The Glass Castle: The Walls

Even as a young kid, Brian takes on the reasonability of a father, like they way children do when one or both of their parents are absent from their lives. I first noticed it when tried to defend Jeannette, when the young girls were beating her up. And when he protected Jeannette from the knowledge of what actually goes on in the Green Machine. Brian has always been there for Jeannette to protect her. When Rex was "at work", and the creep came in and was touching Jeannette, Brian was there ready to attack. Where was Rex when all of this happened? He was "at work." Even under ten years old, Brian is more of a father than Rex has the potential to be.

At the beginning of the Glass Castle, it appeared as if the Walls children were getting a nontraditional way of being educated. Their reading level was way above what it could've been, if they would've went to school like normal children. They were able to learn things that they could help them in real life, like shooting a rifle. Even though it is very dangerous, it did help the children protect themselves when needed. Plus, the children were able to have a basically healthy relationship with their parents. As the book went on and the children got older, their parents started having them learn the traditional way, by putting them in school. This caused the Walls to come crashing down. Rex started to drink more and more since he wasn't teaching his children, causing him to become abusive and neglectful toward his family that he was supposed to be supporting. The more Rex became an alcoholic, the more Rose Mary started to blame and hate the children. Only seeming to care about them when she could benefit from them in some way, shape, or form. She also resents them because they are preventing her from becoming an artist.  She feels as if they are holding her back and taking from her. That's why she hid the chocolate bar from her starving kids. And why she never sold her inherited land that was probably worth one million dollars.

The Walls Family

I like how Jeannette Walls writes the beginning of the book as if she was a kid living it, while still keeping her current perspective on her past. It makes it enjoyable to read because she puts the reader in the her eyes, as if we are living it ourselves.

I don't understand how they manage to just pick up everything and leave on a whim, or how they don't get caught when skipping out on so many bills. This definitely shows some of the flaws of America. In a way, they are able to work around the system. This entire family works together to get free hospital care, free housing (for a little bit), no punishment for crimes. Honestly, I think that her father is the problem. He spends all of their family's money on booze, abuses his wife, drags his family on his selfish adventures. Don't get me wrong, the mother isn't blameless. She thinks children should be able to take care of themselves, which is understandable when they are almost to adulthood, but when they are only 3 years old! That is pure neglect right there. The idea of family roles is very present through out the book. Walls mocks the idea that the family is lead by the father. Just the fact that denies his kids true medical care, demonstrates the irony in his role. They even say that Rex is the leader of the family, which is true, he leads them right into trouble.

The Walls family, seems to have their own idea of the American Dream. Their dream is to be as unlike the average American. This is because the average American would see them almost as savages. I think it's more of their way of coping with their failure to accomplish the real American dream. It seems to me, that the Walls almost have an Emersonian way of life. Not conforming to society, living in the wilderness, home schooling their children, ect., but they lose more than they gain.