The Glass Castle Comic
Why Did Jeannette Walls start off the novel with this scene?
DESCRIPTION: When Jeannette was just a young girl, she was cooking hot dogs all by herself. When she went to feed her dog one, her dress burst into flames. Her Mom came and eventually put out the fire with a blanket. Jeannette had burns all over her and was rushed to the hospital.
ANSWER: The author chose to introduce the novel with this scene because it was her earliest memory, making it where her rough life began. This was the age that she started to become independent. This accident happened while she was making hot dogs on her own. Most children have their parents to make food for them but Jeannette had to make it herself. After the accident happened, she came to a realizion that she isn't always safe. This scene also sums up her childhood and shows her struggles growing up. It shows how even from a young age, she was doing things on her own and it wasn't easy. Although she had many accidents, she still kept going.
ANSWER: The author chose to introduce the novel with this scene because it was her earliest memory, making it where her rough life began. This was the age that she started to become independent. This accident happened while she was making hot dogs on her own. Most children have their parents to make food for them but Jeannette had to make it herself. After the accident happened, she came to a realizion that she isn't always safe. This scene also sums up her childhood and shows her struggles growing up. It shows how even from a young age, she was doing things on her own and it wasn't easy. Although she had many accidents, she still kept going.
The Strive For Perfection (The Glass Castle)
Everyone’s lives are filled with struggles. No matter how much someone may strive for perfection, there are always difficulties that are beyond their control. The novel, “The Glass Castle”, is a perfect example of this because Jeannette and her siblings were forced to live independent lives and fend for themselves. All her childhood struggles can be narrowed down to three main difficulties.She stuggled finding food, a warm home and safety for her siblings. The characters in this novel show people that they should be thankful for what they have.
Food is something that is vital to anyone’s survival. Jeannette had to find food for herself and her siblings. Most people take food for granted, but the Walls kids, were forced to get their own food on most occasions. If they couldn’t afford food, they would simply starve. Jeannette said, “When I started sixth grade, the other kids made fun of Brian and me because we we’re so skinny”. (Wall Page 173)This shows that their lack of food didn’t just affect their health, but also their social life. She also said, “After we redeemed the bottles or sold the scrap metal, we walked into town, to the drugstore next door to the Owl Club. There were so many rows of delicious candies to choose from”. (Walls Page 62) Jeannette and Brian were so desperate to get food, even if it was only candy, that they would sell scrap metal they found on the ground. No child should have to go through the struggle that Jeannette did, as a child, to find food.
Shelter is another thing you need to survive. This is another thing Jeanette struggled to find.Unfortunately, Jeannette never got to experience what a warm home feels like. She and her family constantly moved place to place, staying in old houses and buildings with no heat. Sometimes they didn’t have a house to sleep in. For example, “After the hotel burned down, we lived for a few days on the beach”. (Walls Page 34)Then later on in the novel, while they were living in a house, Jeannette said “We had about a gazillion cockroaches”. (Walls Page 100) Even when they had a house there was always something to stop them from calling it a home. Jeannette and her family didn’t have the luxury or comfort of a warm home. They froze in the winter and were forced to live with many complications in the house, such as termites and cockroaches.
Jeannette’s last struggle is something many of us never have to worry about, safety. She and her siblings had run into trouble multiple times. Most children don’t have to worry about their safety because they have their parents to protect them. Jeannette didn’t have her parents to protect her, so she had to look out for herself. “A few days after I started school, four Mexican girls followed me home and jumped me in an alleyway near the LBJ Apartments” she said. (Walls Page 44)Another time when she was jumped she said “She pushed me in the chest, and I fell backward. I tried to get up, but all three girls started kicking me”. (Walls Page 139) Jeannette was beaten up on multiple occasions because she was poor. She was skinny and easy to take advantage of, so no one thought much of her. Jeannette couldn’t go to her parents because they wouldn’t do anything to stop the beatings, so she simply kept it to herself.
In conclusion, perfection is impossible and can never be achieved. There are too many problems and worries to have a perfect life. This is clearly shown in the novel “The Glass Castle”. The main character Jeannette struggles with finding food, a warm home and safety for her and her siblings. Even though Jeannette had a hard childhood, she is thankful because her past is what makes her the person she is today. This sends the message that no matter how many difficulties you have in life; it is always worth it in the end.
Food is something that is vital to anyone’s survival. Jeannette had to find food for herself and her siblings. Most people take food for granted, but the Walls kids, were forced to get their own food on most occasions. If they couldn’t afford food, they would simply starve. Jeannette said, “When I started sixth grade, the other kids made fun of Brian and me because we we’re so skinny”. (Wall Page 173)This shows that their lack of food didn’t just affect their health, but also their social life. She also said, “After we redeemed the bottles or sold the scrap metal, we walked into town, to the drugstore next door to the Owl Club. There were so many rows of delicious candies to choose from”. (Walls Page 62) Jeannette and Brian were so desperate to get food, even if it was only candy, that they would sell scrap metal they found on the ground. No child should have to go through the struggle that Jeannette did, as a child, to find food.
Shelter is another thing you need to survive. This is another thing Jeanette struggled to find.Unfortunately, Jeannette never got to experience what a warm home feels like. She and her family constantly moved place to place, staying in old houses and buildings with no heat. Sometimes they didn’t have a house to sleep in. For example, “After the hotel burned down, we lived for a few days on the beach”. (Walls Page 34)Then later on in the novel, while they were living in a house, Jeannette said “We had about a gazillion cockroaches”. (Walls Page 100) Even when they had a house there was always something to stop them from calling it a home. Jeannette and her family didn’t have the luxury or comfort of a warm home. They froze in the winter and were forced to live with many complications in the house, such as termites and cockroaches.
Jeannette’s last struggle is something many of us never have to worry about, safety. She and her siblings had run into trouble multiple times. Most children don’t have to worry about their safety because they have their parents to protect them. Jeannette didn’t have her parents to protect her, so she had to look out for herself. “A few days after I started school, four Mexican girls followed me home and jumped me in an alleyway near the LBJ Apartments” she said. (Walls Page 44)Another time when she was jumped she said “She pushed me in the chest, and I fell backward. I tried to get up, but all three girls started kicking me”. (Walls Page 139) Jeannette was beaten up on multiple occasions because she was poor. She was skinny and easy to take advantage of, so no one thought much of her. Jeannette couldn’t go to her parents because they wouldn’t do anything to stop the beatings, so she simply kept it to herself.
In conclusion, perfection is impossible and can never be achieved. There are too many problems and worries to have a perfect life. This is clearly shown in the novel “The Glass Castle”. The main character Jeannette struggles with finding food, a warm home and safety for her and her siblings. Even though Jeannette had a hard childhood, she is thankful because her past is what makes her the person she is today. This sends the message that no matter how many difficulties you have in life; it is always worth it in the end.
My Book Club Discussion Comments(The Glass Castle)
Hi my name is Amadore and I go to FHCI. I chose this book because I thought it was a book I would enjoy.
When I read the first three pages I didn't know if I should be disappointed or sad. I felt bad for Jeannette because of her parents being embarrassing but I also felt upset because she shouldn't care what other people think. I also felt bad for how Jeannette's parents lived even though it was their choice. I was also surprised when her mother wouldn't accept any help from her.
I think the book is going to be about Jeannette and her parents past. In the end I think she will remember all the times she spent with her parents and then learn to accept the way they choose to live.
I think she opened up with this particular story because it was a main event in her childhood and it greatly affected her. After that day she loved to play with fire and she even had more encounters with it. I also think it sums up her parents' views on life. This showed that her parents were very rebellious and opinionated because they took Jeanette out of the hospital with out the doctor’s permission. Finally it shows that her parents don't have much sympathy and they want their kids to be independent. Jeannette had to make her own meals when she was only three. Also after she was burned, they took off her bandages, even though it increased the chances of infection. Therefore, she chose to tell this story because it tells the most about her past.
I think what this says about their parenting is that they want their kids to be tough, independent and know how to stand up for themselves. A benefits of this parenting style is that there kids will know how to take care of themselves better in the future. It also makes the kids mentally and physically stronger. It prepares them for their future and teaches them how to carry their own weight. A drawback for having this outlook is that since the kids are so independent, they may not have as good of a relationship with their parents as other kids their age. They also have to make many decisions on their own, which can be hard because they have to figure out right from wrong, on their own.
I think the reason Rex always asked his kids if he ever let them down is because he knows he has but when his kids say he hasn’t it makes him feel better. As long as his kids believed he didn’t let him down, he would believe the same thing.
I think what Rose is trying to say is that she’s not like all the other mothers. She likes when surprised happen in life and she likes when things are unpredictable. She seems like the kind of person who believes that life is an adventure and you never know what might happen next.
If I worked for the family and children services, I would take the kids away from Rex and Rose. Although the way they raise their kids may make them stronger in the future, it still isn’t healthy. When they starve it is because their parents are too lazy to get a job and support the family. Rex can’t hold down a job and Rose doesn’t want to work which shows that they are not fit to be parents. These kids starved, froze in the winter, were made fun of and never had many friends because of how poor they were. This could make them stronger people but it is also unhealthy and could scar them.
I think the reason Jeannette and her siblings stayed close to their parents as adults because they felt they had to take care of them. Although they were the parents and didn’t want to accept their help, they still felt like they had to give to them. When they were young they would stick together and take care of each other as much as they could. They had bad houses and barely any food growing up and now they know what it feels like to have warm showers and food on the table. They want their parents to be happy and be there for them, even though they weren’t always there for them.
My last memory of the novel will be Jeannette and how difficult her life was. The novel showed me that you will eventually change in the future, but your past will always be with you. Jeannette became the person she was because of her rough past and she has her parents to thank for that.
When I read the first three pages I didn't know if I should be disappointed or sad. I felt bad for Jeannette because of her parents being embarrassing but I also felt upset because she shouldn't care what other people think. I also felt bad for how Jeannette's parents lived even though it was their choice. I was also surprised when her mother wouldn't accept any help from her.
I think the book is going to be about Jeannette and her parents past. In the end I think she will remember all the times she spent with her parents and then learn to accept the way they choose to live.
I think she opened up with this particular story because it was a main event in her childhood and it greatly affected her. After that day she loved to play with fire and she even had more encounters with it. I also think it sums up her parents' views on life. This showed that her parents were very rebellious and opinionated because they took Jeanette out of the hospital with out the doctor’s permission. Finally it shows that her parents don't have much sympathy and they want their kids to be independent. Jeannette had to make her own meals when she was only three. Also after she was burned, they took off her bandages, even though it increased the chances of infection. Therefore, she chose to tell this story because it tells the most about her past.
I think what this says about their parenting is that they want their kids to be tough, independent and know how to stand up for themselves. A benefits of this parenting style is that there kids will know how to take care of themselves better in the future. It also makes the kids mentally and physically stronger. It prepares them for their future and teaches them how to carry their own weight. A drawback for having this outlook is that since the kids are so independent, they may not have as good of a relationship with their parents as other kids their age. They also have to make many decisions on their own, which can be hard because they have to figure out right from wrong, on their own.
I think the reason Rex always asked his kids if he ever let them down is because he knows he has but when his kids say he hasn’t it makes him feel better. As long as his kids believed he didn’t let him down, he would believe the same thing.
I think what Rose is trying to say is that she’s not like all the other mothers. She likes when surprised happen in life and she likes when things are unpredictable. She seems like the kind of person who believes that life is an adventure and you never know what might happen next.
If I worked for the family and children services, I would take the kids away from Rex and Rose. Although the way they raise their kids may make them stronger in the future, it still isn’t healthy. When they starve it is because their parents are too lazy to get a job and support the family. Rex can’t hold down a job and Rose doesn’t want to work which shows that they are not fit to be parents. These kids starved, froze in the winter, were made fun of and never had many friends because of how poor they were. This could make them stronger people but it is also unhealthy and could scar them.
I think the reason Jeannette and her siblings stayed close to their parents as adults because they felt they had to take care of them. Although they were the parents and didn’t want to accept their help, they still felt like they had to give to them. When they were young they would stick together and take care of each other as much as they could. They had bad houses and barely any food growing up and now they know what it feels like to have warm showers and food on the table. They want their parents to be happy and be there for them, even though they weren’t always there for them.
My last memory of the novel will be Jeannette and how difficult her life was. The novel showed me that you will eventually change in the future, but your past will always be with you. Jeannette became the person she was because of her rough past and she has her parents to thank for that.