Book Club #1 Response

THE GLASS CASTLE

BY

JEANNETTE WALLS  

         According to most dictionaries, the definition of home is, "the place where one lives permanently, especially as a member of a family or household." However, home takes a new meaning when it enters Jeannette's life in The Glass Castle. For Jeannette, she would not have a "home" at all if she followed the dictionary definition of home, for she moves from place to place, often staying for only a day or two. Having a drunk, alcoholic for a father and ditsy,immature mother, this is expected of Jeannette's life, especially having three other siblings. Continuing to move from place to place throughout the book, the reader wonders if Jeannette will ever have anything to call home.
         Money was hard to come by and in order for Jeannette's father to avoid paying bills and rent, he forced everyone to move before he could get caught with the landlords. As a result, Jeanette couldn't really call any place she moved in, a home. Several times during the story, Jeannette thought that her family had finally established a home to call their own, but she spoke too soon, when her father would wake the family up to get up and leave. However, Jeannette never lost hope, for she still had faith in the Glass Castle. This would be her family's dream house and she believed every new move was a new option to consider building the Glass Castle on and they would surely find that perfect land and would finally settle down and have a home. "Of course I love moving!"
         And finally Jeannette's wish had come true, or so she thought. The family had moved to Welch and they found a house that only cost a thousand dollars to buy. They were planning to pay fifty dollars a month until they paid off the cost. The house was old and run down, with mold growing and the house rotting in a certain places with no insulation. But Jeannette's father assured Jeannette that they just wanted the property so they could build the Glass Castle on it and would live in the house for the time being as it was built. Jeannette couldn't wait until it was built and marveled at the fact that she would have a home. She was so excited that she and her brother, Brian, dug a deep hole for the foundation of the house. But as soon as it was built, garbage bags started to pile in it since Jeannette's father couldn't pay the weekly garbage fee. So as the garbage increased, Jeannette's hope decreased until it finally was gone and Jeannette decided that it was time she made a home for herself without her dead beat father who never came through for her. At a last ditch effort to keep Jeannette with him, Jeannette's father brings up the Glass Castle and how he's ready to start. But Jeannette has lost faith in him and only says, "Go ahead and build the Glass Castle, but don't do it for me."
          The plan was to meet her older sister, Lori, in New York. Jeannette was desperate for a home and she hoped everything would end in New York City. But as soon as her bus pulled into New York, Jeannette knew this was her home. Jeannette pursued her dream in New York as a writer and owned a house with her husband, John, and her 15 year old step- daughter. Jeannette's family also made a home in New York and Jeannette never felt happier. It was there she stayed and called home. 
          Throughout the story, Jeannette has gone through an emotional journey. All her life she wanted a home and she had gone from hopeful to dejected and then finally enthusiastic. When you think about your home, you originally think it as a building you live in. Nothing important.  But really, your home is where you have family and can be happy. Jeannette found her home in New York, where she was with family and was happy. Having a home impacted Jeannette Walls in such a way that she retold it in The Glass Castle.