English Composition

Learning Goal: I’m working on a english discussion question and need an explanation and answer to help me learn.

Discussion 6-12 Jeannette Walls pp. 133 to 135

This essay is the first chapter of Walls memoir, the Glass Castle that chronicles her childhood in poverty and how she managed to create the life she wanted.. Pay close attention to the desription Walls uses to create her mother and herself at different poits in life. describe herself and the one she uses to describe her mother. In what ways are they similar and in what ways are the different. Who do you like better What do you think her point was and as you read the story, did you sense an “attitude” from Walls? How might they do so? Do you think they might ever reconcile?

There are five parts to this assignment:

1. Answer the question in the prompts above in a short (500 word) essay

Peer Review

1. Read the essays prepared by two other students.
2. Evaluate those student-written essays against the ACT Rubric,
3. Offer suggestions for revisions that would make the student revisions clearer, more interesting essays for a general college audience.
4. Provide a brief summary of each student essay and some analysis of the content you found RESPOND TO BENJAMIN
5. Jeanette uses unique descriptions to create herself and her mother at different points creating a variety of similarities and differences. I would say the first difference is when she describes how she sank down in the backseat of the taxi when she saw her mom to make sure she didn’t call to her on her way to the party. While her Mother was digging through the trash smiling with glee anytime she came across something that could potentially be valuable. The next difference would be when she says she feels ashamed of herself and feels as if she needs to help her parents. However, her parents insist they don’t need anything it just goes to show the difference it what she considers a need versus what her parents consider a need. The similarity I noticed was when she is describing how she can still see the resemblance to things her mom did for her as a kid now. I think that is similar to how her mom has always looked at her as her bright light as you can tell from when she enters the diner. I don’t really get the feeling of an attitude from Walls but more of almost just a sense of embarrassment and a little bit of frustration. I think it is clear she is slightly embarrassed based off the way she sunk into the seat in the taxi and how she said towards the end well what am I supposed to tell people about my parents. Also, I believe she gets so frustrated with herself for living a luxurious life on Park Avenue and wearing pearls and feels as if she is doing something wrong. On the other ha nd she gets frustrated with her parents because when she is reaching out to help, they won’t accept it because the believe they don’t need it and she just can’t understand how they are satisfied with what they have. In conclusion, I do believe they can reconcile their relationship it will just take effort and understanding from both sides. First Walls will have to simply stop caring about the opinion of others and be there and be proud of her parents. Also, to be more understanding and open to the way of life her parents have chosen and support them in the decision they made. For the parents I believe they will also need to become more open minded maybe stay in a small environmentally friendly apartment or something and only use what they need. It would give their daughter some relief knowing they are in out of the cold in the winter. I believe with work from both sides they can have a great and growing relationship. RESPOND TO DAVID
7. Jeanette Walls is a troubled woman. Her story about her mom is very descriptive and emotional. They had a great relationship growing up if you ask her mom. I am not so sure that Jeanette feels the same way about it. Maybe her childhood was challenging, trying to cope with the unknown. Not knowing where her food, warmth, or bed would come from. As Jeanette became older, she made something of herself and wanted to use her new resources to help her parents. Jeanette and her mom are similar in the fact that they both still genuinely care about each other. Their love as family members never waned. Jeanette learned to appreciate antiques, and bargain books from the flea market, an attribute she received from her mom, seeing value in all things, even-aged and past their prime. There was a question in the assignment on who I liked better. People tend to gravitate toward others they are similar to, but this one was a real toss-up I think Jeanette is more like me, independent, living a life with a home and a job. But I see the contentment in Jeanette’s mom, and how she doesn’t feel there is anything wrong with her Dumpster diving lifestyle. I have to wonder though, was her mom really that happy, cheerful, and casual because her values weren’t confused? Or did her mom suffer from some sort of mental debilitation that kept her from realizing the impact of her behavior? I believe the point of this paper is, to be honest with yourself, and fulfilled with your current situation. Jeanette wanted to help her parents, but they did not feel like they needed help. Instead, they thought Jeanette was too caught up in her “stuff”. Accept the circumstances and make the best of it. But by all means, do not turn your back on your family. I think the fact that they had a code word to meet up and stay connected was interesting. This kept them involved with each other even though their differences kept them apart physically. I am not sure that Jeanette and her mom can settle their differences and completely reconcile. Both feel pretty steadfast in their owners of life. If Jeanette keeps reaching out and staying available for her mom, maybe they can grow closer together, but the amount of embarrassment Jeanette felt when she saw her in the alley, tells me that it will take more than time to heal the wounds in her heart. I believe that Jeanette would accept her mom back in if she gave up living on the sidewalks, but her mom seems too familiar with that setting to give it up so easily. This excerpt made me think about the people that do not have much to call their own. Keeping them at a distance makes it easy to write them off as vagabonds. But when you read a story like this and think of each of them as someone’s parent, child, or friend, it makes you stop to think of how one might reach them and make a difference in their lives for the better. Sometimes giving your time and showing love is all that is needed to bring them around. Giving them the help they always needed can be the difference between between king it on their own, or giving up and disappearing back into the shadows of an overpass.