5 Resons Rex from The Glass Castle is unique

While reading the memoir of Jennette Walls; The Glass Castle. Jeannette would always described her father as an acholic. However, throughout the book Rex was very unique, and had many impacts to Jeannette. Allowing her to have faith and still believe in him.


1. Christmas
For Christmas one year the parents were unable to afford any toys. Rex, Jennette father, decided to let the children pick out a star in the sky. The significance of this moment overshadows the families financial struggles. "Those shining stars, he like to point out, were one of the special treats for people like us who lived out in the wilderness." Rex makes each of his children feel special, taking each out one by one. "Dad took each of us kids out into the desert night one by one."

2. Rex drowning Jennette
When Jenette first learned to swim, Rex dropped her into the pool. Being Jeannette and always finding the positive in a situation, she found that drowning was a way or inspiring her. "Dad kept telling me that he loved me, that he never would let me drown, but you can't cling to the side your whole life." To some this  may seem like an unforgivable situation. However to Jeannette she has so much faith in her father she can't. She even stated "Once I got my breath back, I figured he must be right. There was no way to explain it."


3. Rex climbing into a lions cage
Rex being an animal and nature lover decided it would be a good idea to go to the local zoo and climb into the cage with the lions. "We climbed under the chain fence and knelt around Dad while he petted the cheetah. The cheetah turned his head and put his moist nose up against my hand." No one would decide to climb in with a lion, knowing they can be dangerous and a threat. Jennette thought this was an absolutely amazing experience. "None of them had ever had their hand licked by a cheetah."


4. Rex not realizing Jeanette fell out of the car
As Jeannette and her family were on their way traveling to Las Vegas a freak accident happened. Or to her family it was normal. Going around a corner and hitting some railroad tracks allowed the doors to fly open and resulting in Jeanette flying our of the car and rolling several yard. And even worse her parents didn't even notice she was gone. And she watched the Green Caboose disappear in the distance. "I rolled several yards along the embankment, and when I came to stop, I was too shocked to cry, with my breath knocked out and grit and pebbles in my eyes. I lifted my head in time to watch the Green Caboose get smaller and smaller and then disappear around a bend. After a little bit the Green Cabbose returned. Rex being funny said "Damn, honey, you busted your snot locker pretty good." (Jeanette nose wouldn't stop bleeding) The family found a laughable moment and turned a scary incident into something funny.


5. Through his alcohol addiction he still magnates to keep a family 
Rex had a major addiction to alcohol through the book and always keeping his family desperate for money. Mary didn't work and you could always find her painting, leading to no income. Jeannette and Lori put their money from babysitting, tutoring, poster making, into there piggy bank. Then one day Rex broke open there accumulated money from 6 months (this was for this journey to NYC) to go buy cigarets and alcohol. Lori lost all faith in her dad, wouldn't speak to him, and was in absolute disgust. While Jeannette on the other hand still believed in her day. She would continue to lend him money when he was in need of alcohol. "I swear, honey, there are times when I think you're the only one around who still has faith in me." He said. "I don't know what I would do if I ever lost you." I told him that I would never lose faith in him. And I promised myself I never would.  He would always say "Have I ever let you down?" And she would always answer it the same way, no. Through all of Rex troubles he still maintains to have a special bond between Jeannette and allow people to still find hope in him.

Rexs Wells was not the ordinary alcoholic father that was never around for his children's childhood. However, Rex was a very unique individually that truly did impact his kids in many ways. Not only does he climb into a cage with a lion, not knowing that his daughter fell out of the car, he manages to keep his family going through his strong alcohol addiction and no income. Rex is one to inspire many.