Life is like a lottery. Some children grow up in a happy home with loving parents while others live in total misery. The Glass Castle written by Jeannette Walls and The Family Castle written by Nancy Rakovszky portray two opposite family bonds. Walls describes her lonely childhood growing up in a trailer park in Arizona with an unconcerned mother. In contrast The Family Castle portrays through beautiful metaphors unconditional love between a mother and her child.
Nancy Rakovsky captures a powerful bond between an unselfish mother and her child, while Jeanette Walls portrays her story about growing up with a selfish mother. The two authors contrast two different bonds between a mother and her child. The mother in The Family Castle welcomes her child with love and care. She will be a protective, caring and responsible mother, “ For the castle’s built on love and hope. Alone you are no longer.” The mother that is portrayed through metaphors shows her child a safe place where it always can return to find peace and serenity. From now and on the mother will always protect her child no matter what.
Jeanette Walls succeeds in describing the contrast, the opposite, to what Rakovsky shows. She tells her story about growing up in a low-class family with a selfish, unconcerned and irresponsible mother. She narrates her first memory in a remarkable way. She was 3 years old and taken to hospital after getting burned by the hot dogs she was cooking alone. From her hospital bed Jeanette describes her family visits, and they seem rare, ...“ When my family came to visit…”. Jeanette was left at the hospital in pain alone, without a mother telling her that everything will be okay and comfort her when crying. A three-year-old girl was left to cope with those issues alone. This strengthens the picture of an uncaring mother.
There are things you, as a mother should do for your children. Like the female lion mother, a mother should feed, protect and give safety to her child. These things might seem obvious, however there are mothers that don’t give their children these essentials. Through Walls convincing descriptions of her first memories, there is an indication that she could be one of those children whose parents don’t care of them. These children fall victim to their irresponsible parents and learn from a young age to be survivors. “ They asked me what I was doing cooking hot dogs myself at the age of three. It was easy I said. You just put them in the water and boil them.” From a very young age, Jeanette Walls had to take the responsibility her selfish mother should have taken. Even though there is an easy recipe to follow, a three year old should never be allowed to prepare her food.
“Drink the waters that beckon you near. They’ll fill your heart with hope. Feast on the knowledge offered here. For that will help you cope.” Once again The Family Castle by Rakovsky describes a different mother from what Walls experienced during her childhood. Rakovsky describes a mother that will not just hand her child the essentials, as food, a place to live and safety. The mother who is portrayed will in addition prepare her child with valuable experiences for the coming life.
To conclude, life really is a lottery. And as a child you do not have the power to affect it. Jeanette Walls fell victim to this lottery growing up with an unconcerned mother. Her memoir The Glass Castle shows beautifully her hard childhood experiences. “The Family Castle” of Rakovsky images the contrasting childhood. It describes a family of love, care and hope. Through taking part of The Glass Castle and The Family Castle, the contrasts between different childhood experiences become transparent and more evident. 
Kommentarer
Skicka en kommentar