Summary of the Novel

The novel The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls is the story of her childhood and growing up in a terribly poor family. The story consists of many tales about her parents who can't adjust to society and struggle to keep food on the table for their children. Jeannette's family consists of her father Rex, her mother Rose Mary, her brother Brian and her two sisters Lori and Maureen.

The story begins for Jeannette at the young age of three as her first memories are of her being scolded by boiling water as she tries to cook some hot dogs for herself. She spends the next few weeks in the hospital which just may be the best weeks of her childhood as she is able to eat the normal three meals a day. Jeannette's father then breaks her out early to avoid the bill.

The Walls family spends their lives in about three different places that are the most prominent in Jeannette's memory. The first location that they lived is in the desert at Battle Creek. The second location where the family lives is in Welch near Rex's parents. The third and final place where the Wall's live is in New York after the children grow up.

The desert is the first home of Jeannette and this is where most of her childhood takes place. This is the only time where the family is somewhat a true family and where they have the least amount of problems. They live in their grandma's old house which they inherited after her death. This is the only place where Jeannette truly feels at home during her childhood.

The town of Welch is one of the poorest towns in the United States during the 1970's. The Wall's have to move to Welch due to financial desperation in which they live with Rex's parents which Rex hates. The town of Welch gives the Wall's their biggest difficulties as a family and this is where they fall apart due to the harsh conditions. The children finally get sick of living in extreme poverty and save up enough money to move to New York.

The children move to Welch one by one as they save up enough money. Eventually the whole family moves out and the children become somewhat successful. Lori, Jeanette and Brian go to college and get quality jobs. Jeanette grows up to be a journalist. Brian grows up to be a successful detective. Rex Wall's dies from a heart attack after destroying his body all those years with alcohol. The final scene in the novel shows a Wall's family reunion five years after Rex's death giving a toast to him saying, "Life with your father was never boring."