Pay it Forward

In the movie Pay it Forward, a boy devises a concept to help change the world for the better and the concept of paying it forward is to help three people in a way that will impact their lives in a good way. In addition to helping the three people, you must ask of nothing of value in return, but to instead ask the person to do a good deed to three more people. I feel that this concept truly could make a different in this "shitty" world, but at the same time, because the world is so shitty, I feel that I cannot fully trust that the people that I would hypothetically help. Lots of faith is required for this concept to affect the world, and not everyone is even willing to participate. I believe that it is possible for people to pay it forward, but factors such as the nations economy and location would be big obstacles that could jeopardize the concept as well.

For example, in the movie, Trevor helps a man that was homeless due to his drug addiction by giving him food and shelter for the night. Trevor also helped this man in a tremendous way but giving him the money he had saved so that he could buy new clothes for an interview and although the man got the job, he relapsed into his drug addiction, which goes to show how much faith a person needs for the idea of paying it forward to work.

Personally, I try to help others as much as possible because I gain satisfaction through helping others and I suppose I have most recently paid it forward by chasing down a fellow classmate last Friday to give her back a textbook she had forgotten under her seat. I felt great afterwards and I hope she would do the same if I had forgotten any of my textbooks.

Journal Question

Q: Why do you think people are stricken by poverty?
A: I believe people are stuck in poverty due to drug additions, poor public schools, insurance payments, etc.

"What Makes a Good Parent" vs. The Glass Castle

Read Epstein’s list on page 49 in his article, “What Makes a Good Parent?”, and identify how each parent from The Glass Castle individually rates on this list. Pick at least two of their strongest points and at least two of their weakest points and explain why you assessed them the way you did. Be specific and defend your assessments and don’t forget to assess the parents individually because they were two different parents with their own methods of parenting. 

In the article "What Makes a Good Parent" by Robert Epstein, is a list of 10 skills and factors that are contributions in being a good parent. Below is the list from Epstein's article:

Although this list expresses a survey taken by American parents within the past 50 years, Rose Mary and Rex Walls definitely had their own ways in parenting. In my opinion, the Walls parents' list would look completely different.

Rose Mary Walls: I feel that Rose Mary encouraged autonomy and independence above all because throughout The Glass Castle, she never helped her children with anything and told them to do whatever they wanted without rules or guidelines. Rose Mary also encouraged that the kids to learn and even home schooled them with Rex. Rose Mary taught the children English and the arts. In addition, I felt that life skills and safety were the weakest points of her parenting skills because she never enforced any rules and allowed them to do anything they wanted. Also, during their time in Welch, Jeannette was touched inappropriately by her uncle, but Rose Mary had brushed it off with little to no concern. Towards the end of the memoir, Jeannette also finds out that Rose Mary had property in Texas equivalent $1 million. If Rose Mary had sold the property she would have been able to provide for her children, rather than having them go through the things they did.

01. Autonomy and Independence.

02. Education and Learning.

03. Religion.

04. Love and Affection.

05. Behavior Management.

06. Stress Management.

07. Relationship Skills.

08. Health.

09. Life Skills.

10. Safety.

Rex Walls: I felt that Rex also encouraged autonomy and independence, along with education and learning the most. He taught his children the necessary skills to survive, such as shooting a gun or navigating with the north star, and strongly felt that his children needed a good education. When Jeannette told her father she might have to drop out of college because of insufficient funds, Rex told her she had to finish school and provided the last of her tuition. Rex's weakest points would be safety and religion. Rose Mary wanted her children baptized and attended church from time to time, but Rex was completely against religion and would argue with the sermon leaders, usually drunk. Also, Rex did not care for safety. Throughout the story, the Walls children did whatever they wanted and usually, on their own. Jeannette had gotten into a couple fights and went home with injuries, but told her to be strong rather than tend to her wounds. Rex was also drunk the majority of the time, and put Jeannette in uncomfortable positions with men to make money off of pool 

games.

01. Autonomy and Independence.

02. Education and Learning.

03. Love and Affection.

04. Behavior Management.

05. Relationship Skills.

06. Life Skills.

07. Stress Management.

08. Health.

09. Safety.

10. Religion.

Glass Castle Quotation Savenger Hunt

1. Is is possible to be sympathetic toward Rex? Find one quote that accurately represents Rex as a sympathetic character:
A: "It's yours," Dad said. "Since when is it wrong for a father to take care of his little girl?" (p. 265).

2. Find one quote that accurately represents Jeannette's relationship with Rex:
A: "But you always loved your old man, didn't you?"
"I did, Dad," I said. "And you always loved me." (p. 279).

3. Find one quote that accurately represents Jeannette's relationship to Rose Mary:
A: "Fine," I said. "If we're not a charity case, then get a job." (p. 188).

4. Is it possible to be sympathetic toward Rose Mary? Find one quote that accurately represents Rose Mary as a sympathetic character:
A: "Mom's self-esteem did need some shoring up. Sometimes, things just got to her. She retreated to her sofa bed and stayed there for days on end, crying and occasionally throwing things at us." (p. 186)

5. Find one quote that accurately represents Rose Mary as an unsympathetic character.
A: "Well, there you go," She said. "If you don't think you're hurt, then you aren't." (p. 184)

6. Find one quote or passage that accurately represents the family's impoverished lifestyle.
A: "When other girls came in and threw away their lunch bags in the garbage pails, I'd go retrieve them." (p. 173).

7. Find one quote that represents Jeannette's disappointment in her life:
A: "I'm sorry, Maureen," I said when the time came, "sorry for everything." (p. 276)

Journal Question

Q: On one hand Jeannette Walls describes the squalor she and her family lived in: hunger, poverty, garbage, lack of basic necessities. On the other, she describes the rich intellectual world her parents imparted: discussions of geology, math, literature, art. In light of the fact that three out of the four Walls children became successful, productive members of society, what do you think is more important to children's development: comfortable living conditions or an enriching intellectual environment?

A: I feel that an enriching intellectual environment is more of a necessity than living conditions because knowledge is the key to opportunities in life, considering that three of the four Walls children made it out of poverty with successful careers further proves that it helps to have the proper education to progress in life. A comfortable living condition may make things easier but without an environment full of intellectual discussions, it does not allow for new challenges to learn something new.

Journal Question

Q: Throughout the book we hear Rose Mary's complaint: "I'm a grown woman now, why can't I do what I want to do?" (74). At what point can adults do whatever they want, if at all?

A: I feel that adults should be able to do whatever they want after rearing their children and ensuring that their stable individually. In other words, adults will be able to do anything they want after all their kids are out of the house and on their own, because they will not have the responsibility of caring for their children anymore.

Journal Question

Q: According to Tom McGrath, " The way we parent now - roughly defines as giving your child as much opportunity and attention as possible, while requiring little from him or her in return - is turning out to be something of a disaster..." (2). Do you agree or disagree? Why?

A: I agree and disagree because sometimes kids will take advantage of the attention given and by not asking their child for anything in return can ultimately lead to their child being unmotivated in life. However, by giving their child opportunities and support it helps them progress further in life.There must be a balance of discipline and support within parenting.