Janette, or Mountain Goat, as she is lovingly called by her father, begins her story at the beginning of her memory. As a small child her view of life is one of adventure – and that it is. Always moving because FBI operatives or the Gestapo were hot on their trail (which turned out to be bill collectors or the some branch of law enforcement) and living in very interesting places (sometimes abandoned buildings) was something that was normal. She grew up adapting to spontaneous travels to new towns, learning from her father about the land and the stars, and learning on her own new ways to find food, comfort and shelter in very unconventional ways. Both of her parents were intelligent but obviously common sense was not something either was endowed with. Her mother was, when she chose to work, a teacher – but more naturally a free spirit who obviously suffered from depression. And who wouldn’t be a little depressed with four young children and a very intelligent, alcoholic husband, who could never keep a job. As Jeanette gets older the family’s situation continues to deteriorate. As a teenager, the goal of escaping the dysfunction and poverty, that she could plainly see was not necessary, became a priority. Her story becomes one of personal strength and perseverance, dreams turned into reality. The ambition and fortitude with which she and her siblings develop and execute their plan to improve their life is incredible. You will enjoy some humorously told stories of childhood and some pathetic tales of kids being senselessly denied basic needs.
The Glass Castle, a memoir by Jeanette Walls, will prick your conscious but you will no doubt applaud Janette and her brother and sister for breaking the mold of dysfunction and creating a new way of life.
No comments:
Post a Comment