The Glass Door

Maureen is often forgotten throughout the entire story of The Glass Castle written by Jeannette Walls. We are very tragically reminded of Maureen’s presence when she stabs her own mother while living in New York. Reflecting back to the beginning of the story, we can see why Maureen has a mental breakdown. She is born into a world of violence, her parents fail to care for her, and she lives her entire childhood in neglect.

In this both heart wrenching and slightly humorous memoir, successful journalist Jeannette Walls tells the bittersweet story of her rather dysfunctional and poverty stricken upbringing. Walls grows up in a family trailed by the ubiquitous presence of hunger and broken down homes. Throughout the memoir she recounts memories of moving from one dilapidated neighborhood to another with her three other siblings, insanely "free sprinted" mother, and incredibly intelligent yet alcoholic father. The author focuses on her unconventional childhood with somewhat unfit parents much too lazy and self-absorbed to even obtain decent jobs. Although Walls's childhood gushes with heartbreaking tales of searching through dumpsters for food, she remains as

Through The Glass Castle, Jeannette shows the world how an impoverished, neglected girl grows into a successful author and wife. Jeanette, herself, is a living proof of ultimate success showing the world that no matter what situation you come from, ultimate success is completely possible. She starts out with memories from the time when she was as young as three along with the rest of her family, constantly on the move, deserted towns in the middle of the night "Rex Walls ' style” and lived in numerous places, all the way up to her present-day. Throughout her life, Jeanette dealt with poverty, hunger, malnourishment, along with an alcoholic father and an unstable mother. But for Jeanette, the

As I read the Glass Castle, the way Rose Mary behaves, thinks and feels vary greatly and differently throughout the memoir. The immediate question that pops up in my mind is to ask whether Rose Mary carries some sort of mental illness. Fortunately, given the hints and traits that are relevant to why Rose Mary lives like that in the memoir, we, the readers, are able to make some diagnosis and assumptions on the kind of mental illness she may carry. To illustrate, one distinctive example is when Rose Mary blames Jeannette for having the idea to accept welfare. “Once you go on welfare, it changes you. Even if you get off welfare, you never escape the stigma that you were a charity case.” (188). In my opinion, Rose Mary is being nonsense and

1. “We laughed about all the kids who believed in the Santa myth and got nothing for Christmas but a bunch of cheap plastic toys. 'Years from now, when all the junk they got is broken and long forgotton,' Dad said,'you'll still have your stars.”

The house grew darker as he travelled through, hoping he entered the right room. He stumbled over a pile of wood left from the flooring. Catching himself, he called out to the girl again.

She edged her body along the wall trying to keep from frightening it further and eased downstairs to open

Instead of ignoring the girl this time, she raced to the front door, no longer wondering if she was a rouse of some sort. Lauren threw open the door and looked down at the girl with a white face. “What happened to you?”

The cold winter breeze hit her skin as she stepped out of the warm truck, ordinarily, she immediately wrapped her arms around the black coat attempting to keep her warm, as she was freezing from the sudden temperature change from the truck into the chilly air. Looking back to the sled being drawn out of the back of the truck, then she turned around and her eyes landed on the Rocke’s house, their close family friends. Gazing briefly at her parents one last time, ran to the door of the house, ready to get out of the cold momentarily.

The faint sound of a child’s desperate cry was heard through the cracks of our door and it was not a surprise to hear another piercing scream in the break of daylight. This was a sound we heard daily while wondering who the next victim was. Her status in society towered over other ranked class, seemingly respected and admired person. As I observed every child shiver in fear of her existence, my resolve only

When she awoke the skies were gray and gloomy, the air suddenly was cold and felt as though it could cut like a knife. Something felt out of place, but Lori could not put her finger on it. Her feet hit the floor, and began looking around only to see that she is all alone.The place that once was warm and welcoming now is all but that. The frail girl screams loudly, when there is no reply, she knew something must be terribly wrong.

"Calum you 're going to hit the girl stop!" Michael yelled out as I instantly stepped on the breaks causing the car to come at a full halt. Right in the center of the road was where a girl sat with her head turned at us and what appeared to be her pupils dilated. Her hair was a complete mess, and her clothes looked like rags frosted with dirt all over. I left the car walking up to her, with every step I took towards her she backed away from me, fear obtaining her eyes.

“You're sure running fast.” a voice said behind her. It sounded like a little kid. Why was a little kid following me? She thought.

Not more than ten minutes later, she heard a sound of footsteps growing near her as if someone sneaking behind her. She opened her eyes

He casts his lens over to a youthful schoolgirl, giggling and laughing as she has a heart-to-heart with one of her closest friends. Enthusiastically she frolics through the bright autumn leaves and dirty grey mulch. She has the wind in her hair and appears as free as a bird. Wearing a pale green top and yellow floral skirt, she blends into the wild flourishing shrub surrounding her. “Paige!” Her mother yells across the congested playground. She is young, yet appears mature well beyond her years. She walks with a sense of confidence and a poise gaze, superior to those around her. Her sandy brown hair, tiny hazel eyes and a little button nose, offers a sense of hope and innocence to the sinful and agonising reality of life.