Summary Of The Wall By Jeannette Walls

Rex and Rose Mary’s persistent laissez-faire attitude towards the children’s basic needs for safety and age-appropriate expectations are evident in stories of Jeanette’s early childhood. When Jeannette was three years old, she badly burned herself when she was making herself hotdogs to eat. Upon being asked by a nurse why she was cooking unsupervised, Jeannette replied “Mom says I’m mature and lets me cook for myself a lot”. (Walls 18). Already, at the ripe age of just three years old, Jeanette knew that if she wanted to eat, she had better grow up quick and become independent and able to care and cook for herself. Growing up, the Walls children learned to thrive off of their neglect and became tough and resilient. This was proven even further when Rex, attempting to teach Jeannette how to swim, nearly let her drown in the water before rescuing her at the last moment and telling her “If you don’t want to sink you better figure out how to swim” (Walls 66). This event further proves that Rex

Rose Mary had attended college for a brief time to pursue an art career, she never finished her degree due to her pregnancy and was forced to drop out in order to care for her children. Rex never attended a college or university of any sort. Due to this, neither parent could hold a professional job or sustain a career of any type. The Wall’s situation in this area was and is very common amongst families living in poverty. In a study by the United States Census Bureau, it was discovered that in 8/10 families living in poverty, neither parent holds a college degree, GED, or high school diploma (Farrigan). Most families in this situation work odd jobs, such as Rex did, or do not work at all and are on welfare. While the family refused to take government handouts or accept help from any of their family members, Rose Mary never held a job outside of a brief teaching position or as an