Homework Journal #2 The Glass Castle

A. How does the following passage epitomize the Walls’ lifestyle and demonstrate Jeannette’s tolerant and understanding character? How does the swimming event compare to the fire incident on p. 9?

The following passage epitomizes the Walls’ lifestyle perfectly. They move around like nomads and the parents believe in letting their children learn from themselves with no interference from them. The obvious solution to see his daughter couldn’t swim was to throw her into water. Even once she “staggered” (Walls 66) out of the water he simply told her, “If you don’t want to sink, you better figure out how to swim”(Walls 66). Jeannette accepts her father’s excuses because she does not believe there would be any other reason for what he did. That there was “no other way to explain it”(Walls 66). Jeannette does appear tolerant of many things. When many incidents happen she usually wants and believes everything to be okay.

B. How does Jeannette describe her father in the beginning of the memoir? How does she express her trust in her father? Cite specific examples.

In the beginning of the memoir Jeannette describes her father as “perfect” (Walls 23). She idolizes her father and believes almost everything he says. She trusts her father when she is burned as a child. She even trusted her father when he said they were coming back for her after she had tumbled from their car. Whether her father tells her outlandish stories or something close to the truth, Jeannette believes him.