The Readers’ Advisory Matrix
The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls
Where is the book on the narrative continuum?
Highly narrative (reads like fiction)
What is the subject of the book?
Extreme poverty -- the book is about author Jeannette Walls growing up very poor, and often homeless, with an alcoholic father, a distant mother, and three siblings.
What type of book is it?
Memoir
Articulate appeal
What is the pacing of the book? The narrative jumps back-and-forth between Jeannette’s childhood and her present-day life.
Describe the characters of the book. Jeannette Walls is an intelligent, independent, outspoken child with a tenacious spirit which eventually gives her the strength and the know-how to escape the life she experienced with her parents growing up. Rex Walls (Jeannette’s father) is an intelligent, adventurous, and passionate man with big dreams for himself and his family, but his drinking makes him impulsive and volatile. Rose Mary Walls (Jeannette’s mother) is a free-spirited adventure-seeker who has more interest in painting than caring and providing for her four children.
How does the story feel? Authentic, heartbreaking, triumphant
What is the intent of the author? Walls’s intent is to share her story with those who may find it compelling and/or useful.
What is the focus of the story? The focus of the story is the hardships endured by the Walls family and how Jeannette was able to overcome her adversity and become a successful writer in New York.
Does the language matter? Yes. The language invokes a lot of emotion.
Is the setting important and well described? Yes. The Walls family is always at odds with their surroundings. They went long periods without food, running water, and electricity. They often lived in remote, desolate areas.
Are there details and, if so, of what? There are many heartbreaking details. At times, they feel unbearable. For example, Jeannette’s father screams expletives at her mother while trying to run her mother over with a car, and there is a time when Jeannette falls out of the car, and the family doesn’t come back for her for hours.
Are there sufficient charts and other graphic materials? Are they useful and clear? There is a picture of Rex and Rose Mary Walls in the beginning of the book and a picture of the author in the back.
Does the book stress moments of learning, understanding, or experience?
The book artfully conveys the experiences of people who live in extreme poverty and of people who choose to raise a family in a transient lifestyle.
Why would a reader enjoy this book (rank appeal)?
Tone
Description
Learning/experiencing
I remember my book club reading this selection a few years ago and was interested in finding what it is about to see if I would want to read it. After reading your readers’ advisory on the title, it is similar to the title I reviewed on the background of the Daily Talk Show host Trevor Noah. Reading about another person’s background gives you a better understanding of the person and how they grew up and become who they are now. The scene you detailed of the father running over the mother with the vehicle would have been very traumatic for her and including letting her fall out of the vehicle and leaving her for hours. It is amazing to read about celebrities backgrounds and how they rose to better themselves.
ReplyDeleteI haven’t read this book myself, though I have heard of it. The disconnect between a child and
ReplyDeletetheir parents in the context of memoir is something that inspires secondhand regret. As if, if
only things were a little different, they could have been happier. Moving to America in the 90s
was difficult on our family, but we always had each other. Additionally, I didn’t realize the author
herself worked for MSNBC. Strange, how the people we view as social celebrities seem so put
together in their lives and on camera, but behind the scenes, they had dealt with so much.
Great job filling out the matrix. Full points!
ReplyDelete