The Glass Castle Reader Response Journal
When we studied Transcendentalism, we learned that it had five key elements:





importance of nature
self-reliance
non-conformity
confidence
free thought
As we read section II of The Glass Castle, where can you see evidence of these Transcendental ideas? Create a chart
like the one below to identify an example of EACH of the five characteristics. Use the format below and create the chart on
your own paper.
Key Element
Depicted
non-conformity
Passage
from Book
(pg. # and brief
summary)
pp. 5 The
narrator tells her
mother that the
lifestyle she lives
is embarrassing to
her. Mom says
she should accept
it.
(Paraphrase
here—you don’t
have to directly
quote.
Character
Demonstrating
Transcendentalism
Mom/Rosemary
Explanation
Personal Reaction
Mom sees nothing wrong
with the way that she is living
her life. She claims to prefer
the adventure of being
homeless and having to
search for basic necessities
to having a comfortable
home.
I would probably most relate to the
narrator and feel a sense of
embarrassment if it was my mom.
Society tends to look down upon
those that are homeless—especially if
they choose to live that way.
Journal Specifics:
 Each example in the chart is worth 5 points (1 point for each element.) Again, you must have one for each of the
transcendental elements, but you may duplicate characters.
 The personal reaction should be at least 4-5 sentences and should make connections to the student’s own
experiences or to modern society.
Due Date: Thursday, January 15th.