Book Review

The Glass Castle, by Jeannette Walls, is a story of struggletosurvive in poverty. Jeannette Walls was the daughter of Rex and Rose Mary. She also had two sisters and a brother. Rex and Rose Mary's way of living ruined her childhood, but I think that it helped her in the long run to become a stronger person. Jeannette pretty much had to fend for herself as a child because her father was a drunk and her mother did not want the responsiblity of caring for a family. When her father was sober, though, he did teach them a lot about a number of different things, but mostly he brought out their imagination. They never really stayed in one place, they were always moving around. The kids all had to deal with bullies at school and people looking down upon them because they did not have nice clothes, and they could not always take showers. Rex and Mary Walls did not care what others thought of them. They enjoyed living the way that they were. They tried to teach their kids to ignore people who looked down on them and not let it bother them, but I could tell that Jeannette and the rest of the kids really did want a better life.
They finally find the will, and the money, to leave their old life, and start a new one for themselves. The Walls kids all looked after one another and always stuck together. They truly cared about each other very much. Although Jeannette's parents did not give her a great life as a child, she talks about them in the story with such affection, and she does make it hard at times for the reader to hate her father or her mother for what they did.
I really love this story. I was hooked from the first page. It kept me guessing at what great adventure they were going to go on next throughout the whole book. At times, it was hard to believe that all of the events in the story truly did happen. I really like how the story was told all in the child's voice. It is much more effective that way because it makes the reader be able to really feel what Jeannette was feeling as a kid. The story also gives the reader a great sence of the setting.
I liked the kids, but I did not like Rex and Mary. Rex was just a drunken jerk most of the time who was, for the most part, the reason for the problems that the family had. When he was sober, he did inspire the kids to use their imagination, and he taught them a lot, but when he was drunk, which was most of the time, he was just destructive. The kids had to care for themselves. They needed to find ways be obtain food and to get clothes and money. They stuck together and got through it though. Having a strong opinion of the characters in the book makes it more interesting to read.
This was just an amazing book, and the whole time I was reading it I never wanted to put it down. It just really makes you feel like you are in the story, and it gives the reader a great understanding of what the Walls children had to go through.

Quote

"Poverty often deprives a man of all spirit and virtue; it is hard for an empty bag to stand upright."

This quote is saying that poverty makes a person shameful and if a person is in poverty, they cannot have any pride in themselves or stand strong. This quote is wrong about the family in The Glass Castle. They are extremely poor, but they choose to be this way. Their mother has a teaching degree so she could go get a job teaching, but she chooses not to. Their father is a very knowledgeable man and if he put his mind to something, I am sure that he could achieve it. Although I think they are capable of doing a lot, they choose to live the way they do. The do not follow the 'normal' rules of society. Their dad does not usually get regular jobs, and even if he does, he does not keep them for long. He thinks that one day they are going to strike gold, but it is not working out well, and they are living in bad poverty. Although they are living in terrible conditions, it does not bring down their spirits. They stay positive in just about every situation, no matter how bad things get. They always find a way to get eachoher through tough times. They stand up strong for what they believe in, no matter what other people think of them. For example, when Rex takes the kids to the zoo, and they go over the gate and pet the tiger. People think they are crazy and think that is wrong, but he does not care what they think. Their parents do not care if others think they are bad parents; they are raising their kids the way they think is the right way.
None of the people in this family have been deprived of their spirits. Their father may be a drunken jerk most of the time, but I do not believe that this is because they are poor. I believe that they are poor because of his drinking and the way that he wants to live his life. So this family is an example of how poverty does not bring down all of a persons spirits and virtues. This family has their own virtues, which they stick to, no matter what others think. This family is pretty much in poverty because they choose to be, so I think they are happier living the way they are than they would be living by the 'normal' rules.