IB HL 1/ SL 1 Summer Assignment
The Glass Castle
By Jeannette Walls
Welcome to your Junior Year!!! If you have any questions about this assignment, please
email one of us:
SL – Mrs. Bloxton –
HL – Mrs. Carey – SMCarey@fcps.edu
JCBLoxton@cfcps.edu
Mrs. Jerez - RLJerez@fcps.edu
During the course of reading The Glass Castle, you will track aspects of the memoir.
Part I: Characters (pick ONE to track)
 Jeannette (main
character)
 Rex (father)


Rose Mary (mother)
Lori (older sister)

Brian (younger
brother)
Character Response 1: Pages 3-41
1. Choose a quotation showing the character’s development, with proper citation, “like this” (Walls 45).
2. State what personality trait is shown in the quotation.
3. Identify how the character is changing/developing and how the quotation shows the character’s
development.
Character Response 2: Pages 42-90
1. Choose a quotation showing the character’s development, with proper citation, “like this” (Walls 45).
2. State what personality trait is shown in the quotation.
3. Identify how the character is changing/developing and how the quotation shows the character’s
development.
Character Response 3: Pages 91-154
1. Choose a quotation showing the character’s development, with proper citation, “like this” (Walls 45).
2. State what personality trait is shown in the quotation.
3. Identify how the character is changing/developing and how the quotation shows the character’s
development.
Character Response 4: Pages 155-213
1. Choose a quotation showing the character’s development, with proper citation, “like this” (Walls 45).
2. State what personality trait is shown in the quotation.
3. Identify how the character is changing/developing and how the quotation shows the character’s
development.
Character Response 5: Pages 214-288
1. Choose a quotation showing the character’s development, with proper citation, “like this” (Walls 45).
2. State what personality trait is shown in the quotation.
3. Identify how the character is changing/developing and how the quotation shows the character’s
development.
Part II: Motifs (Pick ONE of the following motifs to track. You will find three examples of one motif.)


Fire
The glass castle




Johsua tree
Demon hunting knife
Piggy bank
Education
Choose three significant examples of the motif from a variety of moments in the memoir (i.e. not all
from the same page). For each example, do the following:
1. Choose a quotation showing the motif with proper citation, “like this” (Walls 45).
2. Describe the context/situation (what is happening in the story when the motif appears?).
3. Describe the effect of the motif on the reader (What does this example reveal to readers? Why is this
motif used here, and now? What does the motif help the reader understand about a conflict, a
character, etc.?)
Part III: Visual imagery (find ONE example in THREE of the different settings)
Las Vegas, NV
Midland, CA
Blythe, CA
Battle Mountain, NV
Phoenix, AZ
Welch, WV
New York, NY
Above is a list of the settings in the memoir. For THREE of the above settings, do the following:
1. Choose a quotation showing visual imagery from this setting, cited properly, “like this” (Walls 45).
2. Discuss the effect of the visual imagery on the reader (in other words, what does the imagery reveal
about the setting? What mood or atmosphere does the imagery create?)
3. Discuss the effect of this setting on the family.
Please note that this assignment will be collected on the first day your IB HL 1/IB SL I English class
meets for the 2015-2016 school year. This must be your best and original work. Refrain from using
online sources. We look forward to meeting all of you! 