Review by Seohyun Park, 12
Some do not perceive that the consequences of alcoholic can impact them until they experience it first hand. It is only when a person is living with one, are they truly able to understand. Jeannette Walls told her story of growing up as one of these people. Every moment of Jeannette Walls’ life revolved around dealing with her father. In her memoir, The Glass Castle, she recounts growing up in a harsh environment, learning to persevere through the hardships with her alcoholic father, Rex Walls. Suffering through a penurious lifestyle with three other siblings and an alcoholic parent, she tenaciously fought her way to survive. Jeannette Walls’ life was built upon the chronic alcoholism of her father. Jeannette Walls’ pessimistic outlook on life derives from the ways her father limited the resources that were necessary to fulfill a standard lifestyle. Growing up with an alcoholic parent was the rationale behind every struggle Jeannette Walls experiences. Encountering many hardships can be indicated through her life as she describes dealing with the conditions of living with an alcoholic father when reading her memoir, The Glass Castle. Having an alcoholic be the main influence of a child is detrimental. As a child, Jeannette Walls lived in an environment where her alcoholic parent, Rex Walls, caused many problems within his family and his own life. Despite this, Jeannette Walls managed to overcome all of the struggles while growing up, eventually considering these extraordinary experiences. As a theme, coming of age means that a character is growing up either mentally, physically, or spiritually. Throughout The Glass Castle, the protagonist, Jeannette Walls, develops physically and mentally throughout her memoir. She goes through many difficulties, which makes her mature faster compared to children her age. The path she takes as she comes of age includes many different factors compared to other children, which made her who she is today. Throughout this book, it is apparent that the environment in which she lived and the family surrounding Jeannette all impacted her life when growing up. Living in penury, Jeannette learned many different ways to survive and to grow up independently, like when she made food for herself at a very young age. She comes of age as she matures throughout her transition from childhood to adulthood. When reading, there will be many instances where the reader can realize the effects of dealing with hardship, whether those results be benefits or consequences. As a fan of reading memoirs, this book is a must-read. It recounts experiences that not many may encounter; however, it presents another world and view of life, leaving a powerful remark on perseverance and grit.