Homework Journal #3 The Glass Castle

A. How do the Walls siblings show loyalty toward each other? Cite specific examples. Despite her family’s support and loyalty, during which instances does Jeannette feel lonely?

The Walls’ siblings show loyalty toward each other throughout the novel so far. For example, when Billy, a neighbor, constantly pesters Jeannette about being his girlfriend, she doesn’t even want to be his friend anymore. In retaliation Billy came to their yard one day with a BB gun. He then tried to shoot all of the children with it syaing, “I told you you’d be sorry” (Walls 87). So, as the children were contemplating what to do, Lori ran inside their house and returned with their father’s gun. Aiming at Billy she pulled the trigger. She “wasn’t as good a shot as [Jeannette]” but she still fired off the gun. When Jeannette opened her eyes Billy was gone so the children went out onto the street. About 50 yards from the Walls Billy started shootoing again. Jeannette snatched the pistol from her sister and shot at Billy. He then ran off. The children were unified in defending themselves against a threat. Jeannette does begin to feel lonely when she starts a new school she begins to be picked on and can’t esily defend or stick up for herself.

B. How does the Christmas incident signify a turning point in Jeannette’s life? Does the event change her perspective about her father?

The Christmas incident at North Third Street in Jeannette and her family’s home does signify a turning point in Jeannette’s life. At Christmas Mass Jeannette’s father is inebriated adn yells about Jesus being “world’s best-loved bastard” (Walls 114) and is asked to leave. When they reach their house they try to placate him with one of his Christmas presents, a “brass cigarette lighter” (Walls 115). He then, in a drunken haze, lights their tree on fire and everyone scrambles to put it out. Once it is out, everyone shuts down. They don’t scream, or rage, they “ all had [their] own ways of shutting down and closing off, and that was what [they] did that night”(Walls 115). I believe Jeannette’s eyes were sort of opened about her father’s drinking problem. He had ruined the Christmas that was supposed to be the best they had ever had. Jeannette didn't “ like [her father] when he talked like that”(Walls 114).

C. How does the Walls’ life in Welch compare to Battle Mountain and Phoenix? In what way does Jeannette’s life in Welch shape her late childhood/early adolescence?

The children’s lives in Welch is very different from other places. They meet their father’s mother, father, and brother for the first time. They also gain a new perspective about the world and their father. They begin to understand why their father is the way he is having to grow up in Welch. Also, in school, Jeannette doesn’t have any time to spend with her brother so she becomes lonely and can not defend herself against her bullies. “There was no stopping those girls until [the bullies] had their fill” (Walls 139). With this time by herself she realized that she was alone and becomes more independent. Her time in Welch allows her to grow maturely.