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Summary Of Moving Away From Home By Jeannette Walls

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As a child, the living conditions in which one is raised dictates their perception of normal. Constantly moving from town to town was a thrilling experience in which Jeannette Walls thrived, even with all the struggles that accompanied that lifestyle. With age comes the awareness of one’s surroundings, in which Walls discovered the way of life she considered normal was in fact very abnormal. However, when she began to experience a “normal” life, she discovered that though it was supposed to make her feel secure, she was not as happy. The circumstances of her childhood provided a sense of joy, that the stability of what others considered a normal happy existence could not provide to her.
Once placed in the town of Welch, things were on a constant downhill slope for the family. Along with the move, the stagnancy of their new life was unsettling for the children. The joy and excitement of moving and their friends made along the way disappeared and gave way to loneliness and the clarity to see the true severity of their living conditions. Although, to escape the unnatural living conditions, Maureen created a better life for herself away from home. By doing this, she created her own happiness away from the cold unforgiving environment of her family’s house (Walls,173). …show more content…

One can begin to settle into situations that are not right for them, under the assumption that they can make it better for themselves. “My life with Eric was calm and predictable,” stated Walls (272). At the beginning of their relationship, the calmness Eric provided was what Walls had convinced herself she desired. However, as their marriage disintegrated, she realized that she had sacrificed true love and real happiness for that same security. As Walls said,“...I left Eric. He was a good man, but not the right one for me. And Park Avenue was not where I belonged.”

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