Part One, A Woman on the Street, Summary and Analysis

The Glass Castle, is a memoir written by journalist, Jeannette Walls. She writes about her unique childhood, sharing her fond memories of her father and mother. She tells how they refused to conform to society's ideas of responsibility, leaving their children to fend for themselves for even the most basic of needs, such as food and shelter. Walls' tone is not touched with anger or self-pity, but she tells of shocking events with an almost innocent presentation of the facts. The Glass Castle is an astonishing memoir that will leave the reader both stunned by the tragic circumstances of Jeannette's childhood and awed by her strength.

Jeannette was in the back of a taxi on her way to a party when she saw her mother on the street, digging...