The Glass Castle ~ Whole Book, Final Discussion
- Scott
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The Glass Castle ~ Whole Book, Final Discussion
Now that you have finished the book, what do you think? Did you enjoy reading it? Would you recommend it?
What do you think of Jeannette's life as she describes it? Her life seems like something out of a movie, with the alcoholic father and the "starving artist" mother.
I think it is interesting to read any story of someone who can have life where they face troubles including poverty but then become a bestselling author.
What do you think of her attitude as she recounts her past? Do you get the feeling she has dealt with her past emotionally? Or, do you get the feeling that her past problems and embarrassments still haunt her emotionally?
"Non ignara mali miseris succurrere disco." Virgil, The Aeneid
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- Scott
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"Non ignara mali miseris succurrere disco." Virgil, The Aeneid
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A Glass Castle was rather heartbreaking! Even though the mother not using the money to feed her children was appalling i was more disgusted with how easy forgiveness came from Jeanette. Even though i understand that kids forgive so easy, Jeanette just blew me away. And not just her.... all of the children forgave them. No matter what their parents did whether it was starvation or even stealing their money they forgave them. All in all they gave more love than they received. They had to take care of themselves while their parents just cared about the material things. It just goes to show you that sometimes the children are the most mature and responsible people in a household.
These people did not deserve their children, as so many other people dont deserve theirs. All i can hope for is that the children that grow up in family's like this grow to become strong people that not only uderstand what a real family is, but know the difference between being the parent and being the child.
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I just finished her Jeannette Walls' book, Half Broke Horses. It is fiction but there is some truth in it according to her. It sort of helps you to understand her mother a little better.
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Like many of you, I was so upset when I discovered the mother had all that land.
I would highly recommend this book.
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Rex Walls is Jeannette's father and the founder of the idea "The Glass Castle". Rex intends to build a glass castle for his family of six with the money he is convinced that he would receive upon finding gold. He refuses to abide by even the most basic of society's rules and instead chooses to live selfishly, guided by his exaggerated and unrealistic dreams. Rex is portrayed as exhibiting many signs of mental illness and alcoholism; he is very intelligent but not in any tangible way, he is an "excitement addict", he is constantly shirking his responsibilities, he makes promises that he doesn't keep, he seems to have an over-inflated sense of self, he continually (consciously or subconsciously) sabotages many positive developments in his life or the life of his family, he has extreme difficulty in adequately providing for his family despite his professed desire to do so. The reader is given insight into a possible contributing factor of Rex's dysfunctional behavior when it is revealed that his mother Erma had tried to abuse Rex's son Brian by touching him inappropriately, indicating the potential extent of the cruelty his mother had shown toward Rex as a child. Despite all of his shortcomings, Rex manages to keep his children healthy, get them a quality education, and he brings his children great joy by "giving" them unrealistic presents, such as a star in the sky. He never abuses his children (although depriving his dependents of their basic needs is arguably abusive) and he always keeps their hope alive. He is portrayed by his daughter Jeannette as a very charismatic man who is deserving of her frustration but also of her sympathy as she attempts to understand him.
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