During a lab from the previous week, I was expanded my annotation skills through utilizing a website known as Hypothesis. The website enabled me the ability to post public or private annotations to any online text or material. In class, the students were assigned a worksheet containing links to different articles regarding class readings. One task required me to create an annotation to an New York Times article reflecting Fun Home. It was interesting observing the various annotations  and  individual responses to each article because it revealed new and different perspectives. I discovered that online annotating provides an increased engagement to a piece of text through enhancing insight into others opinions or views. I realized reading the annotations of other  people influenced my reflection of the article.  The New York Times article revealed new information on themes contained in Fun Home. The article described the  concept of home through revealing the prevalence of  isolation among the family. It explained the diminished family relationships due to increasing interest of each family member’s individual pursuits. The father’s focus and dedication toward constructing his dream house refrained him from bonding with his children or wife. His kids began to feel like his personal workers or objects and believed the house received the most care and love of the family. It was interesting to read about the affect of the structure of the comic on the representation of themes. I support the idea that the use color and panels cause certain emotional reaction from the audience. The dull blue and grey colors in the images create negative or depressed mood. In “Fun Home,” the author’s color choices reflected the tone of the tragedy or sorrow described in the comic. The construction of the images combined this minimal sections of text increased my engagement into the story through viewing the physical appearance of the house and the characters. I enjoyed observing details of the house and the expressions of the family during different events.

After reading a couple chapters of “Fun Home,” I discovered that an individuals sense of home can derive from personal interests and desires. The father reveals his idea of home through his passion of home decor and construction. In chapter 1, Bechdel states that “historical restoration wasn’t his job. It was his passion. And I mean in every sense of the word.”(pg. 7). He is most dedicated to maintaining his dream home rather than sustaining strong family bonds. The father utilized the kids as workers or “extensions of his own body”  forced to assist with the home duties. Due to limited free time for family bonding due to house work and jobs, the lack of relationships and connections between the the parents and children resulted in isolation among the family. The author, Bechdel, believed her father “treated his furniture like children, and his children like furniture”(pg.14). During Bechdel’s childhood, she received limited desired affection and attention from her father resulting in Bechdel’s detachment with the house and her dad.

While reading the comic, it was interesting to view the images of the story in relation to the dialogue. The use of illustration with text provided enhanced insight into the characters and theme or ideas of the story. It increased my engagement and interest of each chapter through analyzing important details of each illustration. I observed the use of color and the structure of the panels and gutters to discover important themes or symbols. Similarly, I enjoyed viewing images of the house and obtaining visual representation of each family member. During the chapter of the father’s death, I was surprised by the lack of sorrow emotions among the family regarding the tragic event. The family obtained emotionless, detached expressions through the funeral scene while the relatives appeared more distraught and depressed.

I wonder why the parents chose to remain married regardless of their conflicts?

 

 

Before analyzing the concept of home, I realized I rarely discuss the idea of home and the numerous aspects. Prior to class discussions, my sense of home derived from location and a physical, tangible item. I considered my home California or more specifically SoCal. I was born in California and have lived in the Los Angeles county for my entire childhood. I admire the warm climate and the wide variety of terrain ranging from the bustling roads of the city to the relaxing beaches of the coast. I enjoy obtaining the opportunity to sled in the mountains or surf at the beach. Although I considered SoCal my home, the most important aspect of home was my house. I frequently refer to home as my house because it provides feeling of safety and enjoyment. My house is a place of zero judgement allowing my to completely be myself and tend to my personal needs. It is an important location of family bonding and memories. However, literature pieces discussed in class evolved my concept of home from regional to relational. I realized that my concept of home is not a location or tangible items such as my California home, but instead a strong family foundation of relationships and connections. My home is any place where my family is located. I moved twice during my childhood. The first time was when I was a baby so I do not obtain any memories or feeling regarding the move to a new house. When I moved houses the second, I initially desired not to move and remain in my old home. Yet after a few weeks in the new house, my negative feelings regarding the move diminished. I quickly adjusted to the new neighborhood and house because I was with my family. I realize that location is not important as long as the family relationships exist. In  “The Glass Castle,” Jeanette Walls description of home helped me realize that the sense of home derives may be tangible or intangible. Throughout Walls’ childhood, Jeannette has moved various times to different cities and never experienced a stable home due to the constant traveling. Her sense of home derives from the relationship with her parents and siblings. Similarly, the comic “Fun House” revealed that home or a house may not be considered safe or enjoyable. While reading the novel, author Alison Bechdel describes the complicated relationship with her father. She depicts a struggling family and provides insight into her personal experiences. The comic increased my appreciation for the bonds I have with family. My family prioritizes family relationships through bonding  activities and family trips.

The image  below is on of the beach piers in California.

After reading the final chapters of Jeannette Walls’ memoir, “The Glass Castle,” I realized how much Jeannette Walls family’s values and lifestyle vary from my own family structure and beliefs.  I was surprised to discover that lack of responsibility of Jeannette Walls’ parents. Rex Walls is unable to sustain a job and is frequently unemployed due to poor work habits. Throughout the novel, Walls’ explains various incidences of her father’s frequent and random disappearances. During difficult events, Rex Walls would unexpectedly leave home for multiple days to drink.  It is interesting that Jeannette Walls’ would be forced to find her father during his disappearances. During these situations, the Walls should have called the cops or searched for the father together. A young child should not be forced to independently search for a missing family member. Rose Mary does not regard the risks or consequences of her actions or decisions. Jeannette Walls was too young to search for her drunken father alone due to high risk of danger. Walls could have been kidnapped or accidentally harmed by her drunken father or other individuals.

Additionally, I discovered that the Walls unstable lifestyle derives from the parents lack of proper income savings. Much of the income received from employment is spent on the consumption desires of the parents. Rather than save money for family needs for food and clothing funds, Rex Walls would use the income to purchase personal goods including cigars and beers. I was surprised that he asked his children for money from their personal savings to purchase alcohol. Similarly, Rose Mary would use the money to fund her art interests through purchasing  paint and and art supplies. The parents have the ability to provide their children a stable home, yet refuse to fund family needs. Jeannette’s mother had the opportunity to sell her ring to gain money required for food or clothing, but instead refrained from selling the ring to fulfill her personal desires. Jeannette’s mother obtained a two-carat ring and refused to sell it for money because she believed “it could improve [her] self esteem(Walls, 2005, p. 186).” Rose Mary does not obtain the ideal motherly parenting  skills or straits required to raise a family. Walls’ mothers   irresponsible and selfish actions prevent her from successfully supporting and fulfilling her children’s needs. As a mother, Rose Mary should put the financial and health needs of  family before her own desires. Furthermore, Rose Mary obtained an expensive family home in Texas, yet refused to sell the land. Selling the Texas land could provide the Walls a sufficient income and lifestyle. Moreover, much of the family income derived from Rose Mary’s Texas home. Occasionally, Jeannette’s mother “received a check from the oil company leasing the drilling rights on her land in Texas” and  the income from the checks provided “plenty of food for days at a time(Walls, 2005, p. 171).”

Similarly, I was astonished by the lack of available, healthy food for the children. Throughout the memoir, Jeannette Walls revealed her siblings frequent scavenges for food. Due to the parents’ insufficient budgeting skills, the Walls children attended school without prepared meals. Walls and her siblings were forced to forge for food in the trash and resort to stealing other student’s meals. At home, the children consumed rotten food or a single food product for multiple days. I could not believe the mother allowed their children to consume food infested with insects. I do not understand how the mother could keep food for herself and refuse to share it with her starving children. It is interesting that the children are scolded for complaints discussing their hunger and starvation.

The events that occurred throughout Jeannette Walls’ childhood increased my view of the concept of home. According to my concept of home and family, the parents should complete the needs of the family regardless of their personal desires. The parents should budget and save money to provide stable living conditions.  Additionally, children should not have to scavenge for food on the streets or in the trash or consumed outdated, rotten foods. During my childhood, my parents saved money to allow my brother and I to eat fresh, healthy food. Our parents packed our meals for school or provided us money to purchase snacks. My brother and I have never had to forge for food or steal meals. In comparison to the parenting and family values of the Walls’ family, my father provides the family income through employment in multiple jobs. My mother is a stay at home mom and performs family errands. The money gained was utilized to fund the educational needs and requirements of my brother and I. My parents create a budget to spend on required tutoring and additional educational supplies to help us achieve success during school. My mom and dad spend money to fund my dance training and my brother’s basketball lessons. My home creates feelings of safety and provides a stable, healthy lifestyle.

 

While reading a few sections from the memoir “The Glass Castle,” written by Jeannette Walls, it was interesting to discover Walls’ parents’ lack of desire to receive financial support from their daughter. Jeannette Wallls’ parents preferred the simple, low-income lifestyle involving homeless nights on the streets. They explained that they were “living the way they wanted to” and would refrain from seeking assistance to improve their living conditions(Walls, 2005, p. 4) Jeannette Walls’ mother would request unnecessary items or personal services rather than accepting the financial help. She asked for products such as “a perfume atomizer or a membership in a health club(Walls, 2005,p. 4) Similarly, Jeannette Walls’ father would reject any assistance from Walls including lifestyle adjustments. Her parents believed Walls’ current life values were “confused” and should be reevaluated. I was shocked when I learned that Walls’ was forced to cook her own meals at about three years old. I was surprised that her parents were content with permitting their young child to cook accounting for the harmful risks. Walls explained that her earliest memory included her “wearing [a] dress to cook hotdogs”(Walls, 2005, p.9). During this event, she was three years old and was taught to cook herself food. Due to her parents lack of responsibility and proper parenting skills, Walls accidentally burnt herself. If Walls’ parents obtained the responsibility or task of cooking, the injury would not have occurred. I believe the parents should provide their children food and cook the meals, especially for young children under ten years. Young children do not obtain the metal capacity or knowledge to safely prepare meals or operate dangerous cooking machinery. Initially after reading about the hospital event, I wondered what leaving the hospital “Rex Walls-style” meant?(Walls, 2005, p.14). Although,I realized that leaving “Rex Walls- style” translated to escaping the hospital to refrain from paying hospital bills(Walls, 2005, p. 14).The Walls family did not have the finances to afford health insurance and were unable to pay the expensive burn treatment costs. They constantly move to various locations due to the inability to afford the house rent. When the children questioned the constant moves from home, Walls’ father referenced the bill collectors as henchman or the FBI.

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