ipl-logo

Ethos In The Glass Castle

1158 Words5 Pages

Through the Eyes of the Impoverished
The novel The Glass Castle is more than just thousands of words typed on simple, yet small, white sheets of paper; it is a memoir that recounts a time when a young girl went through heart wrenching struggles to find food to eat, enough water to bathe in, and parents who actually acted like parents. Jeannette Walls grew up with an unsteady family that included a few kind siblings, an alcoholic as a father, and a mother with her head in the clouds. It is obvious life was never easy for this author as she managed to keep the household together, constantly calming her dad down after an alcohol driven burst of rage, or reminding her mother that it was necessary she pulled herself out of bed to go work to help …show more content…

(good---but this would have been stronger still if blended into the argument about the theme itself—as it stands, the essay risks becoming a bit repetitive) Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines pathos as an element in experience or in artistic representation evoking pity or compassion. A simpler definition is to evoke emotion. This story was undoubtedly a gloomy one that incorporated the disturbing depictions of rape or other perverted actions as well as a glimpse into the life of a bullied child. However, not all emotions brought into the minds of the readers are sad; some are more about fear or anger, even happiness. A concise representation of this is found when Jeannette remarks, (lead into the quotes could be a bit of contextual information---like what happened and why did it occur) “Brian yanked the covers back. Lying on the mattress next to Mom was one of those huge family-sized Hershey chocolate bars, the shiny silver wrapper pulled back and torn away. She’s already eaten half of it (208).” This excerpt appeals to the emotion anger, illustrating a mother who is watching her kids starve and yet selfishly keeps an enormous chocolate bar to herself. How could a mother possibly feed herself before her kids? Another extraction from the text that demonstrates an appeal to pathos is, “I reached into my pocket and touched the horn-handled jackknife, then waved again. Dad just stood there. He grew smaller and smaller, and then we turned a corner and he was gone (288).” This passage evokes the feeling of happiness, because it is the exact moment when Jeannette is able to escape and find her path to a new life. Whether it be by contentment, rage, or other feelings, there were so many instances in the novel that all in all, really reached out to readers in an emotional way only further representing the use of

Show More
Related

  • The Glass Castle Theme Essay

    675 Words  | 3 Pages

    In The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls, it tells about how the Walls family move to different desert towns, settling in for as long as their father, Rex, can hold a job. However, his perspective of the state and society, and his alcoholism led them to move frequently. The children - Lori, Jeannette, Brian, and little Maureen- experiences unusual childhood, where they travel like nomads to find new money source. This lead to the theme, sometimes you can be mature and responsible at a very young age. The theme is developed by how Jeannette learns how to take care of herself and her younger siblings, and the way her parent taught her.

    Read More

  • Examples Of Ethos In The Declaration Of Independence

    432 Words  | 2 Pages

    Pathos is “the quality of speech or written work that appeals to the emotions of the audience.” For instance, “plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.” The words ravaged, and destroyed are emotional words to describe the unjust actions the king did to them. Also it is demonstrated in, “Cruelty & perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.” This proves the colonists opinions on the king, showing how he is not worthy to lead their uprising nation.

    Read More

  • Ethos And Pathos In Margaret Sanger's Speech

    1351 Words  | 6 Pages

    The father, who was once straightlaced and hardworking, but had now turned into a drunk, and only two of the eleven children had any hope in life. She uses this as an example of what overpopulation can do to a family and the importance of birth control. This quote, displaying the lives of torn families, is an example of Pathos. Pathos is illustrated in this quote through the sadness and disparity that the people in the stories face and the dark future that they have.

    Read More

  • Case For Reparation

    992 Words  | 4 Pages

    Pathos is a rhetorical device used for providing emotion to the reader. He wants the reader to feel sympathetic towards the mistreatment of African-Americans. In the introduction, the first rhetorical device he introduced is pathos. Coates present pathos when he introduced Clyde Ross. He titles the first chapter as, “So that’s just one of my losses”.

    Read More

  • Parental Influence In The Glass Castle

    1956 Words  | 8 Pages

    Parental Influence Parents are the biggest influence upon their children. From the time a child is born to the time they leave the household, the values that the parents hold are instilled into their children. Parents are required to make crucial decisions about how to raise their children in order to guide them through the inevitable obstacles and hardships of life. In The Glass Castle, many would argue the lack of care and responsibility the Walls had for their children. The author, Jeannette Walls, uses Rex and Mary Walls to demonstrate that their strong traits of non-conformity, self-sufficiency and perseverance are passed on to their children, allowing them to develop to their full potential.

    Read More

  • Examples Of Conflict In The Glass Castle By Jeannette Walls

    1273 Words  | 6 Pages

    Success: An Escape from Privation Inevitably, the conflicts people face at multiple points in their life is a determining factor in shaping individuals into the person they will eventually become. Namely, these conflicts direct people 's behavior over the course of time; contributing to a person’s ability to achieve success. In particular, Jeannette Walls’ The Glass Castle is an honest depiction of her life and the conflicts that arise throughout her state of impoverishment, as well as the success that stems from her hardships.

    Read More

  • Ethos In Shooting An Elephant

    629 Words  | 3 Pages

    According to Everything's an Argument, pathos is defined as using emotional appeal to persuade an audience. An example of how Orwell used pathos to persuade the audience is used very strong words such as “oppressor”, “tyrant”, “savage”, and “crucified” which evoke emotions in the audience. He often referred to the British as oppressor instead of the ruler. Since Orwell used such heavily connotated words, the audience was able to understand how he felt much clearer and it showed he put a lot of thought into his story. The precision in his words helps convince the reader he really did evaluate his whole life after the incident where he shot the

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Childhood In The Glass Castle By Jeannette Walls

    611 Words  | 3 Pages

    In The Glass Castle Jeannette Walls faces harsh stuff through her childhood because of her parents. In the beginning of the book she finds her mother digging through trash. She feels embarrassed, so she turns around and goes home without saying hello. Jeanette then calls her mother and asks to have dinner with her. She offers her mother help because she feels guilty, but her mother rejects her help.

    Read More

  • Issues In The Glass Castle: Controversial Issues

    830 Words  | 4 Pages

    It’s one of the main key issues addressed in this memoir. The Walls family were very poor and sometimes ‘stable’ in the basic needs of life. Unfortunately, Walls children had to grow and suffer in a wretched and miserable home, enduring poverty and hunger. Jeannette and her family always make do with the situation they are in, from sleeping in their car to overdrawing their accounts at the bank by having Mary and Rex (Jeannette’s parents) withdraw money simultaneously. And Jeannette and her siblings always picked their lunches from the cafeteria trash at school.

    Read More

  • The Effects Of Poverty And Mental Health In The Glass Castle

    1030 Words  | 5 Pages

    Poverty and Mental Health Jeannette Walls’ memoir, The Glass Castle, demonstrates the struggles of mental health issues that generate from poverty through her family’s journeys, both mentally and physically. Jeannette Walls displays how poverty can affect an entire family’s life through her use of realism, in-depth descriptions, and imagery in her memoir, The Glass Castle. The Glass Castle focuses on the tie between mental health issues and poverty through the theme of the lasting effects of poverty. Poverty in Jeannette’s younger years is the cause of the majority of her anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues. The Walls family’s period of time in Phoenix contributed to Jeannette’s mental health issues.

    Read More

  • The Glass Castle Symbolism

    1211 Words  | 5 Pages

    As a child, Jeannette Walls moves around constantly with her family. The Walls family would move to different desert towns and settle as long as Mr. Walls can hold a job. When sober, Mr. Walls represents a charismatic father who loves his children and teaches them important life skills. He encourages imagination inside of the Walls kids and often captures their dream and creativity. Together, the family had planned to build a glass castle that contains all of the family’s hope and inspiration.

    Read More

  • Rhetorical Devices In The Glass Castle

    1574 Words  | 7 Pages

    “If you don 't want to sink, you better figure out how to swim” (41). Although Rex Walls was not always an admirable father and role model, he did make an essential point while teaching his daughter, Jeannette, how to swim. In life, not everything comes without resistance. As Jeannette Walls describes throughout her life story, sometimes people are forced to face hardships that make them question their whole life. However, as seen in her book, it is important to learn to take those hardships and use them to shape one’s future for the better.

    Read More

  • Struggle Of Life Exposed In Jeannette Walls's The Glass Castle

    758 Words  | 4 Pages

    Paul Ryan once said, “Every successful individual knows that his or her achievement depends on a community of persons working together.” Individuals must strive upon excellence based on the society they are placed in. Watching how others react can help one become the best they can be. Throughout The Glass Castle, Jeannette is exposed to society by her parents. Her parents, Rex and Rose Mary, see society in different means than how others perceive it.

    Read More

  • The Role Of Homelessness In Jeannette Walls The Glass Castle

    1105 Words  | 5 Pages

    In her memoir, the Glass Castle, Jeanette Wall’s discusses and explores many different concepts that affected her family dynamic and her development. One of these matters is homelessness. Individuals are able to live in a stable environment, sleep in a warm bed, wear clean clothes, and enjoy proper meals; but not all of these basic needs are enjoyed by everyone and their families. This undesirable situation is portrayed in Jeannette Walls novel. Jeannette vividly depicts homelessness by exploring its causes, its impact on daily life, and its effect on her family.

    Read More

  • The Struggle In The Glass Castle By Jeannette Walls

    732 Words  | 3 Pages

    In this world, there’s learning things the hard way and the easy way; in Jeannette Wall’s world, there’s only learning things the hard way. The Glass Castle is an adventurous story that reveals the painfully miserable story of Jeannette Walls. A selfish mother, a careless father, and terrible social encounters- these are some of the elements of a harsh reality Rex and Rose Mary Walls failed to shield their children from. Growing up poor was already difficult, but growing up with a selfish parent, specifically an unfeeling mom, made life hell for the Walls children. The family barely had one source of income from Rex Walls, and instead of helping out with the family’s finance issues, Rose Mary spent her days at home painting.

    Read More

More about Ethos In The Glass Castle

Open Document