Hana

READING LOG


​ Title: The Glass Castle Author: Jeannette Walls

Entry 1 Date: September 14, 2009 Summary: The first six chapters are focused on the narrator, Jeanette Walls as a three year old girl. Her older sister and brother, and her mother and father. All living in Phoenix Arizona. At the beginning of the book, Jeannette tells the reader how her mother doesn't care about her cooking on a stove which by doing that, led Jeannette to the emergency room. After a few months, her father, Rex, steals her out of the hospital. Even though she wasn't healed completely. So their family wouldn't have to pay the bill. Later on, their whole family moves in the middle of the night, to LA because the bill collector was after them. A month later, it continues on with Jeannette's mom and dad heading off to a casino and they decide they didn't want to leave the kids at the hotel without them there, so they bring their children along. After Jeannette's father wins $500.00, the whole family hits the road again because someone's after them admitted Rex. Rose Mary was pregnant. When it got time for her to give birth. Rex's plan was to move to Blythe. The whole family never believed in Santa Claus. Their parents refused to let them. They couldn't afford expensivce presents and the didn't wnat thier kids thinking they werent as good as other kids. Rose and Rex called it brainwashing kids into believing in a myth. They celebrated Christmas a week after December 25. Because they could get rapping paper and Christmas trees. Jeannette was five, and Rex lost his job at San Fransisco, Mojave Desert (where they moved next) and they had no monet so Rex took one kid at a time and had them pick out a star, for their Christmas present. Jeannette picked Venus. Then they later moved to Blythe California. Where Jeannette went to first grade. Two months later, Rose had Maureen. Reaction: When I read these chapters, I was very surprised that Jeannette's parents would let her cook by herself at the age of three, and then when in the hospital, they stole her out. Just because they didn't have the money to pay the bill. And I was really surprised that they move so much, and Jeannette and her siblings don't go to school. And very suprised on how Rex lost his jobs all the time, so they would just move to a new place.

Q-words: diminutive (adj.)-small; little; tiny

Entry 2 Date: October 13, 2009 Summary: In school, Jeannette and Brian were kids who liked to experiment. They brought matches one day, and put them in chemicals. Which lit, and then it started the school on fire. But instead of moving, they stayed in Mountain Battle. Rex lost his job again. He arranged himself to be fired. To have more time to find gold. To build the Glass Castle, which is the glass house, Rex designed. Rex and Rose Mary got into a fight, that led all the neighbors outside to watch.

Reaction: I was surprised that Rex didn't get mad at Brian and Jeannette for liting the school on fire.

Q-words: merely (av.)-only as specified and nothing more

Entry 3 Date: Summary:Marry Rose got a job at the kids school. And she was Lori's teacher. The other teachers didn't think Mary was doing a good job so Mary acts likes she's punishing Lori, because she didn't want the other kids not to like her. So she whips Lori, to show the other teachers that she had control. Jeannette got raped by a 10 year old boy named Billy Deel. Billy spent time in a detention center in Reno for shoplifting and vandalizing cars. He said he wanted Jeannette to be his girlfriend, but she refused. So he takes a BB Gun and shoots at Lori, Brian, Maureen and Jeannette, when their parents were out. Lori went up stairs and got Rex's pistol, shot at Billy, and it scared him. So he ran away. The neighbors call the cops. And Rex and Mary come home when the cops show up, saying they need to go to court the next morning. But the Walls family takes off for another adventure in Phoenix. They got to Phoenix and moved into Rose's mother's old house. The kids went to a public school called Emerson. Rose is a "artist". So instead of buying food for her children, she buys art supplies. Rex got a job. Bought Brian, Maureen, Lori, and Jeannette their first bikes.

Reaction: I thought that Billy was weird. And needed help or soemthing.

Q-words: cyanide-leaching (that was a interesting word)

Entry 4 Date: Summary:Rose said the only way Rex and her were going to have kids was if they were raised in a Catholic church. Rex agreed, but he no longer believed in God, he believed in Science. Rose found a church and they started going. One time, Rex yells and starts questioning the priest. Over and over again about science and God. Which gets them kicked out of the building. They go to the zoo, and Jeannette pets a Cheetah. It was Christmas, they went to church and got kicked out again, because Rex was drunk, and did the same thing that he did awhile ago. Questioned the priest. And after that, Rose wanted to calm Rex down by giving him his present first. It was a lighter. Which he looked at, and through at the Christmas tree. Luckily it didn't burn the house down, but it did burn all the presents. Rex lost his first, second and third job. Leaving the family with not a whole lot of money. It was Jeannette's birthday, Rex and Mary would get her a present once in a while, but rarely did that happen. Rex asked what she wanted for her birthday. And she simply asked if he would stop drinking. But he just left and stayed in his room for a couple of days. He was trying to get sober for his favorite daughter. For her birthday, he would try to do that. A few days later, he's sober. He decides to go on a hiking trip, so they take the car. But after going up to 100 mph, the car stops running. Making the whole family walk home. They hitchhike. Rex then leaves the house, and doesn't come home that night. Three days later, Rex and Mary decide they are going to move to West Virginia. Where Rex's parents live. They get to their location and explore.

Reaction: That made my heart fill with warmth when Rex tried not drinking for Jeannette.

Q-words:hideously (adj.)-horrible or frightful to the senses

Entry 5 Date: Summary: Brain and Jeannette go to an elementary school in Welch. But Jeannette doesn't really fit in. The family didn't have enough money to buy clothes or to have water in their house. For an example, Jeannette only had three dresses. And Brian Lori, Maureen and Jeannette only got to take a bath in 4 inches of water, sharing the same water. The Walls made it into their new house, they only have one bed. So Rex makes bunk beds out of wood and rope. Laying cardboard over the rope for cutioning. Because he thought that the kids were to old to sleep in cardboard boxes. Which they did. Because they still didn't have enough money for furniture. Rex said that they were going to build the Glass Castle there with that house they had. But it never came to mind because at that point they didn't have enough money. Because Rex and Mary didn't have a job . Reaction: These chapters feel bad for the kids in the family because they couldn't even take a bath with clean water. And that the parents didnt' have a job. Sad.

Q-words:scaffolding (n.)-a scaffold or system of scaffolds

Entry 6 Date: Summary:Rex left, and came back a few nights later with a big gash on his head. Rex said that he got into a fight with a mountain. He was drunk, again. So he asked Jeannette if she could so it up, and she did. The next morning he was gone. The kids stuggled to find food. Because Mary Rose didn't have a job to feed them. So Jeannette would hide in the bathroom stalls and wait until some girls would come and throw their "perfectly good food" away. She then would take it home and eat for when was starving. When they did have money, Mary Rose would buy cans of food, a big ham, and sugar. One time when they had ham. They didn't have a fridge, but they kept it on the shelves in the kitchen. Still eating it, even if it had maggots on it. It was winter again, they didn't have enough money for heat. So they just used blankets. They didn't even have insulation. It was so bad, that if Jeannette was sick, she would go to school just to be in a nice, warm classroom. When money got tight, Jeannette and Brian would try to find anything to sell for food. One day, they found a diamond ring, they showed it to Rose and she just said she would replace it with the wedding ring Rex gave her. Instead of food.

Reaction: Ew. It discusted me when Mary Rose ate that ham. And how she just keeps the diamond ring. To me, I thought that was very selfish.

Q-words:ragamuffin (n.)-a ragged, disreputable person

Entry 7 Date: Summary: Jeannettes mother left to go to college. And gave her $200 for 2 months. Rex came along and asked Jeannette if he could give him $40. She gave it to him. Then repaid her. Rex asked for more money, and took Rose Mary's paycheck. Leaving Maureen, Briand and Jeannette with no money for food. So Jeannetter lied about her age and got a job at a jewelry store. Earning $40 dollars a week. Rose Mary got back. And then Jeannette wanted to find a way out of Welch. Jeannette, Lori, and Brian decided they would help eachother raise money to leave for New York. Rex stole that money. Later the mother who Jeannette babysat said that she was going to Iowa and said that she would give Jeannette $100 for a year. And then she would buy her a ticket back to Welch. But Jeannette gave that job to Lori and asked for a ticket to NY than Welch. After graduation, Lori left the next day. Jeannette was in her Junior year. And she decided to go to NY also. And live with Lori until she got done with her Senior year. Jeannette told her parents. Rose Mary didn't really care. Rex then showed Jeannette the blue prints of the Glass Castle. And told her since Lori left her room would be bigger. But Jeannette made it very clear that she was leaving.

Reaction: It made me kind of mad when Rose Mary didn't even care that Jeannette was leaving before she even graduated.

Q-words: terminal (adj.)-situated at or forming the end or extremity of something

Entry 8 Date: Summary: Jeannette graduated. The next day. she was gone. Off to New York. She got a job as a reporter, but then her boss said she should go to college. So she did. A littler later, Brian decides to do the same thing that Jeannette did. After he finishes his Junior he's going to move down to NY. He finished it the next year. Headed down, and got a job at an ice cream shop. A few months later, Jeannette decided it would be good if Maureen headed there too. She was only 12. So she went to the high school in Manhatten. She lived with Lori. All the four of them ended up at Lori's apartment for the weekends. Since Rex and Rose Mary didn't have their kids anymore. They decied to move to New York too. They got 2 apartments and got kicked out of both. So they moved in with Lori. Lori couldn't handle it after a year, and kicked them out. Leaving them sleeping on the park benches. Homeless. A little later, Rex had tuberculosis. Which led him to the hospital for 6 months.

Reaction: That surprised me that Lori actually kicked them out of her apartment. And then it was sad when Rex got sick.

Q-words: quantum (n.)-a particular amount

Entry 9 Date: Summary: After being in the hospital for 6 months, Rex leaves the city. Then Rose Mary wants him to come back. So he does. It was Christmas, Jeannette got her parents a present. Rex refused to take it and left. Rose Mary on the other hand took the gift. Jeannette didn't have enought money to finish college. She told Rex that she was going to drop out. But in no time, Rex went and played poker. He won $950. And gave Jeannette the money. She finished and got her degree. Rex and Rose Mary moved into a apartment they could afford. Jeannette moved into her boyfriends apartment in Park Ave.

Reaction: It made me feel so happy, when Rex got that money for Jeannette to finish school. It took me by surprise though. Because I thought he would use the money to get food or something.

Q-words:bomber jacket (n)-a jacket, often made of leather with ribbed trim, resembling those worn by World War II bomber crews

Entry 10 Date: Summary: Jeannette got married to her boyfriend Eric. Dating him for 4 years. Later Rose Mary said that her brother died and they need to buy the land that he left behind before someone else buys it. It was a million dollars. And she also said that since Jeannettes married to Eric, she could ask him for the money. When Jeannette said no, Rose Mary said that she was very dissapointed in her. Maureen was living with Rex and Rose Mary. She was getting lazy. So Rose Mary said it was time for her to be on her own. Maureen stabbed her own mother, leading her to jail. After she got out she said she wanted to get as far away from the family. So she headed down to California, where she was raised as a child. Rex only had a few months or even weeks to live. So he invited his favorite daughter Jeannette to their apartment to tell her this. Rex died. A year later, Jeannette left Eric. And moved to a smaller apartment, Because she said she didn't belong in Park Ave. Jeannette met a writter John Taylor and 5 years later got married and lived on a farm. They invited Lori, Brian and Rose Mary for Thanks Giving. Brian was an officer, and had one kid with his wife. John had a kid from his earlier marrage. Maureen was still in California, but she said she wanted to vitis. They gave a toast to Rex and how he made everyones lives no boring.

Reaction: The ending was kind of boring because I kind of predicted what was going to happen. But this book was very good.

Q-words: perplexed (adj.)-bewildered; puzzled