Shakespeare’s play King Lear and Jeannette Walls’ book The Glass Castle thematically overlap while simultaneously highlighting each other’s differences. For instance, both literary works majorly present unhealthy parent-child relationships.
King Lear is a selfish father with a superiority complex and a constant desire for validation from his daughters and subjects. His constant focus is making them compete for his love in exchange for financial reward. “Strive to be interess'd; what can you say to draw,” he demands of Cordelia (Shakespeare 1.1.85).
Lear didn’t care for his daughters’ wellbeing in the same way that the Walls didn’t care for their children nor prioritize their needs. Rex was so deep in alcoholism that he ruined Christmas, what was planned to be a good day: “He’d popped open the first Budweiser before breakfast, [He’d] ruined Christmas]” (Walls 3.73.114-115).
Though they shared family dynamics, social hierarchy significantly differed . King Lear’s royal family is at the top of the hierarchy, while the Walls are poor in financial struggle at the lower end of social status. Social class influences the development of a person’s attitude.
When royal King Lear tries to command a storm, he exclaims, “Blow, winds, and crack your cheeks!” (Shakespeare 3.2.1). When he’s rendered powerless, Lear absurdly gives commands to the weather, proving that his god-complex ridiculously stretches across inanimate objects according to his internal beliefs. Jeanette describes her family’s situation in explaining, “So even though she had a steady job, we were living pretty much like we had before” (Walls 3.17.14).
The Walls rising economically is extremely unlikely as an occurrence always brings them down due to their impoverished situation. The parents feel insecure in their ability to provide and this constantly troubles the children as they try to predict their unstable, unpredictable future.
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