The Glass Castle
Grace Keane, Brittany Koppers,
Hannah Malvey, Olivia Latham,
Maggie McLiney
Summary:
By Grace Keane and Brittany
Koppers
"...someone on the way to the same party would spot us
together and my mom would introduce herself and my secret
would be out. (p. 3)" Through The Glass Castle, Jeannette Walls
lets all of her "secrets" out to the world as she reminisces on her
harsh past. She starts out with memories from the time when she
was as young as three all the way up to her present-day life. She,
along with the rest of her family, lived in numerous places and
were always on the move, deserting towns in the middle of the
night "Rex Walls' style." All throughout her life, she delt with
poverty, hunger, and malnourishment, along with an alcholic
father and an unstable mother, both of which spent money on
trivial means like alcohol. But for Jeanette, the multiple horrific
situations in her life only made her stronger, wiser, and more
experienced than others her age.
Summary Cont'd
When Jeannette became a young
adult, she became embarrassed by
how her parents lived and kept it a
secret for as long as possible. But,
through writing this story and giving
the world a glimpse into her life, she
came to accept her parents for who
they are and embrace her burdensome
childhood. Through her story,
Jeannette shows an impoverished,
neglected girl grow into a successful,
strong author and wife, showing the
world that no matter what situation
you come from, ultimate success
is compeltely possible.
Summary by Grace Keane and Brittany
Koppers
Themes
By Grace Keane
Through Jeannette Wall's memior, she opens the world to many
universal truths. Of the many, the major ones are overcoming poverty,
forgiveness, finding good in everyone, and alcoholism. She depicts
the degenerative process of alcoholism in her father, forgives her
parents after all they put her through, and overcomes the poverty that
made her the strong woman she is today.
Forgiveness/ Unconditional love: ""Have I ever let you down?'
He started chuckling because he knew there was only one way I
could ever answer that question..." This was an excerpt of one of
Jeannette and Rex's last moments together. Throughout the novel,
Rex constantly lets Jeannette down, but Jeannette was the one that
always believed in him. Every time he did something wrong, like
when he brought her to a bar to distract the men so he could make
money, she always forgave him. Her mother, Rose Mary, didn't
even care for her like a real mother should. Instead, she
Themes Cont'd
By Grace Keane
only thought about herself and her needs, probably because she was
suffering from some sort of major depression. Nonetheless, Jeannette
still loved her parents, because she came to realize without them, she
wouldn't be as strong and mature as she is today. Through her
experiences and actions, Jeannette depicts the importance of
unconditional love, family, and ultimate forgiveness.
Accepting people for who they are and finding good in
everyone: "Everyone has something good about them. You have to
find the redeeming quality and love the person for that." Rose Mary
says this on page 144 about Erma, Rex Walls' mother the kids hate.
This quote also ties into the whole book for one of its themes: that you
have to see the good in everyone and accept them for who they are.
Throughout Jeannette
Themes Cont'd
By Grace Keane
Walls' book, Rex Walls went on many drinking binges and, in some
cases, made Jeannette's life worse than it should be. But since
Jeannette was so young and naive, she was able to accept the fact
her dad was a drunk and find the light side in him: his creativity and
intelligence. In the beginning of the book, when Jeannette is
embarrassed of her parents digging through the trash, her mom tells
her to accept them for who they are. Throughout her story, Jeannette
does just that in multiple situations, showing the world that there is
good in everyone, no matter how awfully the person acts or behaves.
Alcoholism: "But when dad pulled out a bottle of what she called 'the
hard stuff,'... Dad turned into an angry-eyed stranger who threw
around furniture and threatened to beat up Mom or anyone else who
got in his way." Rex Walls suffered from a degenerative
Themes Cont'd
By Grace Keane
addiction to alcohol that brought the family down. Rex went out
nearly every night, and staggered home early in the morning or
days later only to knock down furniture and attack Rose Mary.
He regularly had fits and lashed out, all because of the liquid he
ingested. Rex Walls is a prime example of how alcohol affects not
only yourself, but most importantly, the people around you.
Overcoming Poverty: If you read the book, you'd obviously know
that Jeannette's life was burdensome, heart-breaking, and, at times,
downright scary. As a child, she suffered from hunger,
malnourishment, and oppression; but everything she went through
only made her stronger and more intelligent. Because she had to be
the parent of the family at such a young age, Jeannette learned to
fend for herself and siblings fairly quickly. Everything she went
through only helped her become the successful author and wife she
is today, knowing that extra materials aren't necessary for ahappy
life. It makes you wonder if she would have even gotten as far if
Themes Cont'd
By Grace Keane
She had the determination and
drive needed to escape the rough
life she lived. Her life
exemplifies the overcoming
of poverty and how it really
is possible as long as you stick
to education and persevere
through life.
Thinking Questions:
1. What is Jeannette Walls trying to get across to the world? How does
this make you think about your life?
2. People commonly use the excuse of being poor a reason of not
becoming successful. How did Jeannette Walls break down this
excuse? Do you believe that this excuse is valid after reading this
memior?
Characters
By: Brittany Koppers
1. Jeannette Walls:
"In my mind, Dad was perfect, although he did have what Mom called a bit of a drinking
situation."
Forgiving
Driven
Jeannette is on her own in life and has to deal with poverty, neglect, and abuse. She is a
malnourished red head, who is made fun of because of her looks and size. She overcomes many
obstacles such as rape, physicals injuries, bullies, and lack of the basic necessities in life. Jeannette
is persistent and doesn't give up on her life that easily. With much effort she moves to New York
and becomes a successful, contributing member of society. She now thrives in literature and is a
very accomplished author and journalist.
Protagonist- Jeannette Walls is the protagonist. She is dealt a difficult life and does
the very best she can with it. She finances her own way through college and
although her parents caused major setbacks for her, they loved each other
unconditionally.
Antagonist- Jeannette Walls' parents. They waste the family budget on trivial items
and alcohol. They love Jeannette and her siblings very much but look out for their
own interests before their children's. The roles were reversed in this book. The
children were more responsible than their parents and their parents were very
unorganized and self centered. The antagonist could also be looked at as the
oppression and poverty in her life, which she had to learn to deal with it, knowing
she had to overcome, just like she did with her parents.
Characters Cont'd
By: Brittany Koppers
Rex Walls:
alcoholic
abusive
neglectful
irresponsible
"Everyone has something good about them.... You have to find the redeeming
quality and love the person for that."-Rose Mary Walls
"But when dad pulled out a bottle of what Mom called the "the hard stuff,"... Dad
turned into an angry-eyed stranger who threw around furniture and threatened to
beat up Mom or anyone else who got in his way." p. 23
Rex is one of the many antagonists in this novel. He is an alcoholic and constantly
fights with Rose Mary, Jeannette's mother. When he spends the family income on
alcohol, he would come home with excuses, like building the Glass Castle or working
on a machine that would help him mine for gold. Although he isn't the wisest person
when it comes to his children's well being, he had their best interests at heart and really
did love him, but her just wasn't mature enough for a life outside of lost dreams and
alcohol.
Characters Cont'd
By: Brittany Koppers
Rose Mary Walls:
Self-centered
Mentally unstable
"No one expected you to amount to much," she told me, "Lori was the smart one,
Maureen the pretty one, and Brian the brave one. You never had much going for
you except you always worked hard." (270)
"Why spend the whole afternoon making a meal that will be gone in an hour?" she
asked us, "when in the same amount of time, I could do a painting that will last
forever."
Rose Mary is another antagonist in this book. She is the selfish mother of Jeannette and
her siblings. She loves her children but also feels that if it weren't for them, her dream
of being a successful artist would be thriving. She wants to meet her own needs before
those of her children and allows herself to be manipulated be an alcoholic husband.
Was there a reasoning behind Rose Mary's irrational behavior? (mental illness or
poor childhood)
Characters Cont'd
By: Brittany Koppers
4. Lori Walls:
loving
smart
"Lori was the smart one." (270)
Lori is the brilliant oldest child in the Walls family. She wears glasses and wants to
make a better life for herself. She battles through life and does just that. With the help
of Jeannette she moves to New York and has the opportunity to start a new life.
5.Brian Walls:
Brave
Loves his sisters
Realistic
Brian is the only boy in the Wall family. He takes on the responsibility of being the
"man of the house" while their father was drinking. Brian protects Jeannette from
bullies even if it caused him harm. He escaped poverty and is now a police officer. He
overcame so much to help others overcome their personal struggles.
Characters Cont'd
By: Brittany Koppers
Maureen Walls:
beautiful
mentally unstable
lost control
addicted to drugs
Maureen is the youngest of all the Walls children. She is longing to be loved. She
spends most of her time at friend's houses and looking for a place that will take care of
her. She is still today struggling to find her place in the world today, as she grew up to
be constantly unstable, like when she nearly killed her mom by stabbing her.
1. Is Maureen's life worse off because she didn't grow up in the unstable environment
that was her home and stayed at places she didn't belong such as neighbors and friend's
houses?
2. If Jeannette didn't overcome all the hardships of her childhood would she be the
same successful person she is today?
Point of View
By: Hannah Malvey
The Glass Castle is set in first person. Jeannette Walls, the author and
narrator, is very reliable in this situation because she is telling her own true
story. This book's point of view made quite an effect. Because it is in first
person, the readers are able to be inside her mind and hear her thoughts.
This book was an eye-opener because we are able to see a whole new side
of poverty and experience something that we have never known before.
Walls chose this point of view because she wanted to tell her story and to
write a memoir.
Quotes: "When he'd plucked all the pebbles from my cheeks and forehead,
he took out his handkerchief and tried to stop my nose from bleeding." pg.
31
"'I want that one' I said. Dad grinned. 'That's Venus,' he said. Venus was
only a planet, he went on, and pretty dinky compared to real stars... 'I like it
anyway,' I said" pg. 40
Point of View Cont'd
By: Hannah Malvey
"'Things usually work out in the end.'
'But what if they don't?'
'That just means we haven't come to the end yet.' She looked across the table
and smiled at me with the smile you give people when you know you have
the answers to all their questions." pg. 259
"We raised our glasses. I could almost hear Dad chuckling at Mom's comment
in the way he always did when he was truly enjoying something." pg. 288
Higher-level Thinking Questions:
How did Jeannette grow as a person throughout this memoir?
What positive things came from Jeannette being impoverished as
a child?
Setting
Maggie McLiney
The time period that this novel is based in is from 1957-2005. The
setting changes multiple times throughout the story and each time
brings a new element of surprise. For the majority of the time, the
Walls family lives in lower class neighborhoods, with extremely run
down houses. The places they lived were barely livable. The Walls
family was always doing the "skedaddle" which meant they were
always on the move. Constantly packing up camp and moving to
another state was hard on the kids. They were forced to leave the
friends that they had, and go to a different school, where they usually
didn't quite fit in.
Setting Cont'd
By:Maggie McLiney
Battle Mountain, Nevada
In Battle Mountain, they lived in an abandoned railroad depot.
Description of their house:
1. Wooden, but painted green
2. Two stories tall
3. Oldest building in town
4. Right next to the railroad tracks
5. Improvised for furniture
-expand
6. Slept in Cardboard boxes
Setting Cont'd
Phoenix, Arizona
For once, they lived in an actual home. It was inherited from Rose
Mary's mother.
Description of their home:
1. Large, almost like a mansion
2. Infested with roaches
3. Crazy neighbors
4. White stucco
5. Inherited furniture
6. Palm tree in front yard
7. Orange tree in back yard
8. Shed and garage
Setting Cont'd
New York City
1. Lived in the South Bronx
2. Yellow art deco
3. Covered in graffiti
4. Cracked mirrors
5. Shiny oak parquet floors
6. Foyer with two steps
7. Working appliances
8. Rough neighborhood
Deeper Thinking
1. Had the Walls not done the skedaddle multiple times and just
stayed in one location, how do you think the story would of been
affected?
2. If so, do you think the characters would have been so dedicated and
focused on moving to New York, or do you think they would have not
cared, and continued to live like their parents?
Style
Olivia Latham
Flashback:
Almost the whole book is one long flashback of Jeanette.
Seems to begin after meeting her mom digging through the trash,
bringing back up those early memories
The start in more modern day seems to give it that more flashback
quality.
Irony:
A lot of irony in the book, mostly about her father.
Putting beer bottles in the toy box
Filling the foundations of their dream glass castle with their trash.
Still there even though it's a memoir.
Dad "Have I ever let you down?"
Style
Olivia Latham
Tone:
Indifferent
Doesn't delve too deep into her own thoughts and feelings
Just gives us the facts about what happened
Doesn't express opinion on events and characters
Gives readers a chance to come up with their own opinions about
events and characters
Makes the reader feel closer to the story
Higher Level thinking questions:
How does the author's style effect the reader?
How does her style mimic the style of a journalist?
Thematic Song
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tj_3Urq283M
This song exemplifies forgiveness
Represented relationship between Jeanette and Rex
at a young age
Interview with Jeannette and her mother
Pictures
"Alexander Gorski, Film & Tv Cameraman --- Post Y2k Photos -." Alexander Gorski, Film & Tv Cameraman
--- Homepage ---. Web. 30 Aug. 2010. <http://alexcam.paris.free.fr/p-y2k.html>.
"New York's Grocery Gap (Gotham Gazette, Nov 21, 2005)." Gotham Gazette - the Place for New York City Policy
and Politics. Web. 30 Aug. 2010. <http://www.gothamgazette.com/article/iotw/20051121/200/1658>.
State, By. "Smog over Phoenix, Arizona | All American Patriots: Politics, Economy, Health, Environment, Energy
and
Technology." All American Patriots: Politics, Economy, Health, Environment, Energy and Technology |
Dispatches from the Depths of U.S. Government. Web. 30 Aug. 2010.
<http://www.allamericanpatriots.com/photos/smog-over-phoenix-arizona Maggie McLiney
"The Glass Castle « Nussu the Ridge Online." Nussu the Ridge Online. Web. 30 Aug. 2010.
http://ridgeonline.wordpress.com/2007/11/08/the-glass-castle/
"Http://www.meredithsuewillis.com/Prosenarrative.html." Google. Web. 30 Aug. 2010.
<http://www.google.com/imgresmgurl=http://www.meredithsuewillis.com/images/JeannetteWalls.jpg&imgrefurl=
<http://www.meredithsuewillis.com/Prosenarrative.
html&usg=__ICMWI656MukGh38xRcZML1zGSnQ=&h=277
w=250&sz=15&hl=en&start=0&sig2=JOY81HhSKrghKOcLa9U8Bw&zoom=1&tbnid=aKsKQsQgAYSmT
iM:&tbnh=157&tbnw=153&e> Grace Keane
Videos
"YouTube - Jeannette Walls -- The Glass Castle -- Book Video." YouTube - Broadcast
Yourself.Web. 30 Aug. 2010. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lW0XVno-0gM.
YouTube - Lily Allen - He Wasn't There * LYRICS *." YouTube - Broadcast Yourself.
Web. 30 Aug. 2010. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tj_3Urq283M.