The Glass Castle Identity

It's easy to judge a by its cover: we all do it. But do we ever stop to think that our first impressions might be way off? That homeless woman digging through the trash could be someone's mother; she probably is. And that successful woman might have come from a very difficult background and struggled every step of the way to get to where she is. We can't look inside someone to see what's there, since people aren't made of glass, but The Glass Castle shows what some people are like under the surface—and how they got to be that way.

Questions About Identity

1. How is each of the Walls children different? What personality traits do the kids share?
2. At the end, how is Jeannette like her mom and dad? How is she different?
3. What leads Jeannette to choose a career in journalism? Why does this career suit her personality?

Chew on This

One good thing the Walls parents do is encourage their children to be themselves.

One bad thing the Walls parents do is refuse to compromise. Their selfishness affects their ability to adequately support their family.