research paper on the glass castle

The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls: Research

This essay about “The Incredibles” explores the film’s portrayal of family dynamics within a superhero narrative. It examines how the characters of the Parr family, each with unique superpowers, reflect their personal and family roles, grappling with modern dilemmas such as identity suppression and societal conformity. The film, while entertaining, deeply engages with themes such as self-actualization, the balance between personal desires and familial responsibilities, and the importance of teamwork. Through its narrative, “The Incredibles” parallels the challenges of superhero life with those faced by families every day, highlighting issues such as the mid-life crisis, work-life balance, and adolescent struggles. The conclusion emphasizes that the film transcends the typical superhero genre by providing a meaningful commentary on the trials and triumphs of family life, celebrating individual uniqueness while underscoring the collective strength of family unity. This blend of action and depth makes “The Incredibles” a significant cultural piece on contemporary family dynamics.

How it works

“The Incredibles,” a Pixar Animation Studios film released in 2004, provides a vibrant exploration of family dynamics through the lens of a superhero narrative. Directed by Brad Bird, the film not only entertained audiences around the world but also offered a deep dive into the complexities of family life, responsibilities, and identity. In this essay, we will explore how “The Incredibles” redefines the superhero genre by integrating everyday familial issues with the extraordinary, thus delivering a resonant story about the modern family.

The film centers around the Parr family, consisting of Bob (Mr. Incredible), Helen (Elastigirl), and their children, Violet, Dash, and Jack-Jack. Each family member possesses unique superpowers, which metaphorically enhance their individual personalities and roles within the family. Initially, the family struggles with a common modern dilemma: the suppression of their true identities to blend into normal society. This aspect of the narrative reflects broader societal issues concerning conformity, individuality, and the pressures to abandon one’s unique traits for the sake of social harmony.

Bob’s journey in the film mirrors that of any middle-aged man facing a mid-life crisis. Feeling trapped in a monotonous job, he reminisces about the glory days of being a superhero, longing for excitement and purpose beyond his routine life. Helen, on the other hand, is portrayed as the resilient matriarch who keeps the family grounded. Her challenges are emblematic of working mothers worldwide who balance professional aspirations with the demands of family life. The children, Violet and Dash, grapple with typical teenage and pre-adolescent issues, such as fitting in at school and controlling their powers (or impulses), which parallels the struggles of real-life children navigating their formative years.

One of the film’s key themes is the reconciliation of personal desire with familial responsibility. Bob’s initial selfish desire to relive his past glory leads to a series of events that put the entire family at risk. However, these events also serve as a catalyst for the family to embrace their superhero identities collectively. The narrative arc from suppression to acceptance of their true selves is a powerful metaphor for self-actualization within the family context. It underscores the idea that embracing one’s unique abilities can lead to a more fulfilling life.

“The Incredibles” also tackles the concept of teamwork, both in superhero battles and in domestic life. The film culminates in a series of action-packed sequences where each family member’s abilities are crucial to their collective success. This not only provides thrilling entertainment but also sends a strong message about the importance of each member in achieving family goals. The dynamics among the Parr family highlight how mutual support and understanding are key to overcoming life’s challenges.

Moreover, the film cleverly uses humor and action to explore serious themes such as identity crises, the role of individual talents in collective success, and the balance between personal fulfillment and family responsibilities. These elements make “The Incredibles” not just a story about superheroes but also a relatable, insightful look into the trials and triumphs of family life.

In conclusion, “The Incredibles” offers a rich narrative that goes beyond the typical superhero film by embedding itself in the realities of family life. It celebrates the uniqueness of each individual while emphasizing the strength found in unity. By paralleling superhero challenges with real-world family issues, the film resonates deeply with audiences, providing both entertainment and meaningful commentary on the essence of being part of a family. This blend of extraordinary adventure with ordinary familial struggles defines “The Incredibles” as a seminal work in the portrayal of family dynamics in contemporary cinema.

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Home — Essay Samples — Literature — Books — The Glass Castle

Essays on The Glass Castle

Prompt examples for "the glass castle" essays, jeannette walls' resilience and determination.

Analyze Jeannette Walls' resilience and determination in overcoming the challenges of her unconventional upbringing, and how these traits contribute to her success.

Parental Neglect and Unconventional Parenting

Discuss the themes of parental neglect and unconventional parenting as portrayed in the memoir, focusing on the behavior of Rex and Rose Mary Walls.

The Impact of Poverty and Instability

Examine the effects of poverty, instability, and constant relocation on Jeannette and her siblings, and how these experiences shape their lives.

Sibling Bonds and Support

Explore the importance of sibling bonds and support among Jeannette and her siblings, and how they rely on each other in challenging circumstances.

The Role of Education and Aspiration

Analyze the role of education and the aspiration for a better life in Jeannette's journey, and how they lead her to escape her tumultuous family life.

Symbolism of the Glass Castle

Discuss the symbolism of the "glass castle" as a recurring motif in the memoir, and its significance in the lives of the Walls family members.

Social Services and Government Intervention

Examine the portrayal of social services and government intervention in the memoir, and how they impact the Walls family's lifestyle and choices.

Author's Perspective on Family

Analyze the author's perspective on family, love, and forgiveness as conveyed through her narrative, and how it evolves over the course of the memoir.

Writing as a Form of Catharsis

Discuss the therapeutic and cathartic aspects of writing for Jeannette Walls and how she uses her memoir to come to terms with her past.

Comparison to Other Memoirs

Compare "The Glass Castle" to other memoirs that explore themes of poverty, resilience, and family dynamics, examining commonalities and differences in their narratives.

Poverty in The Glass Castle

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The Glass Castle Fire Analysis

The effect of a parenting style on the development of a child as illustrated in "the glass castle", the theme of forgiveness and resilience as illustrated in "the glass castle", the ideas of home in "the glass castle", a memoir by jeannette walls, let us write you an essay from scratch.

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The Relationship Between a Mother and a Son in "The Glass Castle"

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Jeannette's Overcoming Challenges in The Glass Castle

Rose mary walls character analysis, symbolism in the glass castle, rex walls: a dance between dreams and reality, the glass castle theme, what freedom means to me, symbolism in the glass castle: fire.

Jeannette Walls

Bildungsroman

Jeannette Walls, Dad, Mom, Lori Walls, Brian Walls, Maureen Walls, Grandma Smith, Erma Walls, Dinitia Hewitt, Uncle Stanley, Billy Deel, Grandpa Walls, Eric, John

Fire, animals, hypocrisy, The Glass Castle, stars, Joshua trees

Abuse, compassion vs. boundaries, strength from hardship

“You should never hate anyone, even your worst enemies. Everyone has something good about them. You have to find the redeeming quality and love the person for that.” “One time I saw a tiny Joshua tree sapling growing not too far from the old tree. I wanted to dig it up and replant it near our house. I told Mom that I would protect it from the wind and water it every day so that it could grow nice and tall and straight. Mom frowned at me. "You'd be destroying what makes it special," she said. "It's the Joshua tree's struggle that gives it its beauty.” “I lived in a world that at any moment could erupt into fire. It was the sort of knowledge that kept you on your toes.” as reading.” “You didn't need a college degree to become one of the people who knew what was really going on. If you paid attention, you could pick things up on your own.”

This book has been used in the elementary school curriculum in North America, causing some controversy as The Glass Castle was ranked 9th on the Intellectual Freedom Office's list of 10 most problematic books in 2012. The Glass Castle was adapted as a feature film released in the summer of 2017. He also has been translated into 31 languages. The Glass Castle was ranked the 17th most banned book in the US in 2010 and 2019, according to the American Library Association.

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The Glass Castle

Jeannette walls, ask litcharts ai: the answer to your questions.

Welcome to the LitCharts study guide on Jeannette Walls's The Glass Castle . Created by the original team behind SparkNotes, LitCharts are the world's best literature guides.

The Glass Castle: Introduction

The glass castle: plot summary, the glass castle: detailed summary & analysis, the glass castle: themes, the glass castle: quotes, the glass castle: characters, the glass castle: symbols, the glass castle: theme wheel, brief biography of jeannette walls.

Historical Context of The Glass Castle

Other books related to the glass castle.

• Full Title: The Glass Castle
• When Written: around 2005
• Where Written: United States (Virginia)
• When Published: 2005
• Literary Period: Contemporary
• Genre: Memoir
• Setting: American Southwest; Welch, West Virginia; New York City
• Climax: Jeannette escapes from her family and childhood by moving to New York: As she leaves the bus station she tells herself she’ll never return to Welch, West Virginia again.
• Antagonist: Sometimes, Mom and Dad; other times, the American economic and political “system”; also, the various bullies and perverts of Jeannette’s childhood
• Point of View: First person

Extra Credit for The Glass Castle

What’s the Dish? Before writing a memoir, Walls had already published one book, entitled Dish: The Inside Story of the World of Gossip , which delves into the historical and cultural context of gossip and relies upon her years as a gossip columnist.

Based on a Bestseller. The Glass Castle spent 100 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list when it came out in 2005, and in 2017 it was adapted into a movie starring Brie Larson.

“The Glass Castle” by Jeannette Walls Overview Essay

Introduction, the main characters, the themes of the book, personal opinion, works cited.

A family plays a substantial role in shaping a personality. This fact is a problem for children whose parents fail to pay proper attention to their upbringing due to various addictions. Jeannette Walls was such an unlucky child, and she described her growing up in a dysfunctional family in her memoir The Glass Castle . This essay will give a summary of the book, discuss the main characters and problems, and provide a personal opinion of the story.

Jeanette Walls is one of the four children of Rex and Rose Mary Walls. Her father was a drunkard, and her mother was a teacher who saw her calling in painting. At the age of six, Jeannette and her family moved to Battle Mountain, Nevada. They lived there in a railway station adjusted for residence. For a while, stability came to their life since Rex Walls started working for a mining company. However, he soon lost his job and spent all the money earned by Rose Mary. They also happened to attract the attention of the police due to an incident in their house. To avoid taking their children away from them, the Walls decided to move to the home of Grandma Smith, who was Rose Mary’s mother. The old woman died right before their arrival, but left them a substantial sum of money. However, the money soon was spent, and the family moved to Welch, West Virginia, where Rex’s parents lived.

Then, the Walls left the dwelling of Jeannette’s parental grandmother to settle down in a dilapidated house. Rex said that one day he would build a glass castle in that place, but his children did not believe him. Jeannette asked her mother to get a divorce, but Rose Mary refused. Therefore, Jeannette and her elder sister, Lori, began to save money to flee to New York. Their efforts were successful, and soon, all the four siblings moved to the Big Apple. Their parents also came to New York to live off their children, but as they disapproved of it, Rex and Rose Mary became homeless. Later, Jeannette was driving to a party and saw her mother scavenging the garbage cans. The woman offered her help to Rose Mary, but she refused. The story ends with a family dinner at Jeannette’s house where the Walls remembered Rex, who had died a few years ago.

The first character of the book is Jeannette Walls, the narrator. She had a complicated childhood because of her parents’ irresponsibility, but it helped her to become a strong and determined woman. Being a child, she tried to exonerate her father’s behavior because she believed in him: “I told him that I would never lose faith in him. And I promised myself I never would” (Walls 79). However, as she grew up, she realized that her trust was in vain because Rex was never going to accomplish his plans. As for her mother, Jeannette seems to lack an understanding of her life principles. When she sees Rose Mary in New York scavenging garbage cans, she thinks that her mother needs help. However, when Jeannette hears that Rose Mary is satisfied with her living conditions, she is perplexed. Generally, Jeannette inspires respect because she did not follow her parents’ steps, but became better than they were and reached success in her life.

Another character is Rex Walls, Jeannette’s father, who spent all the money in the family on alcohol. He could have been a conscientious worker since he was smart and had engineering and mathematical expertise. However, he chose the path of an alcoholic and did not bother to stay on any job for long. Some episodes, like the one when he proposed his children to choose their favorite stars as Christmas gifts since he could not give them real presents, prove that Rex had a kind heart and could have made a caring father. However, he was a weak personality who could not conquer his lust for drinks and reluctance to work, and this made his children, including Jeannette, lose faith in him.

The last character worth discussing is Rose Mary, Jeannette’s mother. Although she was qualified as a teacher, she was confident that she was born to be an artist. For this reason, she worked only when Rex had no job to prevent her children from starving. Rose Mary had exceptional values since she did not want to live in comfort, find a high-paid job, or have a happy family with a sober husband. Even when her daughter offered her to help with accommodation because she considered her mother’s lifestyle inappropriate, she refused by saying that “being homeless is an adventure” (Walls 255). Thus, Rose Mary does not evoke sympathy because she has chosen her way of living for herself and appears to be satisfied with it.

The book raises the theme of feeling abnormal and ashamed. According to Bath, young people growing up in nonstandard conditions, like Jeannette Walls, often feel shame because they do not consider themselves normal (132). It is true for Jeannette since she realized that her family was far from being ordinary, and for a long time, she was ashamed to tell anyone about her parents. Eventually, she understood that every person had a past, so there was no need for her to hide her background. It was the reason why she ventured to write her memoir.

Another theme of the novel is individualism and independence from others. Yang and Congzhou argue that it is typical of Americans to rely on themselves and keep apart from their parents after coming of age (53). However, in the Walls family, individualism seems slightly exaggerated and may be interpreted as the parents’ indifference to their offspring. Although Rex and Rose Mary wanted their children to be self-sufficient, they treated them as if they did not care about them. Surprisingly, they achieved this goal since Jeannette with her siblings indeed became independent, but, on the other side, they lost any desire to keep in touch with their parents.

Since the book describes the life of a dysfunctional family, it makes readers think of other people who live in similar conditions. However, this story allows viewing the situation from another angle. Usually, the homeless and the poor evoke sympathy because they are assumed to have had bad luck that has led them to their current state. The book shows that there may be no external circumstances, which ruin people’s life. The author reveals to readers that being a pauper with no home can be someone’s voluntary choice (Cardell and Douglas 23). The main point is that there is no way to help them because it is impossible to assist people who see nothing wrong with their behavior.

To sum up, the book is worth reading because it makes readers face reality, which is full of unpleasant things such as alcohol abuse, poverty, and vagrancy. On the other hand, it shows that a person can overcome all of this, like Jeannette Walls and her siblings did. It reveals that people themselves are responsible for their current situation, and sometimes, only their beliefs prevent them from improving their lives.

Bath, Howard. “Pain and the Unspoken Emotion: Shame.” International Journal of Child, Youth and Family Studies , vol. 10, no. 2-3, 2019, pp. 126-141.

Cardell, Kylie, and Kate Douglas, editors. Telling Tales: Autobiographies of Childhood and Youth . Routledge, 2017.

Walls, Jeannette. The Glass Castle: A Memoir . Simon and Schuster, 2017.

Yang, Liu, and Yang Congzhou. “Analysis of Sino-American Family Education Differences: Collectivistic or Individualistic? – Taking The Glass Castle as an Example.” International Education Studies , vol. 11, no. 8, 2018, pp. 51-57.

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IvyPanda. (2023, November 29). "The Glass Castle" by Jeannette Walls Overview. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-glass-castle-by-jeannette-walls/

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Bibliography

IvyPanda . ""The Glass Castle" by Jeannette Walls Overview." November 29, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-glass-castle-by-jeannette-walls/.

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Campus Reads: The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls: Research

• Jeannette Walls
• Discussion Guide

Themes: Homelessness

• "On The Road: Examining Self-Representation And Discourses Of Homelessness In Young Adult Texts." Rogers, Theresa, and Elizabeth Marshall. "On The Road: Examining Self-Representation And Discourses Of Homelessness In Young Adult Texts." Journal Of Adolescent & Adult Literacy 55.8 (2012): 725-733. Literary Reference Center. Web. 29 July 2015.
• "Hospitality and the Homeless: Jacques Derrida in the Neoliberal City" Hogeveen, Bryan, and Joshua Freistadt. "Hospitality And The Homeless: Jacques Derrida In The Neoliberal City." Journal Of Theoretical & Philosophical Criminology 5.1 (2013): 39-63. Criminal Justice Abstracts with Full Text. Web. 29 July 2015.
• Negative cultural capital and homeless young people. Barker, Justin David. "Negative Cultural Capital And Homeless Young People." Journal Of Youth Studies 16.3 (2013): 358-374. Academic Search Complete. Web. 3 Aug. 2015.

Themes: American Dream

• "Rags to Riches: The Horatio Alger Theme in Adolescent Novels about the Immigrant Experience" McGlinn, Jeannie. "Rags to Riches: The Horatio Alger Theme in Adolescent Novels about the Immigrant Experience." The Alan Review, 31.3 (2004). Web. 29 July 2015.
• "Open Secrets - My Journey from Poverty to the PhD" Brown-Chappell, Betty, "Open Secrets – My Journey from Poverty to the PhD" (2013). University Archives Book Collection. Book 6.

Themes: Poverty

• "What Poverty Does to the Young Brain" Ostrander, Madeline. "What Poverty Does to the Young Brain." The New Yorker. Conde Nast, 4 June 2015. Web. 29 July 2015.
• Bridging the Opportunity Gap. Jacobs, Gera. "Bridging The Opportunity Gap." YC: Young Children 68.5 (2013): 46-49. Education Research Complete. Web. 3 Aug. 2015.
• Improving the Education of Children Living in Poverty. Murnane, Richard J. "Improving The Education Of Children Living In Poverty." Future Of Children 17.2 (2007): 161-182. Education Research Complete. Web. 3 Aug. 2015.

Poverty in America

Credit: 1939 Dorothea Lange - Farm Security Administration/Library of Congress

The Glass Castle in the News

• The Best-selling Writer is Inspired by the Ambiguity of Doing "The Right Thing" in Her New Novel Netzer, Jamie. Kirkus Reviews , 81.12 (2013): 14-15.
• "Media Flocks To Scribner's 'Glass Castle'." Kinsella, Bridget. "Media Flocks To Scribner's 'Glass Castle'." Publishers Weekly 252.6 (2005): 20. Literary Reference Center. Web. 29 July 2015.
• "Truth and Consequences" Walls, Jeannette. "Truth And Consequences." Publishers Weekly 252.37 (2005): 74. Literary Reference Center. Web. 29 July 2015.
• "Jeannette Walls" Lewis, Andy. "Jeannette Walls." Hollywood Reporter 22 (2013): 98. Business Source Complete. Web. 29 July 2015.
• Books Banned in North Texas School District During National Banned Books Week Hope, Merrill. "Books Banned in North Texas School District During National Banned Books Week." Breitbart. Breitbart, 29 Sep 2014. Web. 29 July 2015.
• "What Kind of Town Bans Books?" Wyman, Anna Julia. "What Kind of Town Bans Books?" The New Yorker. Conde Nast, 1 Oct 2014. Web. 29 July 2015

Themes: Privilege

Book Reviews

• Booklist Review Zvirin, Stephanie. "The Glass Castle (Book)." Booklist 101.11 (2005): 923. Literary Reference Center. Web2. 29 July 2015.
• Entertainment Weekly Fonseca, Nicholas. "The Glass Castle." Entertainment Weekly 810 (2005): 107. Academic Search Complete. Web. 29 July 2015.
• Kirkus Reviews "THE GLASS CASTLE: A Memoir." Kirkus Review 72.24 (2004): 1195. Literary Reference Center. Web. 29 July 2015.
• Newsweek Kantrowitz, Barbara. "The Glass Castle." Newsweek 145.10 (n.d.): 55. Literary Reference Center. 29 July 2015.
• People Nawotka, Edward. "The Glass Castle." People 63.13 (2005): 45. Academic Search Complete. Web. 29 July 2015.
• Psychology Today "The Glass Castle." Psychology Today 38.3 (2005): 36. Business Source Complete. Web. 29 July 2015.
• Publishers Weekly "THE GLASS CASTLE: A Memoir." Publishers Weekly 252.3 (2005): 41. Literary Reference Center. Web. 29 July 2015.

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Themes: Alcoholism

• Study examines impact of parental alcoholism, childhood experience on women.
• Maternal and Paternal Alcohol Misuse and Alcohol-Related Outcomes Among College Students.
• A Systematic Review of Research on Children of Alcoholics: Their Inherent Resilience and Vulnerability.
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The Analysis of “The Glass Castle” Quotes

“The Glass Castle” is the book of memoirs of Jeanette Walls and, despite telling us about quite average life of a seemingly dysfunctional family, it has deep  symbolism behind the daily routine she paints for us in the vivid descriptive quotes . The first feeling we get while reading the book is bittersweet one.

What does the glass castle symbolize?  Jeanette’s broken dreams about happiness and easily achieving it. But thinking more about the book we start to see the real family loyalty  behind all the neglection, alcohol abuse and overall depression. Both Rex Walls and Rose Mary Walls loved their children. They could have made countless mistakes while raising them and coping with their own family conflicts , but in this quotation analysis  we want to show you the real feeling of Walls family, presented to us by author through rich symbolism .

“One time I saw a tiny Joshua tree sapling growing not too far from the old tree. I wanted to dig it up and replant it near our house. I told Mom that I would protect it from the wind and water it every day so that it could grow nice and tall and straight. Mom frowned at me. “You’d be destroying what makes it special,” she said. “It’s the Joshua tree’s struggle that gives it its beauty.”

Maybe one of the most  important quotes  when we say about symbolism  is the one about Joshua Tree. This symbol has one of the richest meanings in all the book. The old house is very important to Jeannette: it is the place where her dreams and her images about perfect family are stored. For her the old house is, in a way, her glass castle of happiness.

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Jeannette clearly associates the little sapling with herself. She projects her desire to be protected to the tree, deciding to pamper it and save it from any stressful impact from the outside, thinking that to be straight is the perfect way to grow for that tree. But her mother, who seems to understand this projection, says that it won’t do the tree any good.

The nature prepared the Joshua trees for growing under the strong winds and heavy rains, their tangled branches are not a distortion of some perfect image, but just the representation of their uniqueness. Accepting the idea that the tree needs challenges to grow up as strong as it has to be is a moment of coming of age for Jeannette.

She understands that overprotection isn’t the option of raising her and her parents still love her, the  family loyalty  isn’t shattered. Moreover, Rose Mary shows in this conversation how much she understands her daughter and her concerns, giving her exactly the answer that is really needed at the moment.

To add something from outside the story: Jeannette’s mom is right. Some positive stress (a stress that is bearable and stimulates us to struggle, not breaks us, turning us into depressed wrecks) is not only useful for the development of the living beings – it is absolutely necessary and is the matter of their survival – as is the protection of the family and basic trust in family values , knowing that your pack, clan or parents are right behind your back to catch you if the wind is too strong for you to bear.

Dad had lost his job at the gypsum, and when Christmas came that year, we had no money at all. On Christmas Eve, Dad took each one of us kids out into the desert night one by one. “Pick out your favorite star”, Dad said. “I like that one!” I said. Dad grinned, “that’s Venus”, he said. He explained to me that planets glowed because reflected light was constant and stars twinkled because their light pulsed. “I like it anyway” I said. “What the hell,” Dad said. “It’s Christmas. You can have a planet if you want.” And he gave me Venus.

This one is also one of the most important of “The Glass Castle” quotes . It shows both the financial status of the family (they even didn’t tell the kids about Santa Claus to not let them think they were bad children and didn’t deserve the presents). But still, Rex Walls takes his time and puts all his creativity to make a remarkable Christmas for his family.

It is also one of the most descriptive quotes , showing the average talk between the family members, without brushing up (see  Rex Walls  saying “what the hell” to his kids?). He may be rude, abuse alcohol, be neglecting and not care about his house properly, but he comes up with the best present he is capable of.

Moreover, we see that Jeannette’s family cares about her education: her father explains her the difference about the stars and planets and he is able to distinguish Venus amongst the rest of the stars. Later, after this quote, Jeannette discusses the properties of Venus, like its atmosphere and proximity to the Sun, so we understand that the family values  of Walls family include high standards of education – astronomy isn’t something that neglectful parents usually teach their children.

Another precious thing that makes these words one of the most important quotes  in all the book is the later explanation of Rex Walls that the average presents – toys and sweets – will not live long while the stars will be with them forever, reminding them of this Christmas and the wonderful evening they spent together as a family. The stars represent family values , love and care, the eternal parental love that doesn’t need material proofs to be true. Stars are Jeannette’s ideals and the embodiment of the sweetest memories about her family.

“I wondered if the fire had been out to get me. I wondered if all fire was related, like Dad said all humans were related, if the fire that had burned me that day while I cooked hot dogs was somehow connected to the fire I had flushed down the toilet and the fire burning at the hotel. I didn’t have the answers to those questions, but what I did know was that I lived in a world that at any moment could erupt into fire. It was the sort of knowledge that kept you on your toes.”

Fire is another powerful piece of symbolism in the book. Fire represents danger that just appears from thin air to burn Jeannette. Fire represents not only danger, but insecurities of the girl’s life, some force of nature she can’t resist and only avoid it, hoping not to get burnt. Family conflicts are heavily associated with fire: something destructive, incomprehensible, that kids have no power to stop.

Jeannette keeps a personal grudge towards fire, thinking of it as of something semi-sentient that is after her and after her feeling of safety and security of the world around. She even imagines all the fire in the world being related, like Rex Walls  said all humans are, granting the fire the power of some evil superior mind that is capable to choose its victim and pursue her (“…if the fire had been out to get me”).

She also feels that the fire can emerge from everywhere without any obvious reasons (as the fire truly does sometimes), that only enhances the feeling of insecurity it represents. The symbolism  of the fire is meaningless destruction, something that can easily disrupt whatever was achieved before with such hard efforts – trust, understanding, peace in the family.

Interesting that everything connected with Jeannette’s family is represented through something connected to light. Stars – the gentle and eternal sources of light – represent family values, fierce and unpredictable fire represents family conflicts and is something opposing to the stars. The geode – a stone with crystals inside – from Jeannette’s rock collection, the only thing she takes with her when it’s time to move, perfectly represents her family.

Under the grey and ugly shell that is what the Walls family looks from the side, there are crystals that reflect light in a beautiful way – something that again is connected with light and represents the real essence of their relationships – family loyalty  and devotion to each other.

As we can see from “The Glass Castle” quotes , the story about real events is thoroughly interwoven with rich symbolism  that can tell us even more than the exact words of even the most  descriptive quotes . The world of symbols is an average thing in the childhood, but in this book they are so precise and bright that they create a separate story that is seen from beneath the original one like the beautiful crystals are seen beneath the dull green stone shell of Jeannette’s geode.

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The Glass Castle Research Paper .

• By Research Team
• on April 29, 2020
• in Sample Papers
• The Glass Castle Research Pape...

Parenting Styles

The Glass Castle Research Paper

Instructions:

What are parenting styles and how do they impact children? I need to write a research paper about this topic and related it to the book The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls. The research paper needs to discuss and provide real life examples connecting to the characters and details happened in the book. Also, the paper needs relevant statistics and data. Lastly, a bibliography page is also required and need to be in MLA form.

(Instructors’ name)

Four main parenting styles exist which explain how parents raise and nurture their children. The four are neglectful, authoritarian, authoritative and permissive parenting styles (Plotnik and Kouyoumdjian 1-5). These methods affect the growth and outlook of children and influence their lives in a positive or negative way. Parenting supports and promotes the social, emotional and intellectual growth of children from childhood to adulthood. It is necessary that people understand their various parenting styles and develop better parenting methods to raise children with high self-esteem and positive outlook on life.

 Most people regard authoritative parenting as the most beneficial and efficient parenting method for healthy kids. These parents are easily recognizable and have high expectations for their off springs. They translate these expectations in an understanding way and support the children into growing to what they deem fit. Such parenting creates a healthy environment for child growth (Bernstein 9). It also assists in creating productive relations between parents and their children. Nearly 97 percent of children from these families succeed in school and get good jobs.

Unlike authoritative parenting, neglectful parenting is quite harmful and can scar a child permanently. These parents rarely care for the children’s physical and emotional needs. They lack an understanding on the ongoings of their children’s lives, and the home environment is unsafe. They hardly ever spend time with their children and lack basic information about their children’s lives like the friends to their kids, teachers, talents, how the children spend their time and if they partake in any dangerous activities. Neglectful parenting results in children lacking a proper role model from their parents. They engage in risky behavior such as truancy, drug use, and premature sex since they lack the attention from their parents. Most children from neglectful parenting are school drop outs, have drug dependency problems or become young parents at an early age.

Permissive parenting involves parents that are loving, nurturing but lenient to their kids. These parents are usually responsible and tend to their children’s needs but are a bit lax regarding delivering discipline to their children. They lack a distinction between disciplining and punishing children thus end up raising offsprings with little self-control and self-discipline. Permissive parents set few and inconsistent rules to their children. They fear exercising too much power and punishment as they believe punishment will affect the children negatively. Some permissive parents resort to this parenting method due to the strict upbringing from their childhood. Others adopt it because they are afraid to upset their children. Despite the sentiments and thoughts that they are creating a free and open environment for their kids, permissive parents affect their children and raise them into lacking discipline, and control which may result in future bad behavior.

Authoritarian parenting entails demanding parenting methods. These parents are quite strict. They have a rare open dialogue with their children and expect them to follow their expectations and rules dutifully. They use punishment to obtain obedience from their children and to educate them. Authoritarian parenting results in children with low self-esteem stemming from their harsh childhood experiences. 70 percent of kids from these backgrounds are abused both emotionally and physically since some parents may overindulge in the punishments. In most cases, these parents punish their children without explaining the cause of punishment because of the minimal communication that exists between these two parties. The children, therefore, develop into shy adults who cannot express their views and see punishment as a normal behavior. They also mistake obedience for love and misbehave when away from their parental figures. Authoritarian parenting is useful for the development of healthy children. Parents should, however, find a balance between authoritarian and authoritative parenting.

 Jeannette Walls’ the Glass Castle clearly illuminates parenting styles and how the style of parenting can affect the child’s future. Walls’ childhood was a poor one characterized with a stubborn mother and an alcoholic father. Her parents raised Walls and her three siblings Brian, Lori, and Maureen in a permissive and neglected manner. The children had the freedom to do what they pleased how they saw fit. The parents at times abandoned them especially during times when the father went to support his drinking habits, and the mother was away. The poverty and Rex’s alcoholic behavior and Mary’s stubborn habits are what resulted to the permissive and at times neglected parenting styles. The family had nothing to lose thus no need to exercise excessive authority. The parents were also not role models, and their lifestyles had nothing to desire therefore the minimal expectation of the parents for their children.

Rex and Mary’s parenting styles resulted in their children’s independence. Their parents’ behavior made Walls and her siblings learn to earn money at an early age. The children would do menial jobs to obtain money that was used to buy food (Walls 62). The kids sometimes stole food during instances where they lacked money (Walls 68). They would at times sleep hungry for consecutive nights due to lack of money. It is very unfortunate that Walls and her siblings had to suffer while other children lived comfortably. They learned how to steal to support themselves. The gesture is understandable since the lack of food results to starving, but the act is wrong, juvenile and can lead to imprisonment at an early age. Such behavior can also lead to bad relations with the community who view such behavior as distasteful and unlawful which can make life difficult and cause stigmatization at an early age.

Walls and her siblings faced an unfortunate upbringing because of their parents’ habits and the have-nots parenting styles. Walls learned to steal from her friends’ to avoid starvation. The young kids used to wander around collecting beer cans which are both unsafe and may result in kidnapping or sexual assault. More so, they were sexually and physically abused by their in-laws. Such childhoods have a 99 percent children sexual and physical abuse. Parents need education on the effect of their behavior and their parenting methods on their children.

Rex and Mary loved their children, and they had a chance to provide good lives for their kids, but they chose themselves over the children. Mary for instance had property that she could have cashed in and completely changed her children’s life but she did not. Mary was a teacher but instead chose to paint to fulfill her life’s dreams. She positioned herself before the kids and at times finished food for them. Rex, on the other hand, chose to use the money to buy alcohol as opposed to providing the necessities to his children. Alcoholism is a choice, and it results to the misuse of money and violent behavior as portrayed by Rex (Walls 112). This family would have a better life were the parents more responsible, grounded and more strict on their children.

In her book, Walls explains how parenting styles depend primarily on the behavior of parents. Walls’ childhood would be different and better were her parents responsible, understanding, caring and not alcoholic. Parents should, therefore, work on themselves and provide better lives for themselves to better rear their children and provide better lives for them. Parents should learn at an early age how to become authoritative parents. The authoritative parenting style is the best as it ensures responsibility, care, mentorship, good communication, good freedom and discipline on the children. All parents have the ability to practice authoritativeness once they prioritize their parental obligations, provide for their families, ensure proper communication, protection, and instill discipline. Rex and Mary would have made excellent parents had they done the same.

The style of parenting also provides a good foundation for a child’s future. Walls and her siblings except Maureen strove to provide better lives for themselves. Their poor upbringing, abuse, and poverty made them yearn for a better life. According to Urban institute’s 2015 statistics, 13 percent of poor students are less likely to complete high school and 43 percent to complete college, some children raised in neglect and loving homes strive to better their lives. Rex taught his kids how to dream big and have positive visions of a better life. Despite his flaws, he taught his children life philosophies. Thus, parents have an obligation to nurture their children to grow into meaningful and better human beings. Despite the theft and other poor behavior by Walls and her siblings, Rex and Mary’s parental methods resulted to independent off springs. Parental styles, therefore, have a significant effect on how a child turns out. A parent may lack the financial ability, and the capacity to provide for their children but the children may still succeed depending on how their parents raise them. Walls was taught to envision a better life and strive to attain it thus her success. However, poor upbringing can also result in bad choices and behavior by some individuals. Maureen, for instance, succumbed to drugs and criminal activity as an adult. Parenting styles are therefore crucial in the raising of obedient, upfront, law bidding and productive adults.

In conclusion, it is necessary for parents to adopt the authoritative parenting style while raising their children. This parenting style ensures that children have good manners, discipline, how to behave and the necessity for expectations and goals in life. Also, parents should be positive role models to their children to ensure that they provide a good example that their children can emulate. Parenting is an obligation and parents should provide the necessities for their kids to make sure that they have a positive life. Parents should learn the difference between good parenting and pampering; firmness and leniency; independence and excessive freedom; and lastly discipline and punishment. All these impact the future of children once they become adults in various ways. Walls and her siblings had a difficult childhood, but they managed to succeed except Maureen. Their parent’s parenting styles despite not being perfect taught them about independence, survival, and yearning for a better life. It is, therefore, possible to create better lives and future for one’s kids despite a rough life. Parents should teach their children about having aspirations and positive traits which can only achieve by proper communication and good role models. Parenting requires a balance which results in better lives for children once exercised properly.

Works Cited

Bernstein, Douglas A. Essentials Of Psychology. 6th ed. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing, 2011. Print.

Plotnik, Rod and Haig Kouyoumdjian. Introduction To Psychology. 5th ed. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing, 2010. Print.

Urban Institute. Child Poverty And Adult Success . 2015. Print.

Walls, Jeanette. The Glass Castle . 1st ed. New York: Scribner, 2005. Print.

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