The title- The Glass Castle-is hence a flawless summation of the many broken, fragile promises that had been made to Jeanette by her parents, particularly her father, who would perpetually ask his daughter-“have I ever let you down?” With the strength and endurance of a glass castle, this memoir exhibits the impact these many unfulfilled promises have on the lives and personalities of a young, adaptable and ambitious girl. The tumult of their lives primarily arose from the mindsets of their parents-Rex was an ingenious, brilliant inventor whose drinking spells led him to threats, crime and dishonesty Rose Mary was a mentally unstable woman who despised the ambiance of domesticity, and strove to embrace the free and independent will intrinsic in her nature. Unornamented and almost deceptively simple, Jeanette’s writing style immaculately describes the turbulence of her life under negligent and irresponsible parents, as well as her opinion of it as a wonderful, unforgettable adventure. The Glass Castle is a chronicle of frightful experiences that the four children are expected to treat as thrilling and glorious-from hasty, dangerous getaways to constant shifts between mining towns due to financial issues. Insignificant as they may seem, these incidents mark the beginning of the disorganized, peripatetic life that is experienced by Jeanette and her three siblings (Brian, Maureen, Lori).
During Jeanette’s stay in the hospital, her father whisks her away despite the nurses’ protests, since he spurns the concepts of modern medicine. The story narrates Jeanette’s life from the age of three-from the time she had severely burnt herself when making hot dogs because of her parents’ belief that she was old enough to play with fire. Highlighting her struggle to overcome the trauma of her past of poverty, this memoir focuses on Jeanette’s transition from destitution to the riches of upper middle class, and the undercurrents with her haphazard, artist mother (Rose Mary Walls) and father (Rex Walls)-who seem to be desperate to depart from social conventions and lead disorderly lives.
The Glass Castle is an intriguing memoir written from the viewpoint of Jeanette Walls-an introspective, adventurous and highly interesting character.
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