Jeannette Wall: An Escape From A Dysfunctional Family

An Escape From a dysfunctional Family
Throughout her life, Jeannette Wall’s family has been anything but normal. Through her journey of self discovery she learns how to be independent from her parents and live a happy life. When Jeannette was young, she did not realize how chaotic her family life and living conditions were. As Jeannette grows up, she realizes her family has problems and tries to fix them herself to improve her family's life. As she becomes an adult, Jeannette takes matters into her own hands and separates herself from her parents. Throughout Jeannette’s voyage of self-discovery, her view of her family changes drastically through childhood, adolescence, and adulthood which leads to becoming independent from family.
At a young

age, Jeannette does not realize that her responsibilities are not typical of someone her age. She thinks her family is completely normal, if not perfect. “In my mind, Dad was perfect, although he did have what Mom called Dad’s ‘beer phase.’ We could all handle that. Dad drove fast and sang really loud, and locks of his hair fell into his face and life was a little bit scary but still a lot of fun” (23). Jeannette did not realize how bad their living conditions were. For example, even though she and her siblings did not get anything for Christmas, she still thought her father’s gift was the special. “‘Pick out your favorite star,’ Dad said that night. He told me I could have it for keeps. He said it was my Christmas present” (40). Even her mom thinks that Jeannette is mature and responsible enough to do adult things. “Mom handed me the baby. I was going to turn six in a few months, and Mom said that I was mature enough to hold the baby the entire way home” (46). As a result the parent’s life choices, Jeannette is forced to mature at a young age, even though she does not realize that she is taking on adult responsibilities.
As Jeannette grows up, she becomes aware of her family’s imperfections. As a result, she tries to take matters into her own hands to improve their lives. They live in an old house in horrible condition. Jeannette wants her family to fit in so she tries to repaint the house. “Dad was making no visible progress on the Glass Castle, and I knew that the can of yellow paint would sit on the porch unless I undertook the job myself” (157-158). Jeannette tries to take advantage of a chance to improve her living situation when she and her brother, Brian, find a diamond ring. With the ring they could have food, but their mother insists on keeping it.
”’But Mom,’ I said, ‘that ring could get us a lot of food.’
‘That’s true,’ Mom said, ‘but it could also improve my self esteem. And at times like these, self esteem is even more vital than food’” (186). Jeannette knows that instead of keeping the ring they should sell it to help improve their lives, but her mother disagrees. Jeannette knows the way her family is living is unacceptable and wants to change it. “I knew the problem was not that we all had poor circulation. We did not need to start doing toe touches. We needed to take drastic measures” (187). Jeannette knows that the only way she can get things done is by herself.
As she becomes older and more mature, Jeannette starts to take drastic measures to separate herself from her parents.

She and her siblings have little jobs they do to gain more money, but it doesn't add up to much. “But at least we had money. While I’d been bringing in a little extra cash babysitting, Brian was cutting other people’s weeds, and Lori had a paper route, it did not add up to much” (196). Jeannette got her first actual job at a jewelry store. The money she got there was real cash that could be saved up. “Mr. Becker hired me on the spot for forty dollars a week in cash. I was thrilled. It was my first real job. Babysitting and tutoring and doing other kid’s homework and mowing the lawn and redeeming bottles and selling scrap metal did not count. Forty dollars a week was serious money” (215). Jeannette and her older sister, Lori, decide to go to New York together once they are old enough and escape their parents. “Lori would leave by herself for New York in June , after she graduated. She’d settle in, find a place for us, and I’d follow her as soon as I could” (223). Jeannette finally takes matters into her own hands and leaves her parents to go live where she can make her own money and own decisions about how to live her

life.
Jeannette Wall’s relationship with and point of view of her family changes throughout the novel. At the beginning, she does not realize the differences between her family and others. She is forced to mature at a young age because of her irresponsible parents. Before becoming aware of how her parents were different, she thought her family was perfectly normal. Once she realizes the seriousness of their situation, she tries to make things better herself. Finally, Jeannette realizes that the only way to stop living in horrible conditions is to leave her parents and live her own life. Jeannette's journey of self discovery changes her view of her family as she matures, which leads to living an independent live.