The Glass Castle, pp. 214-288

August 8, 2014

#5

Jeannette was able to get a job at a local jewelry store when her parents were still jobless.  Having this job, making money, it made Jeannette realize that she had hope to get out of the poverty she was currently living in.  She realized that if she saved up enough money she could buy food, clothes, and even move to become successful and live a happy life.  She also had an interest in journalism.  This interest allowed her to become independent in that she could succeed in something she really loved while being able to express herself in ways she never had living at home. 

For Jeannette, moving up to New York was a turning point in her life.  This move allowed her to get away from her parents who were always dragging her down, to have a steady job, while living in a bustling city.  Another reason that this is a turning point in her life is because she decided to make this move:  this wasn’t another one of her dad’s “skedaddle” moves.   Jeannette had the mindset to move to a big city and start journalism career, where she could be successful; as she did.

Jeannette’s parents continue to live on the streets, even when their children are grown because they don’t want to change their way of life.   Their parents are used to living in poverty and they don’t want to change it.  Also, Rosemary, Jeannette’s mother tells her that living on the streets is an adventure.  “You just can’t live like this,” I said.  “Why not?” Mom said.  “Being homeless is an adventure” (225).  I also think that her parents are lazy.  They never wanted to work, and even if they did, all of the money would go to alcohol or art supplies, never food or anything beneficial for the family. 

Maureen stabs her mother because she feels like she got the short end of the stick.  She is the youngest of the family and doesn’t have the options that her siblings had.  Maureen knows that her siblings got out of the house because of their parents but she isn’t able to, so she has built up a lot of anger.  Rosemary decides to kick Maureen out of the house when Maureen’s attempts to leave did not work out.  This occurrence sends Maureen past her breaking point and this is when she snabs her mother.  Jeannette apologizes in her head “for everything” (276) because at a young age she promised Maureen that she would take care of her and not let anything happen to her, but Jeannette left for New York, leaving Maureen back home with her parents.  Jeannette feels that if her and Maureen would’ve stayed together that nothing would’ve happened.