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.