The Glass Castle
by Jeannette Walls
About the book…
The Glass Castle is a remarkable memoir of resilience and redemption,
and a revelatory look into a family at once deeply dysfunctional and
uniquely vibrant. When sober, Jeannette’s brilliant and charismatic father
captured his children’s imagination, teaching them physics, geology, and how
to embrace life fearlessly. But when he drank, he was dishonest and
destructive. Her mother was a free spirit who abhorred the idea of
domesticity and didn’t want the responsibility of raising a family.
The Walls children learned to take care of themselves. They fed,
clothed, and protected one another, and eventually found their way to
New York. Their parents followed them, choosing to be homeless even as
their children prospered.
The Glass Castle is truly astonishing—a memoir permeated by
the intense love of a peculiar, but loyal family. Jeannette Walls has a
story to tell, and tells it brilliantly, without an ounce of self-pity.
 About the author…
Jeannette Walls lives in Virginia and is married to the writer John
Taylor. She is a regular contributor to MSNBC and has worked at several
publications, including Esquire, USA Today, and New York.
Discussion Questions:
- Though The Glass Castle is brimming with unforgettable
stories; which scenes were the most memorable for you? Which were the
most shocking, the most inspiring, the funniest?
- The first story Walls tells of her childhood is that of her burning
herself severely at age three, and her father dramatically takes her
from the hospital: “You’re safe now (p.14)." Why do you think she opens
with that story, and how does it set the stage for the rest of the
memoir?
- What is the “glass castle” and what does it signify to Jeannette and
her father?
- Rex Walls often asked his children, “Have I ever let you down?” Why
was this question (and the required “No, Dad” response) so important for
him--and for his kids? On what occasions did he actually come through
for them?
- What kind of man was Rex Walls? What were his strengths and
weaknesses, his flaws and contradictions?
- What kind of woman was Rose Mary Walls? What did you think about her
description of herself as an “excitement addict? (p. 93)"
- In college, Jeannette is singled out by a professor for not
understanding the plight of homeless people; instead of defending
herself, she keeps quiet. Why do you think she does this? Is
homelessness a choice?
- The two major pieces of the memoir -- one half set in the desert and
one half in West Virginia -- feel distinct. What effect did such a big
move have on the family --and on your reading of the story? How would
you describe the shift in the book’s tone?
- What was Jeannette’s relationship to her siblings? Were you
surprised to learn that, as adults, Jeannette and her siblings remained
close to their parents? Why do you think this is?
- What do parents owe children and what do children owe parents?
- Though it portrays an incredibly hard scrabble life, The Glass
Castle is never sad or depressing. How do you think that the author
achieved that effect?
- The most extraordinary thing about The Glass Castle is that
despite everything, Jeannette Walls refuses to condemn her parents. Were
you able to be equally nonjudgmental?
Most Discussion Questions courtesy of Simon & Schuster,
Inc. |
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