Book Club Proposal
Title: The Glass Castle
Author: Jeannette Walls
State a central conflict:
Jeannette is conflicted about whether to remain loyal to her father or lead a safe and healthy lifestyle.
Passage that identifies central conflict:
“When Dad asked me for another five bucks a few days later, I gave it to him. It made me feel sick
thinking I was now ten dollars off budget” (Walls 210).
Explanation of how resolution or continuance of the conflict leads to an insight, theme, or message:
In order to mature, one has to abandon illusions and see the world for what it truly is. Jeannette will
have to see that her dad is not going to change, and if she wants to be able to afford appropriate food
and shelter, she will have to remove herself from his influence.
Define the audience: This book appeals to readers who enjoy memoirs that demonstrate the writer
overcoming adversity. Readers would enjoy a memoir with a serious yet optimistic tone.
Passage that establishes the intended audience:
“I had no idea what my life would be like then, but as I gathered up my schoolbooks and walked out the
door, I swore to myself that it would never be like Mom’s, that I would not be crying my eyes out in an
unheated shack in some godforsaken holler” (Walls 208).
Explanation of how the passage indicates the intended audience:
It shows the poverty in which Jeannette and her family are living, but it also shows that she is
determined to make her life better. The details of her mother crying in their unheated, rundown home
suggest the seriousness of their situation and the adversity that this kind of audience would like to read
about. Her final statement suggests that she is optimistic and allows the audience to see her sense of
empowerment.
Describe traits that define the author’s style:
Walls often uses dialogue and imagery to narrate her life story in a way that is as truthful as possible
but avoids judgment of her family’s way of life.
Passage that illustrates the author’s style:
“‘Nothing but a minor flesh wound,” Mom declared after studying the deep gash. ‘People these days
run to the hospital every time they skin their knees,’ she added. ‘We’re becoming a nation of sissies.’
With that, she sent me back out to play” (Walls 59).
Explanation of how the passage illustrates the author’s style:
While Jeannette labels the injury as a “deep gash,” a phrasing that suggests a serious injury, she quotes
her mother without adding any further commentary. By writing in this manner, she allows her mother
to speak for herself and avoids providing any judgements of the perspective or behavior.
Passages that prompt
discussion questions
Discussion questions
In two sentences, describe the
insight you would expect this
question to generate
1. Passage that connects to
motif, theme/message,
foreshadowing, or another
literary device:
Question that connects to motif,
theme/message,
foreshadowing, or another
literary device:
Rex is going to give up.
Jeannette will realize Rex can’t
be the foundation for her
dreams. Maybe their
relationship will go bad.
“We watched as the foundation
for the glass castle slowly filled
with garbage.”
What might this be
foreshadowing for Jeannette
and Rex?
2. Passage that connects to
motif, theme/message,
foreshadowing, or another
literary device:
Question that connects to motif,
theme/message,
foreshadowing, or another
literary device:
3. Passage that connects to
dealing with adversity:
Question that connects to
dealing with adversity:
“I told him I was studying hard
because I wanted to become
either a veterinarian or a
geologist specializing in the
Miocene period, when the
mountains out west were
formed” (Walls 183).
How is Jeannette able to
maintain such a positive
attitude instead of giving up?
Group members might discuss
how Jeannette has big dreams
because of Rex’s influence.
They might discuss the idea that
she has high aspirations because
of the way her family lives. She
may see her education as the
only way out.
4. Passage that connects to
contemporary issue:
Question that connects to
contemporary issue:
“I stayed in the cafeteria until
the janitor put the chairs on the
tables.”
Who could have helped
Jeannette deal with poverty and
avoid being bullied? Whose
place is it to help kids with this
now?
5. Passage that connects to
contemporary issue:
Question that connects to
contemporary issue:
“Do you think maybe you could
quit drinking?”
Is Walls suggesting that there is
a “right way” to help someone
with alcoholism?
They might list neighbors,
teachers, or other school staff if
the parents won’t help. We
might discuss reasons that
people don’t step in even if they
know something is going on.
We might also discuss whether
it’s acceptable to stay out of it.
-They could talk about
Jeannette’s hope that he will
quit for her, Rex’s idea to
restrain himself, or Rose Mary’s
stance on leaving him alone and
letting him see what he did.
None of them work for long.
Rubric
Passage
0=not present
1=present
Definition of Conflict
0=not present
1=inaccurate identification of
conflict
2=accurate identification of
conflict
Explanation
0=not present
1=response inaccurately connects passage to
conflict
2=response accurately connects passage to conflict
0
0
0
1
1
2
1
2
Passage
0=not present
1=present
Definition of Audience
0=not present
1=inaccurate identification of
audience
2=accurate identification of
audience
Explanation
0=not present
1=response inaccurately connects passage to
audience
2=response accurately connects passage to
audience
0
0
0
1
1
2
1
2
Passage
0=not present
1=present
Definition of Style
0=not present
1=inaccurate definition of style
2=accurate definition of style
Explanation
0=not present
1=response inaccurately connects passage to style.
2=response accurately connects passage to style.
0
0
0
1
1
2
1
2
Passage
0=not present
1=present
Question
0=not present
1=not accurately connected to
prompt
2=accurately connected to prompt
Insight
0=not present
1=response does not clearly relate to
question
2=insight accurately connects to
question
1
0
1
0 1 2
0 1 2
2
0
1
0 1 2
0 1 2
3
0
1
0 1 2
0 1 2
4
0
1
0 1 2
0 1 2
5
0
1
0 1 2
0 1 2
_________/40