The support and presence of a parent is extremely vital towards the success of a child in tough scenarios. In The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls, Jeannette shares many experiences where one or both of her parents were not available or approachable. Through the symbols of cigarettes and beer bottles, Jeannette Walls shows the hardships of having one parent away all the time. In many situations Jeannette’s dad would not be there when she needed him, as he was always drunk and coming home late. Jeannette therefore had to fend for herself and her family during times where there was no source of income.
The cigarettes symbolize the many times Rex was out of the house or wasting the family's money. Rex was a frequent tobacco user which led him to taking all the family money and spending it on cigarettes. A scene where this happens is shown in the novel when Jeannette Walls states that Rex would wait for Mary’s paycheck and sometimes even intercept it in order to buy more cigarettes and booze (Walls). This scene from Jeannette's childhood explains that Rex would go to extreme lengths to obtain the money he needed for cigarettes and frequent trips to a bar. Rex would even ask Jeannette for the money she made from working , and Jeannette had to give it up because of the lack of choices available to her, as she didn’t want to hurt or disappoint Rex. From all the money Rex obtained from his family, Rex would get very wasted in the town’s bar and would smoke often.
Another symbol of separation for the Walls’ children are the many beer bottles consumed by Rex. Rex would drink very often, leading to a change in his mood and actions toward his family. In the text it states many times that Rex would go out for long periods of time and come home very drunk (Walls). This scenario shows that Rex was in vain about his alcohol problem, as he would leave the family to look out for themselves. When Rex was off to the bars Jeannette and her siblings had to provide money for the family. The children had to take the roles of their parents which added more pressure on them.
To reiterate, the symbols of cigarettes and beer bottles represent the hardships of not having a parent by your side. In many situations Jeannette, Brian, and Lori are left to cover for themselves and take the act of their parents. These two symbols also signify the broken parts of the family when parents are too caught up with doing wrong things. If Rex wasn’t an addict he would grasp a decent job to provide a honorable life for his family, thus making his life and his families’ lives much easier and exceptional.
