A suburban life is a paradise full of shops, colorful gardens and well-kept houses. Despite all these advantages, life in the suburbs remains an isolated life. Residents of the suburbs are rarely exposed to the miseries of society. One of these conflicts is homelessness. When living in an environment surrounded by housing, individuals often find it difficult to imagine not being able to sleep in a warm bed, have a good meal, or even receive necessary medical care. This grim situation is described in the writings of Jeannette Walls. In the autobiography The Glass Castle, Jeannette Walls accurately portrays homelessness, explaining its causes, its impact on daily life, and its effects on victimized families. Walls' autobiography establishes that there are several causes of homelessness. More precisely, she explains that poverty prevents one from meeting vital needs. As the National Coalition for the Homeless reports, “homelessness and poverty are inextricably linked. Poor people are often unable to pay for housing, food, child care, health care, and education” (National Coalition for the Homeless – Why Are People Homeless?) . Such a condition is evident in Walls' book. In The Glass Castle, the Walls family lives in terrible conditions due to poverty. “Because on the rare occasions when we paid the electric bill and had electricity, we would receive a violent shock if we touched a wet or metallic surface in the room” (Walls 153). I don't really think you need this quote, but if you decide to keep it, mention how important the fact that they rarely had power is. Walls and his family also don't have enough money to buy food and clothes. As Walls described it: “I had three dresses to my name, all second-hand or from a thrift store...... middle of paper......009. Internet. January 26, 2011. “National Coalition for the Homeless – Why Are People Homeless?” National Coalition for the Homeless. National Coalition for the Homeless, July 2009. Web. January 26, 2011. .Prose, Francine. "The New York Times > Books > Sunday Book Review > 'The Glass Castle': Outrageous Misfortune." The New York Times. The New York Times Company, March 13, 2005. Web. January 31, 2011. .Strasser, Judith A., Shirley Damrosch and Jacquelyn Gaines. Journal of Community Health Nursing. 2. 8. Taylor & Francis, Ltd., 1991. 65-73. Print.Watson, Stephanie. “How Homelessness Works” November 9, 2007. HowStuffWorks.com. January 26 2011.