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Essay / The Effect of Parenting Style on a Child's Development, as Illustrated in "The Glass Castle"
Many people have differing opinions about parenting, usually driven by deeply personal beliefs. These different visions of raising children make the children themselves different people with very specific values instilled in them by their parents. The impact of childhood on their development is undoubtedly substantial, but its full effects are rarely understood; Studies from Cornell and Louisiana State University have established that parenting style can lead children toward certain characteristics and values later in life ("The Influence of Parenting Styles on Children's Cognitive Development"). The memoir The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls tells the story of Walls' childhood and development under the guidance of her parents. What makes her childhood unique is her upbringing in a poor family under the guidance of unusual parents which forced her to reach maturity much earlier than usual children. However, his parents always instilled in him a passion for learning and this, combined with his maturity, allowed him to succeed later in his life as a writer. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an Original Essay The reason people are the way they are is largely due to the influence of their parents and the style of their parenting. Jeannette Walls' parents were extremely lax when it came to education, and she and her siblings were free to do as they wished for much of their childhood. This is first evident when Jeannette makes herself a hot dog, thereby bursting into flames. This freedom allows Lori, Jeannette, Brian and Maureen to experience more independence and acquire more responsibility for their actions. The children's independence is shown when Brian fights at Welch, but does not discuss it with his father because he "didn't want to seem like a crybaby" (Walls, 140) since his parents had left him independent. . Their father, Rex, once again emphasizes independence by throwing Jeannette into the water so that she knows "if you don't want to sink, you better learn to swim" (Walls, 66) . However, the maturity gained through the children's freedom allows them to eventually realize the responsibility and childish behavior of their parents as they begin to resent them and desire to move out. Parents' permissive attitude is not only due to their selfish nature. , but also the fact that they wanted the best for their children. Even though they were extremely poor, Walls' parents always made sure they had a suitable house to live in; they lived first in the trailer, then in Battle Mountain, the big house in Phoenix, Wales, and with Rex's parents in West Virginia. They also ensured that their children always received an education, as learning was of paramount importance to them. Rex's involvement of the children in the design of his great Glass Castle, as well as how "after dinner the whole family lay down on the benches and floor of the depot and read, with the dictionary in the middle of the room so that we children could look up words we didn't know" (Walls, 56), indicates the importance of knowledge and education for Jeannette's parents. The parents' emphasis on the importance of education allows Jeannette and her siblings to become bright, insightful young people who can use their eventual maturity to become,.