The Glass Castle

       I chose to read the book titled The Glass Castle  for my third marking period independent reading book. This astonishing story is told from the perspective of Jeanette Walls, the daughter of Rose Mary and Rex Walls. Jeanette and her three siblings lived an unusual childhood where they learned to take care of themselves at a young age. Her mother did not want the responsibility of raising a family, despite the fact that she had four children, and her father was a dishonest and destructive drunk. Her childhood was less than ideal dysfunctional parents and a poverty stricken upbringing.
     The purpose of Jeannette Walls writing this memoir is simply because, as she described it in her book, "it is time to tell my story." However, I think the purpose of the beginning of her novel is to engage the reader enough to get them "hooked" and wanting to keep reading. The exigence of Jeannette Walls writing this book is her husband, whom she says pulled this story out of her and convinced her to put it on paper. The audience targeted to read The Glass Castle is older teens or adults, as some of the content and language written in the book is not suitable for young kids.
      Thus far, Jeannette Walls has used a variety of rhetorical devices to grab her readers attention and draw them in. If the reader is not captivated within the first ten two chapters or so, then they will not want to read on. One rhetorical devices she uses really well is imagery. For example, she writes "Mom had grown up in the desert. She loved the dry, crackling heat, the way the sky at sunset looked like a sheet of fire, and the overwhelming emptiness and severity of all that open land that had once been a huge ocean bed," (Walls 21). Through the use of descriptive language, she draws the reader in by making the desert sound like a beautiful place, contrary to the dry and deserted picture most people have in their minds. Another place where descriptive language is seen is through her use of personification. For example, “The flames leaped up, reaching my face” (page 9). Through this, she engages the reader and makes them want to keep turning the page. She also has used symbolism thus far in her writing. One symbol I have noticed is her blanket. "I watched the fire, expecting that at any moment my blanket would burst into flames. Dad wrapped the blanket around me and picked me up, then ran down the stairs, leading Lori and Brian with one arm and holding me in the other" (Walls 33). Although only a short way into the novel, I can already tell Jeannette's blanket is very important to her. Because Rex and Rose were not the most comforting parents, Jeanette seeks comfort in her blanket instead. By referencing the blanket, Jeannette shows her readers, that although she was so young, she knew she would have to seek comfort somewhere other than in her parents.
      I think Jeannette Walls has achieved her purpose thus far in her memoir. Through her use of descriptive language and irony, she captivates the readers attention and makes them think deeply. This strategy further leads to the reader wanting more. Also while reading, I was astonished that this actually happened to little kids while they were growing up. So astonished in fact that at some points I did not believe it. This astonishment factor led me, and I probably other readers, to continue to read her memoir.