tgc test

The Glass Castle

— Test Flashcards

Part I — A Woman on the Street

1. Q: How is Jeannette characterized in Part I?
A: Independent, observant, successful, and reflective.

2. Q: What is the tone of Part I?
A: Reflective, surprised, and somewhat detached.

3. Q: What is juxtaposition?
A: Placing two contrasting things together to highlight their differences.

4. Q: What is an example of juxtaposition in Part I?
A: Jeannette lives a successful life while her mother lives in poverty.

5. Q: What is the overall purpose of Part I?
A: To introduce Jeannette as an adult and make readers question her complicated relationship with her parents.

Part II — The Desert

6. Q: What can we infer about the Walls children?
A: They become self-reliant because their parents don’t provide enough stability.

7. Q: What does the desert imagery represent?
A: The harsh, empty, and unstable life of the Walls family.

8. Q: What is an example of foreshadowing?
A: The family’s constant moving foreshadows their eventual separation.

9. Q: What is ironic about the family’s packed belongings?
A: They are always prepared to leave but never achieve a stable home.

10. Q: What is one important trait of Rex?
A: He is intelligent and imaginative but irresponsible.

11. Q: What is the tone of Section 13?
A: Hopeful but uneasy.

12. Q: What is Rosemary’s priority?
A: Her freedom, art, and personal interests.

13. Q: What happens on Christmas morning in Section 25?
A: The children receive little materially, but Rex gives them hope through his imaginative way of celebrating.

14. Q: What does the Christmas scene show about Rex?
A: He can inspire his children but fails to provide the stability they need.

Part III — Welch

15. Q: What is an allusion?
A: A reference to a well-known person, event, story, or idea.

16. Q: What does Lori’s character development show?
A: She becomes more independent and begins planning her own future.

17. Q: What should you remember about Section 14 (“One Saturday morning not long after…”)?
A: It shows the children becoming more aware of their situation and taking responsibility for themselves.

18. Q: What is ironic about Section 22?
A: The parents value freedom, but their children are forced to become responsible for themselves.

19. Q: What is the tone of Section 22?
A: Frustrated and serious.

20. Q: What does Rex’s apology show?
A: He knows he has failed his children, but his apologies don’t always lead to change.

Part IV — New York City

21. Q: What does Jeannette drinking vodka symbolize?
A: Her growing independence and separation from her parents.

Part V — Thanksgiving

22. Q: What does John represent?
A: Stability, responsibility, and a more normal life.

23. Q: How is Jeannette characterized in Part V?
A: Independent, successful, responsible, compassionate, and reflective.

24. Q: What is the overall tone of Part V?
A: Reflective, accepting, and bittersweet.

25. Q: How has Jeannette changed throughout the book?
A: She changes from a dependent child into a self-reliant and independent adult.

⭐ Must-Know Themes

Self-reliance → Learning to depend on yourself.

Nonconformity → Refusing to follow normal social expectations.

Poverty → Lack of money affects the family’s safety, education, and opportunities.

Forgiveness → Jeannette learns to accept her parents despite their flaws.

The Glass Castle → Represents Rex’s dreams and promises that never become reality.

Garbage → Represents poverty, neglect, and the family’s unstable lifestyle.

Jeannette’s development → Child → self-reliant teenager → independent adult

🧠 Quick Test Tip

For your test, pay extra attention to the specific sections your teacher listed—especially Part II Section 25, Part III Section 14, Part III Section 22, and the symbolism in Part IV.