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Rex breaks Jeannette out of Hospital
One day, during her stay at the hospital, Jeannette's dad show's up to tell her that they're sneaking out even though the nurses protest. Jeannette was unsure at first but he was able to manipulate her into agreeing by testing her trust towards him. This scene show's how much Jeannette trusts Rex and is in my opinion a good setup for their relationship in the oncoming chapters. -
Jeannette's Christmas Present
The family is very poor this Christmas and they cannot afford to give materialistic gifts to the children. Instead, Rex decides that he is going to gift each of them with a star. Jeannette picks Venus. I think this scene helps to solidify the bond between Rex and Jeannette and aids in showing us how much they meant to each other at this point in their lives. -
Jeannette Learns to Swim
Rex takes Jeannette to the hot springs in an attempt to teach her how to swim. Instead of being supportive, we see him repeated throw her into the water with the hopes that it will be successful. Jeannette assumes that he is trying to kill her. I think this scene shows how far Rex is willing to go to achieve something that he is passionate about. I think it also puts a bit of a dent in the relationship between Rex and Jeannette and slightly hinders Jeannetteś trust towards Rex. -
Rex Stops Drinking
For her 10th birthday, Jeannette wishes that Rex would stop drinking, so he does. He ties himself to a bed for days while going through withdrawal. This means a lot to Jeannette. I believe that this heavily strengthens their relationship and shows Jeannette what Rex can overcome and achieve if he tries. -
Rex Decides to Begin Construction of the Glass Castle
Once they move into their house in Welch Rex decides that he is going to finally begin construction of the Glass Castle. The Glass Castle is meant to represent the false promises and lies that the parents tell the children, so we can assume that it will not be built. Rex digs out a hole for the foundation and it is quickly filled up with trash, symbolising the promises he has made to the children in the past. -
Jeannette has to Sew Rex´s Arm
One night, Rex comes home very drunk and says he had gotten into a fight and has a bloody gash on his arm. He ask Jeannette to sew it up for him. Though she is hesitant at first and finds it disgusting, she follows through anyways. Rex says that he is proud of Jeannette. The next night he is gone again. I'm sure that Rex´s not being there is taking a toll on the family, especially Jeannette. I think this is where her faith in Rex starts to deteriorate -
Rex Needs Money
Jeannette has taken the role of providing for the family since Rex and Rose Mary seem to be unable to. Rex eventually starts stopping by the house and repeatedly asks Jeannette for money. I think he Rex is taking advantage of their relationship to support his unhealthy habits. He says he will pay her back and he does but he is still being very careless, immature, and manipulative. -
Res hits Jeannette
Jeannette begins to question Rose Mary´s parenting abilities. Rose Mary takes a lot of offense in this and instructs Rex to punish Jeannette accordingly. Rex threatens to hit Jeannette with his belt but Jeannette doesn't believe that he will do it. He does it knowing that it will ruin their relationship and hinder the trust between them. It does. Jeannette beings to see who Rex really is and the idealization of him that she had as a child starts to go away. -
Rex Steal Their Money
Jeannette and Lori have been saving up lots of money for both of them to go to New York. Rex finds the piggy bank where their funds are kept and breaks it open to steal the money. Jeannette and Lori find the destroyed piggy bank and immediately know who it is. They confront Rex about it and he denies the claims although they know it was him. I think this scene really solidifies Jeannette´s mistrust for Rex and really shows her who he is and how far he is willing to go. -
Rex Gives Jeannette Money she Needs for School
Jeannette decides that she has to drop out of school because she is unable to afford her tuition. Rex is made aware of this and refuses to let her drop out. He goes all around the city and gets enough money for her to go. He goes to her house and dumps out a brown paper bag full of cash. I think this scene reinstates the faith that she had in Rex when she was a kid. It shows that he really does care about her and is willing to do what he needs to do to make sure that she is succeeding.
