So I was gonna post a second set of questions a few days ago but decided not to because bot everyone had their book immediately. So the next questions will be on the 15th and then we will pick a new book!

you guys should go ahead without me, mail can take forever to get here and I doubt even if it arrives before the 15th that I can read it by then

The book is pretty amazing and by far one of my top favorites. i'm already ready for the next one. (:

Posted By Sharkbait on 07 Sep 2010 11:42 AM
you guys should go ahead without me, mail can take forever to get here and I doubt even if it arrives before the 15th that I can read it by then

you should look up 4shared.com and search the book....i found it in html (online only) form....my monitor is a 22 inch flat screen so it wasnt so far to read.....you jusr cant save youe page.....i prayed my computer didnt hate me enough to magically get an update and restart itself

Posted By Bittersweet on 28 Aug 2010 02:57 PM
Hey y'all, sorry this is a day late! But here are some questions regarding the Glass Castle.

Define neglect.

Was Jeannette neglected as a child?

If so, how was she neglected?

Did the parents neglect their children on purpose?

Why did Jeannette's parents treat her and her siblings in this way?

Define neglect.
neglect can be defined as forgetfulness to an object but when you are talking about neglecting kids i feel its putting your needs and wants solely before those of the children who didn't get to choose the kind of life they were born into for the first 18 years of their life

Was Jeannette neglected as a child?
yes, her parents should have worked harder to provide for their children....no food for weeks...her mom hiding chocolate bars and eating them in front of those kids when they didn't have food....they had the option of working or getting welfare or living like they did....those kids didn't... i had points in my childhood where the power went off BUT my mom worked her ass off providing for myself and my brother....both of our dads out of the picture SOME child support from his and sporadic minimal payments from my dead bead dad....yes Jeannette's mom and dad taught her and her brothers and sisters things earlier in life and I'm so glad 3 out of 4 fought to better themselves but they are really lucky their family stayed together like that for so long

If so, how was she neglected?
lol opps see above

Did the parents neglect their children on purpose?
some times yes....her mom refusing to work because she sucks as a teacher and wanting to be an "artist" if she really wanted to be that great of an artist she should have put her work out there more.... and again eating food and trying to hide it from kids....i mean really now... there are days i know where my mom most likely had those thoughts of what would have happened had she not had us but I'm more than positive the joy and laughs my brother and i brought to her over the years greatly out numbers those "what-ifs" when it came to not having kids

Why did Jeannette's parents treat her and her siblings in this way?
simply in my eyes they were selfish....i really dont wanna give too much away but those who have read it most likely know the areas where i am really outraged....


*side note*
i downloaded that book last night and i finished it like 10 mins ago.....only reading when the DH was playing his video games....it pissed me off and made me smile @ her fonder memories....it was a great read and i normally dont like memoirs

have you thought of doing ke a facebook page to go along with this one? so when more topics come up it doesnt get lost?

1. Though The Glass Castle is brimming with unforgettable stories, which scenes were the most memorable for you? Which were the most shocking, the most inspiring, the funniest?

2. Discuss the metaphor of a glass castle and what it signifies to Jeannette and her father. Why is it important that, just before leaving for New York, Jeannette tells her father that she doesn't believe he'll ever build it? (p. 238).

3. The first story Walls tells of her childhood is that of her burning herself severely at age three, and her father dramatically takes her from the hospital: "You're safe now" (p. 14). Why do you think she opens with that story, and how does it set the stage for the rest of the memoir?

4. Rex Walls often asked his children, "Have I ever let you down?" Why was this question (and the required "No, Dad" response) so important for him -- and for his kids? On what occasions did he actually come through for them?

5. Jeannette's mother insists that, no matter what, "life with your father was never boring" (p. 288). What kind of man was Rex Walls? What were his strengths and weaknesses, his flaws and contradictions?

6. Discuss Rose Mary Walls. What did you think about her description of herself as an "excitement addict"? (p. 93).

7. Though it portrays an incredibly hardscrabble life, The Glass Castle is never sad or depressing. Discuss the tone of the book, and how do you think that Walls achieved that effect?

8 Describe Jeannette's relationship to her siblings and discuss the role they played in one another's lives.

9. In college, Jeannette is singled out by a professor for not understanding the plight of homeless people; instead of defending herself, she keeps quiet. Why do you think she does this?

10. The two major pieces of the memoir -- one half set in the desert and one half in West Virginia -- feel distinct. What effect did such a big move have on the family -- and on your reading of the story? How would you describe the shift in the book's tone?

11. Were you surprised to learn that, as adults, Jeannette and her siblings remained close to their parents? Why do you think this is?

12. What character traits -- both good and bad -- do you think that Jeannette inherited from her parents? And how do you think those traits shaped Jeannette's life?

13. For many reviewers and readers, the most extraordinary thing about The Glass Castle is that, despite everything, Jeannette Walls refuses to condemn her parents. Were you able to be equally nonjudgmental?