Symbolism, Imagery, Allegory
Shine Bright like a Geode
Jeannette grows up in a mining town, and she has an affinity for rocks. Her favorite one has "insides coated with tiny white crystals" (2.20.98). When Dad does the skedaddle, he tells Jeannette that she can bring one item with her—and she chooses this rock.
You've probably heard someone call another person his or her rock. And we don't mean Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. We're talking about someone stable and reliable. A person you can count on. Jeannette is that person in her family. Who is Jeannette's own rock? Well, she has her siblings, and she has this literal rock.
When Jeannette moves to New York City, she gives her geode to Maureen. "I told her that if she scrubbed it hard, it would sparkle like a diamond" (3.27.8). That's a good way of describing this memoir. If someone else told this story, it might be rough and gritty. But Jeannette scrubs her life story until it shines.