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." 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.
      So far in the book, she has used a multitude of rhetorical devices. One device that I have seen repeatedly used is understatement. For example, she writes her dad saying "Good thing we raised you young 'uns to be tough." Obviously, the parents have raised their children in a corrupt and unsafe environment which is far from raising them to be tough and strong. However, she uses understatement to get her point across. It makes the reader realize the severity of her message and helps them further understand what she is trying to portray. Jeanette Walls also uses similes and metaphors throughout her memoir to further describe what she is portraying. An example of simile is "“The cheetah licked my palm, his tongue warm and rough, like sandpaper dipped in hot water” This descriptive language helps the reader envision what Jeanette Walls was thinking and feeling in the moment these actions were occurring. 
    I do think Jeanette Walls has accomplished her goal of telling her story to her readers in an interesting and "page turning" way. The story in its self makes the read want to continue to read however the rhetorical devices used also enhance the readers ability to understand what she is portraying. Understatement, simile, and metaphor all help engage the reader into her writing but also helps them understand the message and purpose of the text on the page.