The Glass Castle introductory guiding questions and things to look for (Hours 4,6)

1.  Define “checking out, Rex Walls style” and why it resonates so deeply with Jeanette in illustrating her father’s personality.

2.  Identify and explain one anecdote from the first section of reading that illustrates Rose Mary’s pride at being able to remain strong  in the face of adversity.  Be specific.

3.  Contrast the literal quality that either the Joshua tree or the Stars as Christmas Presents represented to Jeannette as a child compared to the metaphorical attributes they come to hold to her as an adult looking back. How did she see it THEN vs. how she sees it NOW?

4.  Give a literal description (what it is) as well as a symbolic definition(what it represents) of either the Glass Castle or the Prospector and what they represent to JW and her family.

5.  JW makes multiple strong references to fire.  Using the images and descriptions of her life so far, what reasonable inferences can we make about her fascination with fire? (Use 1 specific reference)

-the glass castle as a metaphor about the Walls family life

-the personalities of the characters individually and as a group and how they interact

-the END OF EACH CHAPTER typically contains a paragraph or at least a sentence that conveys some type of realization or message about life (their individual lives, their life as a family, and/or life in general)

-comparisons that Jeannette makes between her experiences and those of others