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Dumpster Diving
While sitting in a taxi in New York, Jeannette sees her mother looking through the garbage. Jeannette then begins thinking of her childhood memories and how she came to be. This scene sets the memoir for future events. -
Cooking Hotdogs
While living in Phoenix, three year old Jeanette was cooking hot dogs alone on the stove and was severly burnt. She went to the hospital, but since her family was unable to pay the bills, her father grabbed her and left illegally. Ever since the accident, Jeannette finds an interest in fire. -
On the move
The walls family were very tight on money. Rex, Jeannettes father would frequently wake the kids up in the middle of the night and tell them to pack their things because they had to relocate. He told them they were running from the FBI but this was just a more entertaining way of saying they need to run from the bill collectors. Jeannettes parents had a very unique style of parenting -
The great invention
Jeannettes father was always inventing things, one of his most important invention was a complicated contraction called the prospector. Once this invention was completed it would help the Walls family find gold to make them rich. Once they got rich Rex could then focus on working on the 'Glass Castle. He had the blueprints made up and often let the kids look at them -
Car accident
Jeannette slides out of the car while driving to Las Veagas. Rex, the driver, made a sharp turn and she accidentally fell out. Her parents didn't even realize it had happened. She was cut up pretty bad and alone in the desert for a long time waiting/hoping for her parents to come back. -
Las Vegas
The family had arrived in Las Vegas. They stayed in a hotel while their father gambled each night. This did bring home some extra cash however when they found out Jeannettes father was cheating, they packed up and moved to another hotel. This hotel accidentally burnt down because Jeannette was playing with matches -
No violence
The Walls children always had trouble fitting in and getting along with the other kids. Jeannette had got into a few fights with some of the girls at the new school, with the help of her younger brother Brian. As the kids got older they become more violent and often got involved in more and more fights around the neighbourhood -
Christmas
After Jeannettes litle sister Maureen was born, Rex lost his job so their were no money for gifts. The parents had told the children that Santa didn't exist and that the other kids at school who believed had been brainwashed and decieved. To make it up to them, Rex took each kid outside one by one and told them to pick a star to call their own. -
Billy Deel
Jeannette met a boy named Billy Deel. She didn't really like him but her mother, Rose Mary, insisted she be nice. Billy liked Jeannette and always told everyone they were dating, he even gave her his mothers ring. One day, they were playing hide and go seek with the neighbourhood kids, but while they were hiding in a tunnel together, Billy got too "handsy" so she pushed him away. Later that night he came into the house with a BB gun, no one was hurt, however the relationship was over. -
New Job
Rex had lost his job at the mines, leaving the family starving. The children had to scrummage through the garbage cans at school just to find a decent meal. With Jeannettes dad out of work, her mother decided to take matters into her own hands and get a teaching position at the children's school. Since she wasn't big on disipline, she was often on the brink of getting fired. She had to pretend to displine Lori,so it looked like she was a good tecaher infront of the principal -
Phoenix
Jeannettes Grandmother had passed away however neither her mom or dad bothered to tell the children. She was pretty wealthy and left a lot of belongings to Rose Mary including a house and money. The Walls family moved to Phoenix and lived in an inherited house. Things were good, Rex got a new job, Lori gets glasses and all the kids get bicycles. -
Happy Birthday
Jeannette turned ten. Jeannettes parents often forgot their childrens birthdays but they thought this one was special Rex asked Jeannette what she wanted and she replied with how she wanted him to stop drinking. He didn't know how to respond to this so they got into an arguement. Later on he got into a more heated arguement with his wife, Rose Mary, almost killing each other but as always they made up and moved on. -
The skedaddle to Welch
Yet again, Rex lost another job, so it was time to move on. They sold the property that Rose had inherited and they moved to Rex's parent's house. The grandmother, Erma, was a very stern old woman. One day she was acting inapropriate with Brian witch caused another huge aruguement within the family. The kids had to enrol into a special needs class. -
Kicked Out
The Walls family got kicked out of Erma's house, forcing them to relocate. All they could afford was a small house with a leaky roof, and no indoor pumbing. Rex said this will be the perfect place to build "The Glass Castle". Unfortunatly that did not get done, the children starved, and Rex left for days at a time. Jeannette constanty had to go looking for him at all the local bars. Soon after, Erma died and all the kids were happy which made Rex furious. -
Stolen Savings
Lori was getting older and about to graduate highshool so she decided it was time to get out of Welch and start a new life. She saved up some money and decided to relocate to New York. Jeannette decide to do the same. She got a job at a jewlarry store.Together they saved up alot of money, but one day after school they found the piggy bank broken and all the money gone. They blamed Rex immediately. -
New York
After Lori moved to New York, Jeannette soon followed. They each had bought an apartment and found jobs quickly. Jeannette went to college and got a job with the local newspaper. A little while later, Brian and Maureen arrived in New York as well. The parents soon followed and lived with Loribut after making a mess of her house, she eventually kicked them out. Rex and Rose Mary then became squatters in New York City for years until they found a rundown apartment to call home. -
Jail Time
Maureen lived with her parents while they were squatters, but when they told her she was old enough to get a job and move out, Maureen stabbed her mother. Maureen was arrested and sent to court. Bail was denied and she was sent away. She went to an upstate hospital and when she was released, she immediately bought a one-way ticket to California and never looked back. -
Death
Jeannette recieved a call from her father, Rex, saying he had to see her. He told her he had gotten a rare, uncurbale disease from some drug dealers. He only had a few weeks left. When Jeannette visited him, they sat and joked about old times and their lives while groiwng up. A few days later,Rex had a heart attack and died. -
Thanksgiving
Jeannette had left her fiancee, Eric, after her father's death, and remarried to a man named John. Jeannette and John held Thanksgiving dinner at their house. They invited the family, includig Brian's 8 year old daughter, Veronica. They found themselves talking about Rex and all the crazy memories from their childhood. They gave a toast to Rex, with Rose Mary chiming in, "Life with your father was never boring". -
The Glass Castle
The Glass Castle was never built, but the memory will always remain with the Walls family.
