TGC Real World Issues
By: True Neely
Mental Illness
"In addition to the person directly experiencing by a mental illness, family, friends and communities are also affected." This quote shows that mental illnesses can affect a family & people around it. In The Glass Castle, Rex Walls shows signs of some form of a mental illness because of the cuckoo things he does in his family. These crazy things have affected his family drastically; like with money, housings, and education. His personality isn't good with people so it's hard to get a job to provide for his family.
Rebellion
Rex Walls shows civil disobedience several times throughout the story. For example, he went inside of a cage with a large cat at the zoo. It is illegal to go into a cage with an animal at the zoo which is kinda obvious but he did anyway. Another example is when he runs away from the cops several times in the book.
Alcoholism
"Living with an alcoholic is an family affair." This relates to the Walls family because Rex Wall's alcoholism effects everyone in the family. His drinking leads to fiancial issues and leaves his kids and wife untrusting of him. If Rex Walls didn't drink, he could possibly have a job and keep his family stable and protected.
Homelessness
If the HEARTH Act would have been passed while Jeanette was growing up, she possibly would have never been in the awful conditions she was in. The act gets them into shelters and makes sure they are fed instead of them starving in Welch without food.
Parenting
The Walls' parents should have lost their parental rights due to how they treated their kids & raised them. One of the termination of parental rights is alcoholism and mental illness which are obvious problems for Rex and Rose Mary Walls. Felonies can also get your parental rights taken away and Rex Walls has had more than a couple of felonies. To be honest, they just shouldn't have had kids.
Education
The Walls' parents failed to follow the school attendence law because they didn't even inforce their children to go to school. They definitely neglected education for the children by not making them go to school everyday of the week. The Walls' parents did not ensure that their children go to school.