Summary Of Jeannette Walls By Jeannette Walls
This amazing story of survival and dysfunction, of imagination and rationalization, and of shear ingenuity is a testimony to the flexibility and beauty of children. Jeannette Walls’ true story flashes back through a childhood with crazy addicted parents (the father to alcohol; the mother to art and idealism and the father) who raised three children in spite of recurrent poverty, nomadic tendencies, and a heritage of rebellion.
The heiress-mother ends up rummaging in a dumpster, homeless in NYC, as Jeannette rides in a limo, recognizing her. The memoir unravels from this image. It is a tale of ups and downs as only America can stage. Cross-country descriptions, survival skills learned by necessity, and a strong independent family that somehow loves and stays together make this an unforgettable read. Cultural and class …show more content…
It is a book of our times, and yet a period piece that pre-dates some of the more stringent child-abuse laws. The children tend the parents as well as themselves, and rise above their circumstances. Resilience, courage and society’s assumptions are addressed.
California and the Southwest in the mid-20th Century seemed innocent enough for these Bohemian souls, yet the realities of supporting a family were totally beyond their capabilities. But self-nurtured, isolated kids became self-sufficient, quite literate and, eventually, quite functional members of civilization.
As a memoir, this is truly unique. It must have taken tremendous effort to write this often painful recollection of your own life. Yet, the exercise of exploring the dynamics of such a dysfunctional family, and the parental unit as a separate entity analyzed by a daughter, had to be a revelation and a healing experience. One merit of the work is the strength of character bred into these children, celebrated and seen in
The heiress-mother ends up rummaging in a dumpster, homeless in NYC, as Jeannette rides in a limo, recognizing her. The memoir unravels from this image. It is a tale of ups and downs as only America can stage. Cross-country descriptions, survival skills learned by necessity, and a strong independent family that somehow loves and stays together make this an unforgettable read. Cultural and class …show more content…
It is a book of our times, and yet a period piece that pre-dates some of the more stringent child-abuse laws. The children tend the parents as well as themselves, and rise above their circumstances. Resilience, courage and society’s assumptions are addressed.
California and the Southwest in the mid-20th Century seemed innocent enough for these Bohemian souls, yet the realities of supporting a family were totally beyond their capabilities. But self-nurtured, isolated kids became self-sufficient, quite literate and, eventually, quite functional members of civilization.
As a memoir, this is truly unique. It must have taken tremendous effort to write this often painful recollection of your own life. Yet, the exercise of exploring the dynamics of such a dysfunctional family, and the parental unit as a separate entity analyzed by a daughter, had to be a revelation and a healing experience. One merit of the work is the strength of character bred into these children, celebrated and seen in