The novel, The Glass Castle, shows a detached parenting style from both Rosemary and Rex. Between Rex’s constant struggle with alcohol and Rosemary’s spurs of bipolar depression, the children were often left to fend for themselves, without any help or supervision of adults. The memoir describes that some nights they wouldn’t see their mother, and Rex would disappear for days at a time. Even when Rex and Rosemary were there for their children, they still preferred to rule the household with little interference or guidance. They can’t maintain order the household, nor did they offer any discipline to their growing children. Most importantly, Rex and Rosemary taught their children to be hopeful, never letting their situation get the best of them.