A Weird Childhood

On Wednesday evening September 21, 2011, at 7:30 p.m. Emens Auditorium was packed. Not a single seat was empty. Students, professors, faculty, and parents sat anxiously waiting to hear one of New York Times best selling authors, Jeannette Walls, speak about her memoir The Glass Castle.

Because everyone in the auditorium had already read her book and knew her “weird” childhood, as she put it, she spoke about the lessons she had learned throughout her life. One of the lessons being when she was still a young girl; she thought there was a monster in her room, so naturally she ran to her father in fear. He told her that they would go out and hunt the monster down. “You can’t let the demon scare you.”, her father said. Of course, they never found the monster, but the point her father was trying to make was that you couldn’t let your fears (the demon) control you. You must face them and let nothing hold you back.

Jeannette also talked about experiences and lessons learned after her work was published. She told a few stories about people’s reaction and thoughts to her story. A young, blonde cheerleader told her that she and her friends used to make fun of a girl in their class because of the outdated clothes she wore and how she was grungy. But since the girl had read Jeannette’s story, she would never say mean or cruel words about the poor girl again. Jeannette was flattered that her own personal story was changing and making an impact on other lives. She stated her belief that if everyone was taken out of their social class and removed facades, we were identical. We all have something in common but we allow unnecessary objects to come between us.

Everyone can learn something from Jeannette’s childhood stories. They give us a different view on life and for some it is looking at their own life. But we all come out with the same message; no matter where you come from, what your skin tone is, or how much money you possess, you are great and you can accomplish wonders if you believe in yourself.