The Glass Castle Final (Figuritive Lang., Metaphors, Parts of Characters Convos)

Irony (figuritive language)

sharp contrast between expecatation and reality

Foreshadowing (figuritive language)

when the author gives an early hint or clue about an event that will happen later

"I was on fire. It's my earliest memory." (irony or foreshadowing)

Foreshadowing. Why: Said at the start when three-year-old Jeannette burned herself making hot dogs. It gives a early hint that fire will keep hurting her and destroying things throughout her whole life.

“You don’t have to worry anymore, baby, you’re safe now.” (irony or foreshadowing)

Situational Irony. Why: Said by Rex when he sneaks Jeannette out of the hospital to dodge the bill. It is ironic because the hospital was actually keeping her safe and fed, while taking her home put her right back in danger.

"That's the thing to remember about all monsters... All you have to do, Mountain Goat, is show old Demon that you're not afraid." (irony or foreshadowing)

Foreshadowing. Why: Said by Rex when Jeannette was scared of the dark. The nickname and advice hint that she will be tough enough to survive a hard childhood and make it on her own in New York.

"It's the Joshua tree's struggle that gives it its beauty." (irony or foreshadowing)

Foreshadowing. Why: Said by Rose Mary when she refused to protect a bent tree in the desert. It hints that the parents will let their kids suffer through severe neglect because they think hard times build character

"We're going to do the skedaddle." (irony or foreshadowing)

Situational Irony. Why: Said by Rex whenever they packed up at midnight to run from bill collectors. The parents act like running away is a fun game, but it really just shows how broke and irresponsible they are.

“We’re going to live like kings!” (irony or foreshadowing)

Situational Irony. Why: Said by Rex right after winning a little money gambling. It is ironic because right after spending money, the family goes right back to starving with no power or water.

“Pick out your favorite star.” (irony or foreshadowing)

Situational Irony. Why: Said by Rex on Christmas Eve when he had no money for real presents. He acts like giving them stars is a huge gift, but it just shows how broke and homeless they really are.

"At times like these, self-esteem is even more vital than food." (irony or foreshadowing)

Verbal and Situational Irony. Why: Said by Rose Mary when she kept a diamond ring instead of selling it for food. It is ironic that she cares more about feeling good about herself than keeping her starving kids fed.

“Dump it in the hole.” (irony or foreshadowing)

Foreshadowing. Why: Said by Rex when he told the kids to throw trash into the hole they dug for the Glass Castle.Dumping trash in the foundation hints that the dream house will never get built and was always total nonsense.

“Nobody’s building any castles.” (irony or foreshadowing)

Situational Irony. Why: Thought by Jeannette when she saw their foundation hole filled with trash. The Glass Castle was supposed to be their future, but it ended up being literally filled with garbage.

"We're just testing your self-reliance." (irony or foreshadowing)

Irony. Why: Said by Rex and Rose Mary whenever they fail to provide basic necessities, abandon the kids for days, or force them to look around for food in school trash cans.

"If you want to be treated like a mother, you should act like one." (irony or foreshadowing)

Situational Irony. Why: Said by Jeannette when her mom refused to get out of bed to go work. Rose Mary wants her kids to respect her, but she makes the kids act like the parents while she acts like a child.

"I'm not upset because I'll miss you. I'm upset because you get to go to New York, and I'm stuck here. It's not fair." (irony or foreshadowing)

Situational Irony. Why: Said by Rose Mary when seventeen-year-old Jeannette was packing to move away. It is ironic that the mother is jealous of her own daughter getting a chance to leave things behind.

"Dad, you'll never build the Glass Castle... Go ahead and build the Glass Castle, but don't do it for me." (irony or foreshadowing)

Foreshadowing. Why: Said by Jeannette at the bus station when Rex tried to make her stay. Telling him off hints that she is done with his lies and is going to build her own life in New York.

Metaphor: "blue streak" (page 19)

Jeannette says their car left a "blue streak" across the dry desert when her dad drove super fast. This compares how fast the car was moving to a bolt of lightning, showing how chaotic and fast their sudden escapes were.

Metaphor: "It's a place where no rules apply" (page 61)

Rex says the desert has no rules. This compares the desert to a wild place where they don't have to obey anyone.

Metaphor: "If you don't want to sink, you better figure out how to swim" (page 66)

Her dad throws her into the deep part of the pool. This compares swimming to real life, showing her parents expect her to survive on her own.

Metaphor: "Don't worry, God understands," mom said. "He knows that your father is a cross we must bear" (page 105)

Her mom calls her dad’s heavy drinking a "cross." This compares his bad choices to a heavy things they have to carry.

Metaphor: "It's a highway robbery!" (page 111)

Her dad says this when paying bills. This compares normal prices to getting robbed, showing he thinks everyone is out to steal from him.

Metaphor: "This isn't exactly the Garden of Eden," Lori said (page 149)

Lori says this about their broken house in Welch. This compares their trashy house to a paradise to show how bad it really was.

(Parts of convos) Who said the following: "I was sitting in a taxi heading to a party, wondering if I had dressed too elegantly for the evening, when I looked out the window and saw Mom rooting through a Dumpster."

Said by Jeannette at the very beginning when she is an adult, sees her homeless mom digging through trash in NYC.

(Parts of convos) Who said the following: “Why spend the night in the night in a motel when we could sleep under the stars?”

Rex Walls when the family had to sleep outside in the desert after packing up and running away in the middle of the night (skedaddle).

(Parts of convos) Who said the following: “I knew if Rose Mary saw it, she’d want to paint it.”

Jeannette when she saw a fire or big mess and knew her mom would think it looked like art instead of a problem.

(Part of a convo) Who said the following: “Beggars can’t be choosers, so we might as well enjoy it.”

Rose Mary Walls when the family got leftover food/free stuff because they had no money.

(Parts of a convo) Who said the following: “We’re living in a land of plenty.”

Rex Walls when in Welch when the family was starving, but Rex pretended they had plenty of food.

(Parts of Convos) Who said the following: “Things usually work out in the end. “What if they don’t?” “That just means you haven’t come to the end yet.”

Rose Mary Walls and Jeannette Walls when Jeannette was worried about their life and her mom told her to stop stressing.

(Parts of convos) Who said the following: “You can’t cling to your side your whole life.”

Rex Walls when he threw Jeannette into the pool to make her swim on her own.

(Parts of convos) Who said the following: “I’m an artist. I need time to create.”

Rose Mary Walls when the kids asked her to get a job so they could buy food, but she just wanted to paint.

(Parts of convos) Who said the following: “We can’t leave him. He’s family.”

Rose Mary Walls when Rex went crazy from drinking a lot and Rose Mary refused to leave him.

(Parts of convos) Who said the following: “New York was full of possibilities, but you had to be tough.”

Jeannette Walls when Lori and her first moved to New York to start over.

(Parts of convos) Who said the following: “We were all getting older, but Dad was staying the same”

Jeannette when she was growing up in Welch and realized her dad was never going to change.

(Parts of convos) Who said the following: “You kids have it so easy. You don’t know what real hardship is.”

Rose Mary Walls when the kids complained about being freezing cold or having no food.

(Parts of convos) Who said the following: “You have to learn to embrace your flaws.”

Rose Mary Walls when her mom told her to just deal with problems instead of trying to fix them.

(Parts of convos) Who said the following: “We’re a team, Mountain Goat.”

Rex Walls when he wanted Jeanette to help him with one of his plans or forgive him for messing up.

(Parts of convos) Who said the following: “You can’t just give up on people just because they’re not perfect.”

Rose Mary Walls when near the end of the book her mom made excuses for how Rex acted.