Dumpster for lunch? Normally a good book takes more than the first two chapters to get me engaged, but this book has done it in five pages. I'm ready to find out Jeannette Walls story.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010 at 9:54:00 PM GMT+1
justin said…
Even though the dad is a drunk he cares for his family and they love him. He and Jeanette have a special bond. I don't believe that he thinks before he says things. I almost forgot that i hate reading while i was reading this book because it's so interesting.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010 at 10:18:00 PM GMT+1
MohamedKassim10 said…
When I began the book, I was confused and had a few questions. A successful New York woman in a taxi sees her mother picking garbage out of a dumpster? It was quite a strange beginning, and as I kept reading I still wanted answers. However, I became aware that they would come later on in the book.The fact that I had to continue the book in order to connect the pieces of the puzzle gave me a certain interest in The Glass Castle. Jeannette is clearly ashamed of her mothers lifestyle, and i can relate to her embarrasment. For me to know that my mother was living a poor life while i was happy and succesful would kill me! What would hurt me the most is that she wouldn't let me assist her financially. When Jeannettes mother insisted that she didn't need any help it made me wonder what happened in Jeannettes younger days that caused their lifestyles to differ so greatly. This storyline has DEFINITELY caught my attention.
Saturday, July 24, 2010 at 6:06:00 PM GMT+1
MohamedKassim10 said…
At this point in the book a few of my questions have been answered. The Walls come from a poor background. But the question that still remains is, how did Jeannette come about success? Jeannette is severly burned in the beginning when she was making hot dogs...This shows me that shes been taking care of herself since she was 3 years old...The independece of the Walls kids is probably a blessing in disguise for them. Their father is an alchoholic and can not be easily depended on at all times. In my opinion their father's drinking plagued them in their childhood, but enabled them to somewhat fend for themselves.
Saturday, July 24, 2010 at 7:37:00 PM GMT+1
Unknown said…
The Glass Castle was definately one of the best books I've read. The Walls children's determination finally got them out of their burdened lives. When their father took Lori's money they'd been saving for her to go to New York, they must have been disheartened. I wasn't sure how they were going to move out if their father continued doing that, but their determination allowed them to finally move to New York. From there, they were able to live like they wanted to, other than Maureen, who moved to California after her stabbing incident.
Sunday, July 25, 2010 at 10:11:00 PM GMT+1
Allie Larsen said…
This book is absolutely captivating. The first three pages grasp your attention! It's obvious that the relationship between daughter and parents is a complex one full of heartache,love,abuse, and confusion. I'm not sure of any of the details that got them to where they are the moment the daughter sees her mother in the trash but it is obvious that their lives have taken complicated routes and interesting turns to land them in the situation they appear to be in now. I am so excited to read on about the details of what makes them who they are. Already they appear to be intriguing human beings with a story to tell!
Monday, July 26, 2010 at 4:46:00 PM GMT+1
Allie Larsen said…
I am completely blown away! The embarrassment and hardships the Walls children are living through is unbelievable.It's hard to read sometimes because I just want to yell at Jeanette's parents. However I haven't decided if I like them of not yet. Sometimes I will admit that their parenting techniques sound logical. They teach their children to not be afraid and they teach them hard work. They are very extreme though and it's tough to watch as the children suffer at times from the instability and confusion of what is wrong and what is right in their home. I feel like the parents give up everything good they have in their lives and it's awful to watch the children suffer for their unwise choices. Everytime they get a little bit ahead in life or things start turning around for them,the father turns to drinking and they parents turn to running away from it all. I can't stop reading though, I am so excited to see how this will all play out and how they arrive at the situation they were in at the beginning of the story!
Monday, July 26, 2010 at 7:53:00 PM GMT+1
Jenny said…
This book has turned out to be really captivating. I was extremely mad at Jeannette's parents when they took her out of the hospital when she was still being treated for her burns. Then they turn around and decide not to take Brian for treatment when he hit his head. I found that to be idiotic, letting him bleed. All the times that the Walls move began to make me feel sorry for the children. They never get the chance to make any friends. Though, I must say that I'm glad that the children continue to stay close. Also, I don't exactly agree to how the Walls children are taught by their parents, but they are very intelligent. Jeannette's mother might have had a teaching degree but Lori would correct mistakes her mom made. The Walls parents no matter how different their way of teaching is have given their children lessons they will need to survive.
Monday, July 26, 2010 at 8:55:00 PM GMT+1
Allie Larsen said…
Wow. I am left speechless by this book. The relationships within this family astound me. Jeannette's relationship with her father is warped and misused and the mother never ceased to disgust me. I despised how he continued to instill hope into his children's head of something better and "The Glass Castle" when he was preventing anything good to happen to the family all along. I wanted to scream everytime her father did something stupid like ruin Lori's sculpture or steal all of her saved money. It made me incredibly mad when her father didn't even stand up to the man who tried to take advantage of Jeanette at the bar and how he misused all the family's good fortune for his drinking addiction. I cringed at the pain I knew these children dealt with growing up and it was very difficult to read their trials that were 95% caused by their parents. I was relieved to see that they all got out of the house and off to New York and sighed as things finally started to turn around for them as they planted themselves into their new and much improved lives. When the Walls showed up to New York and started to mooch off their children and pop back into their lives (that were clearly better off without them in it) I again became so frustrated and wished that I could give Rex and Rose Mary a piece of my mind. All in all the book was a masterpiece. As is quoted on the cover, Jeanette Walls truly did find a way to incorporate her sad and misfortuned past into art. The ending turns out to be great and I'm happy that Jeanette and her siblings got all that they have deserved all along.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010 at 12:51:00 AM GMT+1
Hunter said…
At this point in the book, the lifestyle of the Walls family is apparent. I can now understand why Jeannette feels this way toward her parents, as her father is at many times drunk and runs his mouth without thinking,and her mother seemingly careless. Though, this taught the kids to be tough and independent. Her parents seem to mean well, but at times, it's hard to believe that they truly care for their children. I am curious as to how Jeannette becomes successful and to why the Glass Castle never came to be anything more than a blueprint.

I read right past the 2nd blog point, so this book must be pretty good!

p.s. I also forgot my google account password and username!
Tuesday, July 27, 2010 at 6:59:00 PM GMT+1
Amber said…
Reading this far into the book, I have profuse confused opinions. Each character has a painted silhouette in my mind now, and all their personalities have fallen in place. I feel immense sorrow for the children, because of how much they have endured. Jeannette however, startles me with the faith she has in her father to this point. Lori, and Brian for some reason, seem to condone their parents illiterate behavior and their actions. The part I don't understand, is whether or not the "gold hunt" is an abject lie or a crazed father's true desire. The mother seems in denial about everything in life. She has the potential to turn the families life around, yet she would rather sit at home and paint all day than teach and earn an income for her household when she clearly has a degree. I disagree with their parenting, and their erratic lifestyle, although some points seem logical. I find most of this not salubrious for the Wall's children from any aspect. As the character's grow, I ponder about how they escaped this unfortunate lifestyle.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010 at 7:06:00 PM GMT+1
William Gonzalez said…
The Glass Castle began with a successful daughter hiding from her mother who is turning a dumpster inside out looking for something she might be interested in. This doesn't appear to be a very loving relationship if the daughter is so embarrassed of her mother.Why wouldn't her father or mother accept any of their daughter's assistance? Why has it been months since she has "laid eyes on her mother"? The daughter confronts her mother and is concerned what she can do to help, but her mother just wont accept any real help. I would like to know more about why they have such a strange relationship.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010 at 4:23:00 AM GMT+1
Mrs. Colley said…
Lots of good comments! A few observations for you:
1)Remember, please, to refer to an author by her last name (unless you are personal friends with her).
2)Also, be careful not to post "empty" words. Claiming the book is interesting or the characters are intriguing or that you are excited about the book reveals little. Try to explain WHY WHY WHY you find the people interesting or intriguing. Your comments should address specific pieces of the book,not the entire book in one sweeping comment. Remember, it is content, not length, that makes your comments significant.
3) I have a few questions for you to think about and answer based on what you have written (BTW, thanks, Justin, for being honest about your dislike of reading!) How would you defend specific parental practices of the Walls as "logical"? How could it be a "blessing in disguise"? What makes you think Walls "accepted" her parent's lifestyle?
4) One thing I'd like to get your thoughts on: What did you think about the type of alcoholic Walls' father was? What specific characteristics about him surprised you or didn't?
Wednesday, July 28, 2010 at 4:06:00 PM GMT+1
Cullen said…
In the beginning, I could see that Walls was a person who cared about what other people thought about her. From thinking that she is overdressed for the evening to avoiding her mother so she would not see her when other people are around, she had an insecurity issue. However, I can see that Walls did care about her parents when she offered them help even though she did not wish for her friends to see them. But unlike Wells, it looks like her mother does not care what other people think. I wonder if that was one of the things she tried to teach her children? I guess I have to go a little farther in to answer my question.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010 at 8:02:00 PM GMT+1
Cullen said…
Wow! This book got interesting. I would hate having my first memory to be on fire. At first I was confused then I got angry. Why would u leave your three year old daughter by herself cooking up some hot dogs. Then to top it off, they took their own child out of the hospital when she was not fully healed, it makes my blood boil. After the hospital incident, they moved around a lot, to get away from either the FBI or the "gestapo". Her father, Rex Walls, was a brilliant man, but when he drank he instantly turned evil like when the Walls celebrated Christmas for the first time, he ruined every thing. Walls had a horrible life, from her drunken father and her free-willed mother. I just hope that her life gets a little bit better.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010 at 8:42:00 PM GMT+1
Amber said…
Wrapping up this book has left me with mixed emotions. Part of me wants to hate Walls parents, and part of me actually feels sorry for them. I can't believe the father took advantage of Walls to get money for alcohol. Although, I understand he is an extreme alcoholic, and when you become addicted you can't think or want anything else other than alcohol. You're practically helpless, which is why no matter how many times Walls attempts to save him from the disastrous world he's falling into, it's ineffective. I'm relieved all four of the Walls children have left Welch and started a new life. They were forced to grow up faster by nature so they could help their parents, or rather themselves. I am disgusted by Walls mother because ever since she gave birth to her kids, she never had a maternal approach. I couldn't believe the mother was seriously eating chocolate under the blanket, while all four of her kids are starving. I was afraid these children would never escape, with the inept father destroying Lori's sculpture, breaking into their piggy bank, and trying to convince them that New York was horrible and they'd be better off with them. Thankfully, what they went through made them determined to not go through it again. I found some logical sense in the way they raised their children. The Walls became strong, capable and independent as they migrated place to place striving to adapt, undertaking hard tasks that adults would normally do, and struggling to keep their family intact. I guess it's like what Rose Mary Walls said, "What doesn't kill you, will make you stronger".
Wednesday, July 28, 2010 at 9:08:00 PM GMT+1
MohamedKassim10 said…
Walls has come a very long way from cover to cover of "The Glass Castle". She experienced poverty, and learned how to be self-sufficient at a young age. An obstacle that stood in the way of the Walls children throughout most of their lives was their fathers drinking. He was the type of alcoholic that did whatever it took to get his drinks, even if it meant stealing money from his own children.I do not approve of the way the parents treated their children, however the children were forced to become independent and that allowed them to make their way to New York. Even after the Walls children moved to New York and became successful their parents continued living in the same lifestyle they had for so many years but i am not sure why.I truly enjoyed reading this book because while reading I never found it boring. I enjoyed the fact that the Wall children all followed their big sister to New York and made something of their lives instead of following their parents path of poverty. It is clear that Walls does not approve of her parents lifestyle when she argues with her professor about the homeless people in New York. She claims if they were willing to work hard they would have normal lives. I completely agree with her statement due to the fact that she is the living proof of her words. This book appeals to me very much because its not a fictional story, its based on someones life. The moral I received from the book is that you can go anywhere if you work hard for it. I enjoyed "The Glass Castle", and look forward to more discussions about it.
Thursday, July 29, 2010 at 8:25:00 PM GMT+1
Jenny said…
I have to say that at the beginning of this book I wasn’t too sure if I would like it or not, though eventually I did enjoy reading it. I was impressed that the Walls children made up a plan to all move to New York. What impressed me most was how they all wanted it enough to save up all of their money that they earned. I was completely but not totally shocked when Walls' father stole the money out of the piggy bank. At first I thought that Rex Walls just drank out of guilt of how his family was turning out. Then I realized that towards the middle of the book he had come to the point where he would do anything just to have any alcohol, even if it came to taking money from his family. I was very sad when Walls’ father was trying to persuade her not to leave for New York buy saying that he would finish the Glass Castle, though he most likely knew that he wouldn’t. The Walls children, minus Maureen, found happiness in New York which makes me very glad that they could all find a job that suited them. Rose Mary and Rex Walls however, made me angry when they moved to New York to be a family again but didn’t change how they lived. For me the moral of the book is to count the blessings that you possess no matter how sorrowful they may be.
Monday, August 2, 2010 at 1:09:00 AM GMT+1
Hunter said…
From the brief beginning of the book to the end, my questions such as,"why did the Walls family lives like this?", "how did Walls come to be successful?", "did the Glass Castle ever happen?", "what ended up happening with Walls' parents?", etc., have been answered. I found it very interesting how Walls' father and mother excepted their lifestyle. If they were interested in living the lifestyle of one who is "well off", then they would have conformed to working hard to live in that way. Walls' father obviously enjoyed liquor and her mother wasn't going to do anything other than her own "artwork", so that's why they lived the way that they did and made nothing better of it. They seemed content. I think that the way Walls was viewed in Welch to the way that she is viewed in New York is neat. In Welch, Walls was viewed as dirty and the daughter of the town drunk, as in New York, she is a successful journalist and is nothing close to town scum. I liked how all of the kids came to New York where they were much better off, but when the parents came, the thought that the parents had of "being a family again" wasn't what everyone else had in mind. It's very cool to me how making things happen for yourself (though the parents were living their own way) can change your life so much! This book is indeed a masterpiece and I highly enjoyed reading it!
Monday, August 2, 2010 at 8:47:00 PM GMT+1
Kayla Afrin said…
The daughter how rude but yet realistic she is, hiding from her mother. Being to embarrassed to be seen in public with her own mother is rude and selfish. Yet it is so realistic, how many people in her situation would have done anything different? People judge to much now a days and are embarrassed to easily. Why is her mother's views so different from her's? Why does does her mother and father choose to live on the street then rather live with her? How did they become homeless? Were they always homeless? If so, why is she not? How did she become successful? What made her and her family split apart?
Wednesday, August 4, 2010 at 5:35:00 PM GMT+1
John Duque said…
Reading the first few pages of the book i find myself vexed as to why walls' mother chooses to live the life she does. I believe she is educated, from their conversation about Picasso and his rose period. Walls seems to be, somewhat, successful. She also appears to enjoy the more extravagant things in life from her apartment on Park Avenue,with a door and elevator man, to her exorbitant amount of collectable goods she mentions. I find myself trying to understand her mother's and father's decission to willingly stay homeless when their daughter offered to help, and i find Walls rediculous for feeling ashamed of her lifestyle because her parents refuse to live like her.
Friday, August 6, 2010 at 1:45:00 PM GMT+1
Cullen said…
This novel made me think that my life is not so bad. It must be terrible for a little girl to have a father that stays out and not come home until late at night, drunk. When her mother left Welch to go to work on her teaching degree; I would have thought that her father would come home and help, not to be drunk, but that never happened. When her mother left she gave Walls three hundred dollars for food, but Walls' father took most of the money for booze and cigarettes. The whole time they live in Welch was terrible, most of the time it was cold and they did not have any money for coal for their coal stove, I never had that problem.When finally Lori decided to go to New York City for art school, Walls, Brian, and Lori's time there was over, and I was thinking thank god. After the kids went to the Big Apple, their parents soon followed. The Walls clan lived in harmony for a while, but then something bad happened. Walls' father was dying from a rare disease; its funny, I thought that he would have drank him self to death but a fight with some Nigerian drug dealers did him in. After a few years of her fathers death the Walls clan met up for Thanksgiving and they paid their respects to Rex Walls.
Friday, August 6, 2010 at 4:50:00 PM GMT+1
Katie said…
The beginning of this book definitely caught my attention, which is very rare! I'm curious to find out how this woman became successful instead of ending up on the streets like her parents. I was also dumbfounded by the fact that she would not accept her own parents. Most people are embarrassed by their parents at one point or another, but to turn around in fear that someone might associate you with them is awful to me. I'm also interested to know why her parents won't accept help from her. Maybe they are content with their lives and don't need materialistic things like their daughter seems to. The one thing that stuck out to me the most though was when she was describing her apartment and explained it as "The sort of place where the person I wanted to be would live." I kind of got the impression that she is living in a world she doesn't want to be in, and is unhappy. I'm excited to see where this story goes!
Tuesday, August 10, 2010 at 8:59:00 PM GMT+1
Blair said…
I understand parents giving their children some slack so they're not living under a rock. However the idependece of the Walls children is very surprising. It is a blessing in disguise. Knowing how to take care of themselves is the only way it seems they could ever survive living the poor life they live. Even through all the horrible situations they always find some type of adventure on their endless travel. I think it would be neat to sleep under the stars, but have a bed to go to later. My favorite part of pages 1-125 is when their father, Rex, gave them a star for Christmas. That was really sweet. It is true that materail items do not last forever. However a star would last a lifetime. The Walls family is a very creative group of individuals. No matter the struggle they seem to enjoy something along the way.
Friday, August 13, 2010 at 12:33:00 AM GMT+1
Katie said…
As a kid, I always wished that I had no rules to follow and could do whatever I wanted. After reading what Jeannette's childhood was like though, I'm really glad my parents didn't give me unlimited freedom. Jeannette definitely had a rough childhood. I feel awful for her and her brother and sisters. In my opinion, they were more mature than their own parents. I know they loved their children, but when it came to the actual parenting part, they didn't have a clue. Jeannette and her siblings always seemed to be getting in trouble or something bad was constantly happening. I can't blame them though because that is what they've known their entire lives, so they can't help themselves. Look at who their role models are. Lori and Brian seem to realize that this lifestyle is not okay, but Jeannette looks at it like one big adventure. I'm starting to realize why she was embarrassed of her mother in the beginning of the book. The only thing that I haven't quite figured out is her relationship with fire. It seems to follow her around, and she can't get away from it. So far my favorite thing about this book is how vivid and detailed Jeannette's writing is. I feel like I can actually put myself in her situation. I'm anxious to see how she gets away from her family, and has a successful life on her own.
Friday, August 13, 2010 at 2:57:00 PM GMT+1
Tyler Lanctot said…
I am definitely not one for reading, but this book sort of reeled me in at the beginning. The way that she starts off the book made me want to read the story to find out how they got themselves into that position. I found it slightly odd that a wealthy daughter was hiding from her homeless mother. Then, when I found out that she felt guilty about her possessions, I was even more intrigued. To top it all off, when she announced that she had tried to help her parents financially before and they refused and asked her for slightly silly items, I was definitely drawn in and had to read more.
Saturday, August 14, 2010 at 12:22:00 AM GMT+1
MollyC said…
Growing up, we depend on our parents for our own wellbeing and support when times are rough. In the beginning of this book, however, it is apparent that this is not the case for Jeannette. This is what initially drew me in as I began to read this book, and I found myself wondering how this situation could have happened, why her mother was so nonchalant and stubborn about the situation, and what was going to happen in the future for her. I can tell that Jeannette wants to care, but she's ashamed of her parents' decisions. I do not understand why her mother, who seems very intellectual, chose such a life for herself.
Sunday, August 15, 2010 at 2:29:00 AM GMT+1
Kayla Afrin said…
From what I have read the Well's family has a different way of viewing things and who is to say it's wrong? Sure it's abstract from the “regular life” but, they seem to be grateful for little things that most people aren't like the stars, food, a stable place to stay, shoes or even rocks. I bet that most of the children in government care value the same things and the things that the Well's have that they don't like love and a “home”. A home with a mother, father, and siblings no matter where the home might be. Well's parents didn't think to much about the everyday material items and is that so wrong? I think that they might not have been the best parents but I don't think they are the worst either. They so far have always provided a place for them to sleep and have always been with them. They just as easily could have left them somewhere stranded in the desert but, they didn't they protected them and didn't leave their children and they might not have been like crutches but, they were like a backbone there if their children needed them. Most importantly they gave them love which a lot of children don't have them being rich or poor. So what is it to be a good parent? Give your child every possible toy they want, shelter them from the world, and no love? Or to love your children so that they know that, a little less material items, and let them taste the world for what it is? Not a candy land but a dangerous desert....
Monday, August 16, 2010 at 3:20:00 PM GMT+1
Annabelle said…
This book immediately yanked me by my shoulders and pushed me right inside the messy mind of this woman. Mrs. Walls is living in New York City, pretty comfortably. She disgusted me thoroughly with her shame towards her parents. It interests me how she got that way, how she is completely grown up and settled, yet her relationship with her parents is still less-than-perfect. This makes me wonder about how her life was growing up, maturing, finding out what is necessary. What was the source of this helplessness she experiences when thinking of her guardians' livss?
Monday, August 16, 2010 at 7:44:00 PM GMT+1
Paige L said…
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Wednesday, August 18, 2010 at 1:28:00 PM GMT+1
Blair said…
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010 at 7:32:00 PM GMT+1
Blair said…
"The Glass Castle" places itself on my top 10 favorite books. I am not one to read for recreation and I am reluctant in general, but this New York Times Bestseller is even worthy to my standards. There are multitudes of events that took place in the book that are absolutely astonishing, horrid, and charming. At times I forgot I wasreading nonfiction. It was difficult for me to wrap my brain around Walls father letting her go up stairs with Robbie, that crazy drunk dancing fool. I remember reading her fathers response to Robbie taking her up stairs, “Don’t do anything that I wouldn't do.” If you have to say that,it's not a good idea. Or when her Uncle and that homeless man taking advantage of her and her mom didn't do anything. Walls went through so much harassment from so many different people, and yet she was still so strong and courageous. I guess when you live a life as hers was, you accept what bad comes with it. Now days, parents would not be so nonchalant about their child being placed in those situations or the governmnet would have acted. No matter what the Walls family stuck together with all their weighty imperfections and I think it was all because of Jeanette Walls. She chose to believe in her father, even though at times I think she should have told him the truth. Expressing honesty can be accomplished without coming across offensive. But also I wish he had not made so many promises he could not keep. That made me really enraged. She had to place a large amount of faith in herself, even when it seemed useless. Her father was a smart guy when he wasn’t slamming piggy banks, burning Christmas trees, and drunk at every bar in town. I do truly believe that Rex did not want to let down his little girl Jeanette Walls; he really did have a heart just scarred over by wrong decisions and troubles of life. I feel that he placed his heart in her hands, the only safe haven he felt he could trust to place it besides a bottle of liquor. I do think it was sweet that he tried to sober up for her birthday present. I am not condoning all the horrible things he did to his wife and children, because like Ali I would like to give both her parents a piece of my mind. At no point (well maybe once) in the book do I recall harboring any patience for Rosy Mary Walls, her mother. She dealt with a drunken husband that became physically violent, four children, and crushed dreams of being an artist. All those things no one should face, but I don’t understand why you can watch your children starve and your eating chocolate on the couch and not wanting to work when you are fully capable. Searching for the word responsibility in Rex and Rose Mary’s vocabulary is like trying to find a needle in a haystack. The last couple of chapters answered numerous questions of how this family evolved and ended up in New York. I wish the kids would have been quicker to not let their parents take advantage of their new lives. However in the end, I am very glad the Walls children were able to lead a life that they had in their dreams. This is not just a book with words placed in order to convey many thoughts. It just happens to be art, that doesn’t have to dry.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010 at 7:32:00 PM GMT+1
Justin Siegner said…
The first pages of this book definitely got me interested in more; of course I wanted to know the background story behind all of this. The main reason I wanted to read more though was because I sort of felt a connection with the character, I mean I feel bad because I think in that situation I would have hid from my mom as well if she was dumpster diving and I was off to a grand evening. After she went back home I understood how she was upset that she was in such a good situation with the luxurious items while her parents were living on the streets. I was glad to learn though that she didn’t live a better life than her parents without trying to help them, I’m not from a wealthy family either and I decided when I was a lot younger that if I ever became rich that I would share it with all of my family. I was surprised though when she ate food with her mother that her mother understood Picasso and could talk with enough knowledge to give a good argument against him. From here I became curious about how she could know things like this but still be homeless; I just couldn’t understand how Mrs. Walls’ mother could be so carefree about being homeless. There is no doubt that I want to finish this book.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010 at 11:13:00 PM GMT+1
Justin Siegner said…
Just from the first sentence I realized that any previous misconception that I had about my family being at least a little like Mrs. Walls family was wrong. After her being on fire, the first impressions I got were that the dad was a cool dad and that the parents taught their children to be independent, and for a little bit I believed this. I find it sort of ironic though that the parents taught the kids to not believe in Santa Clause but at the same time they tried to cover up their faults with imaginative and clever stories. When the dad does something illegal and is being chased by somebody probably looking for money, they “skedaddled” and sometimes said that they were looking for an adventure or something. Although their father was drunk most of the time, I still admired the love he had for his family and how smart he was. Mrs. Walls siblings saw through the charades faster the she did, they recognized that they were being raised poorly, that their father was basically a good-for-nothing, and that they needed to take matters into their own hands on occasion. I have to admit, this book disturbed me, I have never read a book that had dark situations like this and language like this, this book was so real that I couldn’t believe it. Something inside me bubbled up at her parents, after they moved to Phoenix I thought that it would get better, they had finally received some money and the father actually got a job but the parents managed screwed it up once again. I felt relieved that Rex Walls had finally stopped being a drunk for his daughter, but as soon as things got bad he returned to his old habits; after he came back home and fought with Rose Mary I decided that they were both officially crazy and just accepted it.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010 at 11:13:00 PM GMT+1
Justin Siegner said…
I did not realize until after I finished the book that it was a true story, knowing this made it about 100 times worse. One day if I remember to, once I am grown up and have a little more world experience, I will reread this book to see if I have a different view on it. I can honestly say that I hate this book, not because it is a bad book but because the story it told made me feel guilty, sad, angry, and a whole load of negative emotions, and I really don’t like feeling this way. This book is an excellent book though and I respect its greatness, I believe that everyone should read this book because the world isn’t a happy, wonderful place and everyone needs to know this. This book did have a relatively happy ending and some happy parts, but it doesn’t spruce up the bad parts and lie to you. After learning the background of the father, where he grew up and what type of people raised him, I think that I can accept how he is. It did baffle my mind that the mom and dad still tried to retain authority over their children when they didn’t do anything for them, as is said in the Spiderman movie: “With great power comes great responsibility”. The parents wanted the power of being the parents but they didn’t want the responsibility of taking care of their children. I admire the fact that Mrs. Walls and her siblings didn’t turn out to be complete nut-jobs. It was strange to see the kids sort of take sides for their parents. Lori thought that it was all her father’s fault and that their mother excused because she had to handle being married to him, while Jeannette blamed her mother almost as much as her father. In my opinion Jeannette was correct; because although the father was the first to blame, the mother didn’t want to take up the responsibilities once the children started looking towards her for support. Once Lori got out of the house I think that things started looking up for the children, there was a way for them to escape and they went for it with all that they had. Once their children were all in New York both Rose Mary and Rex followed their children, I couldn’t believe they had the nerve but I started to see that they realized their faults and they wanted to have some connection to their kids. The kids started to get their own lives and they seemed happy, occasionally one of the children housed their parents but it always resulted in them ending back on the streets. One great thing that happened though was when Mrs. Walls was $1,000 short of her final college tuition payment and her father won the money gambling and gave it to her. I think New York was my favorite part of the book in the sense that it was one of the happiest places they lived. Rex came down with TB at one point and stayed in the hospital for a while and was sober the whole time, and after that he got a job there because he knew that if he left he would become an alcoholic again. I really thought that this was a great moment, because the dad became a really great guy when he was sober, but of course the mom didn’t want to live where he was and eventually got him to move back, then he started on the booze once again. I started to hate the mother from doing this, but I think that he belonged as an alcoholic; if he stayed sober it just wouldn’t have been him. Some time passed and everyone seemed to find their place, everyone settled down and besides Maureen stabbing their mother, everything was alright. One day the author truly reconciled with her father, he admitted that he was dying and they talked for a long time. Not long afterwards he did, and I almost came to tears, trust me my eyes were watering. Mrs. Walls left her luxurious life not long afterwards, I don’t think she ever belonged there really and she knew that too. The book ends with everyone and their families getting together, it really was a happyish ending in a way; it made the rest of the book seem better somehow, like everything that had happened really wasn’t as bad as it seemed. I don’t think as long as I live that I will ever forget the story of Jeannette Walls.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010 at 11:17:00 PM GMT+1
Mrs. Colley said…
What a flurry of discussion these past few days! I was happy to read some of your comments, especially those that cited specific points in the text.
Thursday, August 19, 2010 at 12:13:00 AM GMT+1
Tyler Lanctot said…
This booking is getting awfully intense, I must say. It just has so much happening in it that it staples your eyes onto the book! The Walls family is definitely not your garden-variety family, that's for sure. I noticed that they seem to have fallen into a pattern. Go somewhere new, things seem to start turning around for them, things fall apart, go somewhere new, etcetera. Some of it seems like bad luck, but mostly, the parents seem self-destructive. When they ended up inheriting Grandma's house and all of the money to boot, I already knew that they were going to end back up at ground zero. Right off the bat they started spending buckets of money instead of saving it and spending it wisely. Rex and Rose Mary seem very diligent about the kids' education but they also neglect their children too, which is highly contrasting. I realized that the children are more like adults than the parents are. The children have to grow up pretty quickly from what I have seen in the book, and I can relate to that due to past experiences. All in all, so far, this book is actually pretty good and I am DEFINITELY not one for pleasure reading.
Thursday, August 19, 2010 at 4:37:00 AM GMT+1
Paige L said…
The Walls' are definitely not your cookie cutter family. The parent's constantly seek thrill and run off of adrenaline. The lack of money didn't help the situations they found themselves in, but I don't believe money was to blame. The blame should go onto Rex and his wife. Rex Walls is a brillant dreamer, constantly going after something. It all washes away when he drinks, he turns into a completely different monster. His wife, who is a misunderstood artist seems very selfish. Mrs. Wall's has a college teaching degree and can eaisly be hired by almost any school, but instead she does nothing. Even though the the Wall parent's are not the least bit conventional, I still believe they do care about their children.
Thursday, August 19, 2010 at 1:41:00 PM GMT+1
John Duque said…
Continuing my reading i find myself amazed at the childhood these children had. The challenges they had as children are astounding it goes anywhere from a simple "army brat" situation, with their constant moving, to sexual molestation. Their parents seem to have very little parts in there day to day lives or in there lives at all. Her father is an alcoholic,which seems to be a main source of their problems. Sometimes it seems as if her parents like all the drama, the thrill of not knowing what is going to happen, or just they dont like things being regulated. I actualy like the parents they are, for the most part, honest and have very unique parenting methods.
Thursday, August 19, 2010 at 4:54:00 PM GMT+1
Alyssa Richardson said…
The beginning of the Glass Castle shocked me. Reading about a women who is on her way to a party and spotting her mother rooting through the trash just is not an every day sight. Thoughts about the story of this women's life and why she was successful and her mother wasn't crowded my mind. I was immediately taken aback when she spoke of how guilty and how much she hated the things she owned because her parents were somewhere trying to keep warm. From the very beginning i felt passion in this book.
Thursday, August 19, 2010 at 7:05:00 PM GMT+1
Alyssa Richardson said…
The walls family has completely change my prospective on my parents teaching methods. There parents dont seem to have any sense of discipline or actual parenting skills. I love the fact that there spontaneous and always ready for a new adventure. It surprised me that walls first memory was of her being burned so badly by hot dog water. Not only the burn itself was shocking but the fact that she enjoyed the hospital so much more than her own home. It makes me sad that her parents don't trust the hospital. The children although seem to have a wonderful relationship with each other. The way they look after each other is so inspiring, it makes me want to do good fro my brothers and sisters. One event that just left me gasping for air was the way he taught walls how to swim. I felt so bad for her, considering she about drowned. The parents themselves seem to be very selfish, not wanting to give up there sinful pleasures to make sure the children have what they need. It breaks my heart that the kids have to dig through trash cans for food. One interesting thing though was that they seemed to like there life for the most part. They accepted there alcoholic father and there sporadic selfish mother for who they were which proved to be very difficult.
Thursday, August 19, 2010 at 7:27:00 PM GMT+1
William Gonzalez said…
I didn't enjoy reading the book very much so far because of how the parents could of done so much different to make the lives of their family better. One thing is that the mother doesn't wanna get a job because she doesn't like teaching. Well, why in the world wouldn't she want a job if it would help her family out. She seems to care more about painting than how the family survives. The father likes to drink and he spends a lot of their money on alcohol. He can't seem to keep a job because he doesn't stay interested even though he is working for his family. The parents love each other but, appear to have made very poor decisions when it comes to raising their children. Kids really should have some kind of discipline in their lives. The parents allow many stray animals to live in the house and they like to keep the doors and windows open for no good reason. It isn't a good environment for children when homeless people can just come into your house and stare at you and touch you as you sleep. The children like their parents but, it might just be because they are the only ones they have ever had. The children have a good relationship with each other but, Walls and her brother have the closest relationship because they both like to play outside together most of the time. The children I truly believe at this far in the book as long as they stick together will be fine. The parents have already done enough damage to them. It is truly sad in my opinion when they don't have any food in the fridge except for a stick of margarine.
Thursday, August 19, 2010 at 8:03:00 PM GMT+1
Alyssa Richardson said…
I do a lot of reading on my spare time and i would have to say this is definitely in my top ten favorites. I read this book before summer even started. The family is tied to together in a very strange way but its very inspiring. I love the fact that although these children had an enormously rough childhood they all grow up and are very successful in what they do. It made me so angry when i read about Brian getting sexually molested by his grandma then the father taking his moms side. I was very disappointed in the parents when they left the children there for so long just to get away from their kids. I'm so inspired by walls in the fact that she is so determined and pushes and fights so hard to keep her family together and alive for that matter. she is truly an idol to me. Although her childhood memories aren't the best in the world her life truly was a roller coaster ride of joy and sorrow. It was so sad to read about the living conditions in which the family lived in, and the fact that the other kids weren't accepting of them at all. I felt horrible reading about all the bullies and all the kids that just didn't understand there situation. Reading about the neighbors on little Hobart Street was also interesting because the others also had hardships and had there own ways of surviving and maintaining for there children. Like the women who practically sold herself every night to take care of her family. I loved the fact that walls and her brother fought off those kids with just some rocks. I feel like the kids had to grow up too fast but at the same time they will be more responsible then any other kids i know. Walls had to manage her mothers income just because they weren't able to do it. I truly loved this book and the walls story was so interesting and shocking, all in all one of the best books i have ever read.
Thursday, August 19, 2010 at 8:23:00 PM GMT+1
Paige L said…
Page, after page the Walls' story became more interesting and troubling. It caught my full attention right away, after just finishing the book I'm completely speachless. As I read "The Glass Castle" there were times when I just wanted to throw the book down because the mother and father never failed to disgust me. Just as things seemed to be getting better in their lives, the parent's couldn't help but to stir up more controversey. I've had so much respect for Jeanette Walls through out the whole story, even more so after all her parent's have done to her, she still loves and wants the best for them. Even though she was raised by animals, she turned out to be a success.
Friday, August 20, 2010 at 3:13:00 PM GMT+1
Brittany Hoff said…
After reading the first five pages, I am really excited to read this book. I don't really understand how the author of the book is doing so well but her parents are homeless and why they actually enjoy their lifestyle. I can see why Jeanette Walls would want to help her parents but I am still questioning why she would let them get into the situation they are in. I'm anticipating the rest of the book and to see if any of my questions get answered.
Friday, August 20, 2010 at 7:40:00 PM GMT+1
Brittany Hoff said…
This book is definitely interesting and the family is for sure not your average family. You have the dad who is an alcoholic, the mom who thinks she qualifies as a teacher but then lets her children do her work, and then the three children who have to mature and fend for themselves. When I read the part about Walls buirning herself while making hot dogs I was astonished. I actually read that part to my mother because I felt so terrible for her. The Walls children have it so bad. Their parents are irresponsible and obviously were never taught how to raise children. With all the moving, however, the children did learn the importance of family boding. These children are so intelligent and I am honestly surprised that they are actually turning out to be somewhat normal kids.
Friday, August 20, 2010 at 7:45:00 PM GMT+1
Brittany Hoff said…
At the beginning of this book I enjoyed reading it. As I continued reading it, though, I got a little bored. I may be a bad person for saying this, but it was all the same. It was one bad event happening after the other and then Rex and Rose Mary Walls trying to justify the situation. Now that I've finished the book and thought about it, I've came to the conclusion the Walls children weren't as bad off as it seemed. There are plenty of homeless families in America and most of them just produce more homeless families, but not the Walls. They are four highly intelligent, responsible, and successful adults. I have to admit, they did have a rough life, but I don't think the author wrote this book for sympathy or pity. I believe she wrote it to show that no matter your situation or your battle if you work hard enough you can achieve the unimaginable. I didn't really mind reading the book because I was always waiting to see what kind of shenanigans those parents would put their children through. Just about every memory in this book made me grateful for what I have. I may not have a father but I would take not having one over having one who lied, stole, and pretty much tried to sell my body, any day. Rose Mary Walls made me so angry almost every page. On page 237 she said "I'm not upset because I'll miss you. I'm upset because you get to go to New York and I'm stuck here. It's not fair." When I read this I wanted to find her and drop kick her. She is so immature and selfish, she couldn't even be happy for her daughter who was going to try to better her messed up life and pursue her dream. She was too worried about being "stuck" in the life she had made for herself. I have mixed emotions about this book. It was definitely a good book and I would recommend it but I would not read it again. The parents in this book just mde me so infuriated. I am very glad, though, the Walls children fought their way through poverty and hardships and actually made something of themselves. They are truly amazing children.
Friday, August 20, 2010 at 7:58:00 PM GMT+1
Jana said…
By the middle of the book, the author's father hasn't ceased to amaze me--not in positive ways. Every single one of his actions frustrates me! Yes, they're poor. But he can take initiative as the head of that household! He needs to get a steady job. As does the mother, I believe. What kind of example are they setting for these children? One specific thing that is constantly tugging at my mind is the gift he gave his daughter. It's sweet that he didn't want to seem empty handed and I appreciate the creativity he put into that thought. However, I feel like that was a one-sided gift. Of course the receiver of a gift is ecstatic...they did just receive a gift. But it's a two-way street. The giver should also get a euphoric feeling for making someone else happy. In my opinion, this particular gift did not mean as much to Rex Walls, as it did to his daughter. One thing I commend Walls father for is giving up alcohol, 'cold turkey'. Also, accompanying his family to Welch was another audacious act on his part.
Sunday, August 22, 2010 at 2:39:00 AM GMT+1
MollyC said…
As Katie mentioned in her post, I also wished for freedoms I did not have growing up. But reading further into this book I have come to find that it certainly would have been much harder to live under those conditions. As I started to read about Walls' experience with being caught on fire, I felt all kinds of questions popping up in my head about where her parents were and what they were thinking letting their child cook at such a young age. In some aspects, I agreed with the philosophies of her parents, such as on page 39 when they express to the children that just because they cannot afford fancy presents that it does not mean they are not as good as any other child. However, for the most part, I felt that it was almost cruel to force the children to grow up so quickly and not be able to act their age- they were basically thrown out into the real world without warning by their own parents and forced to believe that it was okay to live life how they were. Walls' parents seem to have a lot of issues, and though they are kept well hidden from the children by make-believe stories, it does not take long for the older children to start catching on. It is so frustrating to see them ending up back at square one with one issue after another that could have been avoided. I am interested to see how the rest of their lives pan out and see how Walls escaped from these circumstances.
Sunday, August 22, 2010 at 3:21:00 AM GMT+1
Tyler Lanctot said…
All I can say towards this book is, "Wow!" I'm going to tell you straight up that I, for the most part, despise reading with a passion. This book, though, was great. It had a story that just kept you glued to it and basically forced you to read it, just so you could see what happened though it all! At first, I liked the parents, I thought they were free-spirited and fun. As I read, I started not liking them as much. They seemed selfish and were always taking their kids money and not even really worrying about feeding them. As the book was coming to a close, though, I realized that if it weren't for the parents, the children wouldn't be as tough and successful as they were, so I forgave and even accepted the parents. You could say that Mary was pretty stubborn when it came to family values, as you could tell with her not selling the property for the millions of dollars it was worth! Both the Mary and Rex are quite the characters, and I could definitely see that, in the end, they were a great match for each other. Even though it never tells you what career Maureen ends up with, I expected her to do something a long the lines of modeling, since it repeatedly said how attractive she was. At the end, I was happy to see that everything was working out for everybody, except for the fact that Rex had died. It made my smile to see that when they had gotten together for the Thanksgiving afterward, that they reminisced about the father.
Sunday, August 22, 2010 at 3:23:00 AM GMT+1
c.harris35 said…
Right away this book grabbed my attention.It left me with quite a few questions.Which I believe only made me more interested.I also thought that it was very mean of Jeannette to just duck down out of view of her mother. Even if she is homeless it is still her mother and she should love and respect her and her lifestyle. I think it was nice of her to offer help to her parents but after the first couple of times of them rejecting the help I think she should have just accepted that that is how they want to live. As I read on I hope to learn more about her life and experiences, because this is such an interesting book.
Sunday, August 22, 2010 at 4:33:00 AM GMT+1
c.harris35 said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
Sunday, August 22, 2010 at 4:37:00 AM GMT+1
c.harris35 said…
This book is still as interesting as the first five pages. I am really enjoying reading about all her excursions and adventures. It is unfortunate that her father is such a drunk, because when he is sober he is such a loving father. There is no doubt about it Jeannette has had a rough life ,but a very adventurous one. I believe that the family was so close because they were always around each other and looking out for one another. It's scary how many close encounters Jeannette has with fire. I am amazed to see how she still plays with it and watches it. If that had happen to me I probably wouldn't ever want to be near another fire again.
Sunday, August 22, 2010 at 4:46:00 AM GMT+1
c.harris35 said…
I have now finished the book , and I really enjoyed reading it. For most of the book it seemed like her life was getting worse and worse.It seems like the family finally caught a break when they moved to Pheonix, and inherited some money and a house. But then they moved to Welch and got kicked out of the parents house and went right back to major poverty. I think the smart move would have been to sell the million dollar property in Texas and stay in the house in Arizona. After all that, they caught another break when the kids moved to New York, That was the first time I saw Jeannette's potential finally start taking off.Jeannette did very well for herself after coming up from such a hard childhood. Which shows you that anyone has the potential for greatness if they just work hard and apply themselves.
Sunday, August 22, 2010 at 4:54:00 AM GMT+1
Katie said…
From the beginning, I thought this was going to be a very interesting book. As I got closer and closer to the end though, I began to dislike it. I would get really frustrated at Jeannette's parents for their lack of reality. I know they loved their children, but I started to see them as quite selfish. I first noticed this when their mother was hiding under a blanket eating a candy bar. I was flabbergasted that she would hide food from her kids who were just as hungry as she was. She always seemed to complain about how hard her life was, ignoring the fact that everyone else was in the same position as her. Their father wasn't much better. He was always taking their hard earned money to get drunk. I got so angry when that man at the bar took Jeannette upstairs, and her father didn't do anything. He lost all my respect after that. Despite all of this, I was really pleased by how the Walls children turned out. For their whole lives, they had to fend for themselves and learn the hard way. It would have been really easy for them to end up on the streets like their parents. They wanted better for themselves though, and as a result they all went on to have successful lives. I think that even as children they had a better grip on reality then their parents. The other thing that frustrated me about this book was that it was a little predictable. Once the Walls were finally in a pretty good place in their lives, something bad came along and ruined it. This happened a number of times throughout the book, which made me stop getting my hopes up of them finally having a good life. Although this book aggravated me a little, I would definitely recommend it to others. I think it has a good message that no matter where you come from or how bad life gets, you can succeed as long as you work hard.
Sunday, August 22, 2010 at 6:29:00 PM GMT+1
Annabelle said…
This book fills me with wonder. IN comparison to the other blog posts, I actually really like the lives these people live. The Walls' got to travel the United States. I really hate that her father is an alcoholic but I believe all the relationships are in-line. Besides the fact that Brian completely hates his father and disregards him. Something I didn't like was that they go to church and then contradict what they are told in church/only take certain parts of what the church was saying. The father's relationship and dependancy on alcohol is selfish and irresbonsible, except I like that he isn't a belligerent drunk.
Sunday, August 22, 2010 at 9:11:00 PM GMT+1
Annabelle said…
I completely adored this book at the beginning. It reminded me of the life I would have wanted to live - parents that don't really follow rules, like when Mrs. Jeanette Walls is in the hospital and the parents just check her out anyway. I like that they let their children learn things for themselves, that you just might have to cook for yourself, that you are gonna get hurt when you fall, but you're gonna learn to not fall again. True, I did see the selfishness in the Walls' parents, for instance the time when Mr. Walls went on "business trips", yet Jeanette Walls had to come rescue her father from a bar - drunk. Also, the time that the children were starved and the mother was eating chocolate bars under the covers because she had a "sweet tooth". All in all, I honestly don't believe her (Jeanette Walls) life was as god-awful as it's put up to be. Sure, they could have signed up for welfare and not been so prideful, but they always eventually got by and learned from the world that you have to grow up and different things circumstances make people happier.
Sunday, August 22, 2010 at 9:23:00 PM GMT+1
Josie said…
When first assigned this book I was skeptical about it. Being a memoir I thought it would start out at the authors childhood. The first couple pages had me confused. I was surprised when hearing about this upper class woman worrying about being over dressed. Then going out to a party in a taxi spotting her mother and ducking down worrying her homeless mother will see her. When she heads home instead of going to this party and starts hating herself for all the nice things she has was very odd. I was curious as to why she would be so upset about having all these nice things.She then calls her mom asking to go out to eat and the conversation really was depressing. Hearing the daughter offer her mother money or anything and the mother denying the help was shocking. After that conversation I began thinking there is a deeper problem with her parents. Having a daughter who is capable of helping and the parents denying the help was shocking. The first pages were indeed very good and I was hooked right off the bat.
Sunday, August 22, 2010 at 10:07:00 PM GMT+1
Josie said…
Getting farther into the book I'm completely shocked at the behavior of her family. When you hear about the incident of her cooking at the age of three and the catching on fire. I was shocked when Jeannette's mother scolds her about chewing gum. Then even more shocked when her father "checks" her out of the hospital while she is still recovering from the burns. After coming home Jeannette get right back to the kitchen and cooks some hot dogs again. I was shocked when she does this after such a traumatic incident. When reading that the family is on the move and is going town to town it makes me kind of sad. Always on the move non of the kids can have proper friends. When leaving one place Jeannette falls out of the car and it takes forever for the parents to turn around and pick her up. It seems her parents are quite irresponsible and don't take many things very seriously. When they lived in Battle Mountain it seemed the family had finally found a place to stay for a while. I was hoping the kids would get some good friends but it seemed they made some enemies. When the children get into a somewhat of a fire fight with a boy scared me. Then when they moved and the dad took them to the zoo also made me fear for the kids safety. I was kept wondering why in the world has no one taken these kids away from the parents. Also why the kids don't run themselves.
Sunday, August 22, 2010 at 10:38:00 PM GMT+1
Josie said…
When the Walls went to Welch to live with the father's parent I was a little relieved to an extent. I had heard of Welch since my grandmother grew up there I knew what the life style would probably be like. When the grandmother assaulted the brother I was appalled. Even though the grandmother was a tad rough she at first seemed to provide some sort of shelter for the kids but that was short lived. I was again relived when the parents bought a new house even thought I was run down. The mother seemed to have some mental problems. Keeping the money from the family to buy chocolate instead of food was just awful and shocking. The stay in Welsh was not all bad. Jeanette made some friends and even started writing for the schools news paper. When all the siblings make it to New York I was over joyed. They finally escaped the grasps of their horrible parents. But finding out her parents moved there and lived on the streets was the down side to things. Then having the youngest girl move with the parents also was depressing. The events so far have sent me through a variety of emotions. I have learned so much from the book and think it is such an inspiration to those going through hard times. The Walls kids went through so much and came out pretty much okay.
Sunday, August 22, 2010 at 11:00:00 PM GMT+1
MollyC said…
Finally reaching the end of this book, I realized a lot about life and the hardships that are present for some, whether they can help it or not. I have a hunch that maybe there were some mental or psychological issues for Walls' parents, but then again, their actions could have just been pure selfishness and the inability to play the role of parents. Throughout the book, there were many ups and downs and many instances where the family seemed to finally get their act together but only proving to be another false sense of security. I found myself becoming more and more frustrated after every let down with their living situations. With the ending of the book, I understood any misconceptions i held at the start of my reading. (I also was relieved that Walls did not end up believing in how her parents lived their lives!). Overall, this was a very captivating book and it proves that anyone can succeed in life despite their past, with just a little will power and courage.
Monday, August 23, 2010 at 3:15:00 AM GMT+1
John Duque said…
Finishing my reading i find myself a bit sad, not for how everything turned out but because it is over. These children went from starving, smelly, unhygieneic people to be detectives and artists. Mrs. Walls' life was difficult, yet so unbelievably amazing i cant imagine what her other books are like. The book grabbed me and kept me wanting more even when i thought about stopping all i could conjure up in my mind were scenarios of what would happen next. The book definatly satified my curiosity, from the question im sure everyone had since the begining, which was how they ended up in New York, to the simplest question of if they would have food to eat. Mrs. Walls definatly made everything possible for her family, from her older sister to her youngest sister. I have a question that hasent been answered by the book, was that texas property worth a million dollars the entire time? Could their problems have been solved? I find there mom to be very self i didn't think she did anything throughout the entire book that was positive for them. She was a bit self-centered and very selfish. She would always say its time for her to take care of herself and she wanted this and that when really she should have been thinking of her kids and what would be better for them. There father i thought was a good man, other than the obvious drinking problem he was inteligent and very optimistic. I felt bad when Rex Walls died, it really crushed everyone including the readers i think. I would definatly recoment this book to anyone and everyone looking for a good read. The only thing i could say is thank you Mrs. Colley for making me read it. :)
Monday, August 23, 2010 at 4:59:00 AM GMT+1
William Gonzalez said…
Now that I have reached my goal of reading this book the whole way through I am ready to post this last blog. The relationship between this family isn't a good one for most of the book. The father is a drunk when he is with his wife which is a horrible thing to be when your with someone you love. The Walls children made great lives come from practically nothing at all. They created good lives for themselves even though their whole lives they had to live with the worst conditions I have ever heard about. The mother was just involved with painting and she could of made the life of the family a lot better if she actually taught when they need money. The father should of fixed his drinking problems sometime in his life he had one good reason to stay sober and that reason was his family. The father liked to drink so much that he stole his children's money for college. The children protect each other and helped each other make the best they could with the bad life they had from childhood. This book shows that anyone no matter what the circumstances are can make everything they ever wished for out of nothing.
Monday, August 23, 2010 at 5:01:00 AM GMT+1
Kayla Afrin said…
Where does determination come from? Some get it by good encouragement and some get it from what you can call "bad encouragement". Well's got it from what you call "bad encouragement". She refused to live the life her parents had gave her. She refused to live in poverty forever and suffer from the choices her parents made. Like her father almost always being drunk and her mother being lazy and selfish. She was determined to get away and make a good life of her own. To do the exact opposite of her parents and that was her encouragement. They might not have best example of what to be like but she did have a great example of what not to be like. Her parents provided that type of encouragement that type that pushed her forward. They did give her that and who knows, with out it maybe she would not have made it where she is today. Maybe she is just one of those people that requires that type of encouragement. I do consider her life not as something sad but as an "adventure". As is every body's life, they are all different adventures. Each adventure difficult in their own way. She found her creativity in her adventure, she found out that she wanted to be a writer. So did her brother and sister, they also found their creativity. I enjoyed reading this book but I wasn't shocked or astonished and I don't feel sad for her. I have an unusual feel of hope. That not only she can over come her hardships but that everybody has the ability to. To live life how they what, to change it and make it their own adventure.
Monday, August 23, 2010 at 6:47:00 AM GMT+1
Jana said…
The ending to this book actually surprised me. I did not find it as appealing as the beginning. In the beginning, it was very detailed and Walls took the time to explain the situation. This goes for the entire stretch of the book as well. Throughout this story she shares with us, she is explaining what is going on in her life. But the ending seemed so abrupt. I expected it to be long and in-depth as was the beginning and middle. At first, it was frustrating to me how she bluntly told us she divorced her husband and married another man that she felt more connected with. She neglected to tell us why or how or explain a little. Perhaps, she could have planned it that way. Since her divorce was not a large part of her life, she did not want to spend so much time explaining that to readers. Overall, I felt this book was inspiring and I loved stepping into Walls world to see what it was like growing up for her.
Monday, August 23, 2010 at 12:21:00 PM GMT+1
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