The Glass Castle Character Change
Eden Erickson
Vaughn, period 3
The Glass Castle In the autobiographical novel The Glass Castle by Jennette Walls, Jennette is a young girl growing up in a dysfunctional family full of hard circumstances and extreme poverty. Yet her experiences are still very exciting; having many adventures. Her father is an alcoholic, but when sober is expressive and brilliant, teaching Jennette and her two siblings Brian and Lori about the wonders of life. Jennette changes throughout her struggles from being a wondering naïve child, to becoming bitter towards her parents for the lifestyle they have put her in to finally developing into a resilient and independent young lady finally accepting her parents for who they are. In the beginning Jennette is a wide-eyed innocuous child who doesn’t realize that her family is different. She trusts her father with her whole being not understanding that his actions and drunkenness affect her. She is innocent and trusting, believing that the limited food, unstable homes and neglectful treatment is all an adventure. “Here goes the adventure! I whispered …… After a while it got cold and uncomfortable in the back of the dark U-Haul. Several hours passed. By then we were all dying to pee and wondering if dad was ever going to pull over.” (49) Every unusual thing her family does is treated like no big deal, and trusting Jennette believes it to be normal, part of everyday life. It takes the Walls’ move to Welsh to open Jennette’s eyes to her family’s irregularities and as a result of her realization, becomes independent. The Walls family is impoverished, living in a 3-room house with no electricity, running water or heat. Her father often doesn’t come home from drinking. Jennette gets a job and vows to leave Welch as soon as possible. She wants to get away from the parents she now resents. “ I had almost $100 saved enough to get me out of there in under
Vaughn, period 3
The Glass Castle In the autobiographical novel The Glass Castle by Jennette Walls, Jennette is a young girl growing up in a dysfunctional family full of hard circumstances and extreme poverty. Yet her experiences are still very exciting; having many adventures. Her father is an alcoholic, but when sober is expressive and brilliant, teaching Jennette and her two siblings Brian and Lori about the wonders of life. Jennette changes throughout her struggles from being a wondering naïve child, to becoming bitter towards her parents for the lifestyle they have put her in to finally developing into a resilient and independent young lady finally accepting her parents for who they are. In the beginning Jennette is a wide-eyed innocuous child who doesn’t realize that her family is different. She trusts her father with her whole being not understanding that his actions and drunkenness affect her. She is innocent and trusting, believing that the limited food, unstable homes and neglectful treatment is all an adventure. “Here goes the adventure! I whispered …… After a while it got cold and uncomfortable in the back of the dark U-Haul. Several hours passed. By then we were all dying to pee and wondering if dad was ever going to pull over.” (49) Every unusual thing her family does is treated like no big deal, and trusting Jennette believes it to be normal, part of everyday life. It takes the Walls’ move to Welsh to open Jennette’s eyes to her family’s irregularities and as a result of her realization, becomes independent. The Walls family is impoverished, living in a 3-room house with no electricity, running water or heat. Her father often doesn’t come home from drinking. Jennette gets a job and vows to leave Welch as soon as possible. She wants to get away from the parents she now resents. “ I had almost $100 saved enough to get me out of there in under