The Glass Castle Theme Test by Callianne Rojas

Blueprints of the Glass Castle

rojascallianne — 2025-03-02 18:20:41 UTC

rojascallianne — 2025-03-02 18:26:10 UTC

In simple terms the theme Fantasy vs. Reality is when there is no idea of reality and instead creates dreams to distract themselves from reality, even though reality will soon shatter these dreams. "He carried around the blueprints for the Glass Castle wherever we went, and sometimes he'd pull them out and let us work on the design for our rooms. All we had to do was find gold, Dad said, and we were on the verge of that. Once he finished the Prospector and we struck it rich, he'd start work on our Glass Castle." pg.25 Another quote that goes along with this theme is on page 238, "I stared at the plans. "Dad," I said, "you'll never build the Glass Castle." "Are you saying you don't have faith in your old man?" "Even if you do, I'll be gone. In less than three months, I'm leaving for New York City." This shows Fantasy vs. Reality because Rex dreams big for his family and a better future, hoping he achieves his dreams of striking gold and becoming rich, yet he is faced with the harsh reality that their life has major instability, and poverty struggles and that he won't end up building the Glass Castle even when Jeannette leaves. This picture represents Fantasy vs. Reality in The Glass Castle by showing the blueprints of the castle they'll never build, the one that Rex would draw and build up in his fantasy that they will someday when he finds gold.

Refusing outside help

rojascallianne — 2025-03-02 23:15:26 UTC

rojascallianne — 2025-03-02 23:58:01 UTC

A quote that represents the theme self-sufficient in The Glass Castle is from this moment when Jeannette shows she can solve problems on her own rather than relying on others or her parents. "Mom and Dad had no money for braces, of course- none of us kids had ever even been to the dentist- but since I'd been babysitting and doing other kids' homework for cash, I resolved to save up until I could afford braces myself....... I decided to make my own braces." page 201. This quote shows self-sufficiency because this is the beginning of Jeannete becoming independent knowing she can't count on her parents to get her what she needs, she finds a way to get it for herself. Throughout this memoir the children often have to fend for themselves to get basic needs their parents don't provide such as food. This is just one example of how Jeannette and her siblings have been almost forced to become self-sufficient, independent, and resourceful. Another example of this in the memoir has to do with Rose Mary and Rex on page 159. "Although we were the poorest family on Little Hobart Street, Mom and Dad never applied for welfare or food stamps, and they always refused charity......."We can take care of our own," Mom and Dad liked to say. "We don't accept handouts from anyone." This shows Rose Mary were already super self-sufficient and liked to think what they had was enough to support their children and they didn't need anyone else to help. This picture represents when Rose Mary and Rex would deny any support or help from others for basic necessities for either them or the children.

rojascallianne — 2025-03-03 00:50:15 UTC

This quote from The Glass Castle shows unconditional love when Rex gifts his children an unforgettable present despite his money problems and addictions he shows his affection for Jeannette and the children in his own way. "Years from now, when all the junk they got is broken and long forgotten," Dad said, "you'll still have your stars." pg.41. This is an example of unconditional love because although Rex cannot afford to gift his children material items, he instead gifts them something meaningful, something that every time they look up, they know it's a gift from their dad who truly does love them, a star in the sky. Despite Rex being an alcoholic and his unreliability, this moment shows that he truly does love his children and wants to still gift them in his own way, gifting them something irreplicable. The picture of Venus in the sky is a reflection of when Rex gave this star to Jeannette showing he still wants her to have a present even if they lack money. Rex gave this present from his heart because this present will last a lifetime for Jeannette and her siblings, who as well got stars for presents.

Venus in the sky

rojascallianne — 2025-03-03 00:57:58 UTC

rojascallianne — 2025-03-03 02:41:32 UTC

A quote that represents the theme of forgiveness in The Glass Castle is the time where Jeannette is talking to her father for the last time reflecting on his life. "But despite all the hell-raising and destruction and chaos he had created in our lives, I could not imagine what my life would be like-what the world would be like-without him in it. As awful as he could be, I always knew he loved me in a way no one else ever had." pg. 279. This quote shows how Jeannette realizes how much of a pain her father has been in her life, how bad his alcohol problems, how many promises he's broken, and how much trouble and issues Rex has caused. Despite all Rex's problems and flaws, Jeannette chooses to forgive him because she knows how much he loved her as a daughter and a person. This picture represents how even though Rex did cause a lot of trouble for the family Jeannette still chose to forgive him because she recognizes the love he has for her is not like anything else and his life is slowly coming to an end. Jeannette may still have resentment for the many things Rex has done, but she ultimately forgives him.

Representing Jeannette ultimately forgiving Rex

rojascallianne — 2025-03-03 03:21:31 UTC

rojascallianne — 2025-03-03 03:36:51 UTC

A quote in The Glass Castle that shows coming of age within Jeannette is when she starts working for the school newspaper and realizes how much of the world the reporters knew about and how much of an impact they had on everyday people. "But a newspaper reporter, instead of holing up in isolation, was in touch with the rest of the world. What the reporter wrote influenced what people thought about and talked about the next day; he knew what was really going on. I decided I wanted to be one of those people who knew what was really going on......I began to feel like I was getting the whole story for the first time, that I was being handed the missing pieces to the puzzle, and the world was making a little more sense now." pg. 205-205. This quote shows that Jeannette is starting to gain awareness of the world around her maturing from only seeing things as a child's point of view from the skewed version she got from her mom and dad to now a more mature perspective, developing into adulthood. This picture shows the newspaper room where she first started to see things differently as she has began to grown up.

School Newsroom

rojascallianne — 2025-03-03 03:37:58 UTC

rojascallianne — 2025-03-03 16:57:04 UTC

The Wall's family has such a unpredictable lifestyle due to their parents always on the move, whether it be moving houses, or trying to find food, or just stuck in pure chaos. On page 12 there is a perfect example of Jeannette stuck in the chaos. "That was the thing about the hospital. You never had to worry about running out of stuff like food or ice or even chewing gum. I would have been happy staying in that hospital forever." This quote shows how Jeannette is so used to a chaotic and unstable environment at home that when she is in the hospital, she gets comfortable having structure. Jeannette gets fed at a certain time, she has clean sheets, a clean room, and nurses who check up on her. This is the order in her life that Jeannette has needed sine at home she is faced with chaos daily and instability. Yet the order does not last long as she is quickly faced with chaos again when Rex one day decides to bust Jeannette out of the hospital, carrying her, running to escape. This photo represents when Jeannette had order in her life for the first time at just 3 years old she was checked into the hospital, then she gained food, security, and order.

Jeannette getting checked up on

rojascallianne — 2025-03-03 17:06:10 UTC