Education In The Glass Castle

A quality education is one of the most important things a human being can receive in their lifetime. It can lead to amazing opportunities and experiences that may not be available to others who do not have proper education. Some families cannot afford the best possible schooling for their children so they have to settle for less. This is not always the case. The Glass Castle defies all statistics and shows the story of how three low income children grew up to be successful in their own way—despite the many obstacles the children face regarding their education during the formative years. The keys to the Walls children’s success can be found in three aspects: 1) Their parents’ emphasis on reading and questioning 2) Their acceptance into the gifted/talented programs in Phoenix and 3) Their resilience during their time in the Welch School District. Rex and Rose Mary Walls were very intelligent people that were gifted in their own ways. Rex was a very skilled engineer and electrician who loved teaching his children about logic and his views on controversial topics. Rose Mary was a
woman of the arts. She loved painting, reading, and writing. The Walls children learned these things at a very young age so their reading and learning level was outstanding compared to students their age. Although they traveled from place to place so frequently that they were not always enrolled in public school, the children had their parents teach when no one else could. A study by Brookings Institute shows that less than half of the children who grow up in poverty are ready to start schooling at the age of 5. Children who grow up without poverty stand at a 75 percent. (Isaacs) With a steady emphasis on education throughout their younger portion of life, the Walls children defied the statistics and became successful. Although at times it seemed like the entire world was against the Walls children, they did have a fair amount of support while in Phoenix. Teachers noticed their gifted minds and put them in classes that challenged them. They were also verbally praised, which was very uncommon. A library was in biking distance and fresh oranges growing on trees met their basic needs. Phoenix was the best time for the Walls in terms of education, but it the rest of their childhood was a downhill spiral. Welch, West Virginia is not described as the most pleasurable place to live in The Glass Castle.
The Walls children are bullied for having their father as the town drunk, old clothes with holes in them, and a stench of not showering for weeks on end. “If you don’t want to sink, you better learn to swim.” (P. 66) The children learned how to swim while in Welch. At times, it seemed as if the world was against them and there was no light at the end of the tunnel. Somehow through all of their struggles, their grades stayed high and so did their hopes. With an alcoholic father and an “unusual” mother, the kids had fight for themselves. Jeanette stated in an interview about how she does not blame her mother for not taking care of her differently because she could not take care of herself. (Diversity Conversation) The Walls children managed to escape Welch and make their success in New York
City. Poverty and education have more ties to each other than the average eye can pick up. The Glass Castle hits on these two topics with an unlikely twist. Against all odds and statistics, the Walls children were successful. The three aspects that contributed to their success are their parents’ emphasis on reading and questioning, their acceptance into the gifted/talented programs in Phoenix, and their resilience during their time in the Welch School District.