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? 

Both, comfortable living conditions and enriching intellectual environment are essential to a child's development because if there is a good balance to these things the child will grow up to be successful. If there was a child with comfortable living conditions but no enriched intellectual environment, then the child will not know how to handle him or her self later on in the future. When someone gets so comfortable with a certain type of life style or living conditions they might not know what else to do with their life, they stay complacent. However, when a child has a comfortable living condition and knowledge he or she can be successful and having knowledge can gain them independence later on in the future.