The Glass Castle Study Guide

What is the ironic question Rex asks Jeannette just before his death, to which he chuckles and she smiles?

"Have I ever let you down?"

Which of the following was NOT one of Rose Mary's parenting philosophies when her kids were young?

"Kids need art to help develop their brains."

When Jeannette tries to explain Stanley's "inappropriate behavior" to Rose Mary, her response is

"Poor Stanley, he's so lonely...If you don't think you're hurt, you aren't."

What was the name of the certified Juvenile Delinquent (JD) who became Jeannette's first boyfriend?

Billy Deel

List the social issues that are present in the novel:

Child Abuse Alcoholism Poverty Mental Illness Dysfunctional Family

What was the name of the girl who lead the bullying and playground fights against Jeannette?

Dinitia Hewitt

The Walls family moves to Phoenix to live in Grandma Smith's house, only to discover that

Grandma died a while back and no one told the kids.

Brian and Jeannette love to play at the dump and mix toxic and hazardous wastes to make scientific experiments. After a potentially dangerous fire, Rex has to rescue Brian. How does he respond?

He is quiet. He watches the flames devour the shack and is grateful to have been there to help.

As the Walls family prepares to leave Phoenix, why do you think Rex may have been skeptical and hesitant about revisiting his old home and family in Welch, West Virginia? The book never states a reason, but what or whom may have been the culprit for Rex's unease?

He knew that his family there was very dysfunctional and the root of many of his own addictions.

What type of punishment does Rex give Jeannette that finally shows her where his true loyalty lies?

He takes off his belt and gives her a whipping.

A few months after Maureen was born, Blythe had become "a little too hot" for Rex and they decided it was time to move again. Which was NOT one of the reasons Rose Mary gives for letting the kids ride in the back of the U-Haul truck?

It would save them the money and trouble of having to take the Green Caboose too.

Who is the narrator of the novel?

Jeanette

What does Erma ask that the Walls kids NOT do in her house because "it gets on her nerves?"

Laugh; it makes too much noise.

What was Jeannette's main motivation for stealing a watch from the jewelry case at work?

Mr. Becker hadn't paid her any commissions and she was only taking what she was owed.

Who struggles with alcoholism throughout the novel?

Rex

After Maureen was born, when it was time to check out of the hospital

Rex and Rose Mary ran out of the hospital cradling a bundle in their arms.

During her stay in the hospital, which of these things DOES NOT happen in the Walls family?

Rex gets a new job and decides to take the family out to a nice steak dinner.

With what weapon do the Walls kids use to retaliate against Jeannette's scorned boyfriend?

Rex's pistol

Who struggles with mental illness?

Rose Mary and Maureen

Which of the following things DOES NOT happen during Jeannette's stay in the hospital for her burns?

Rose Mary and Rex bring library books for Jeannette to read while she recovers.

What did Jeannette ask for on the occasion of her tenth birthday

She asks that Rex stop drinking

Why did Rose Mary not like being a teacher as her chosen profession?

She preferred to teach her own kids their academic subjects instead of teaching other people's kids.

By the time she got to Welch High School, Dinitia had changed. What happened to her?

She started drinking malt ale at school, was pregnant, and later killed her mom's boyfriend.

What huge, potentially life-altering news does Rose Mary drop on Jeannette at the very end of the story?

They owned land valued at nearly a million dollars the entire time; Rose Mary would never sell it.

Two of Rex's first few engineering projects he shares with his kids are the Glass Castle and

Two of Rex's first few engineering projects he shares with his kids are the Glass Castle and find gold

After losing his job at the gypsum mine, Rex (and Rose Mary) are unable to afford Christmas. Rex gives gives Jeannette stars and a planet. Which planet?

Venus

What does Erma pull from her dress pocket that made Rex "look happy for the first time since...Phoenix?"

a bottle of whiskey

Which of Brian's birthday gifts did Rex force Brian to give away to Ginger after leaving the hotel?

a comic book

The scene opens and Jeannette is describing what she is wearing when she is cooking hot dogs. It's a

a pink dress with a tutu skirt bought by her grandmother.

The Green Lantern is

a place where adults do bad things inside.

Jeannette takes her mother to lunch in an effort to offer to help her in a significant way. Rose Mary asks for

an electrolysis treatment.

With what did Rex patch the holes in the rotting floor in the Phoenix house?

beer cans and roofing nails

In Phoenix, Rose Mary is hopeful that this will be the place that

her own art career might finally take off and be successful.

What did Rose Mary suggest that Jeannette not "be so picky" about slicing off of a canned ham?

maggoty parts

While riding in a taxi on her way to a party, Jeannette sees her mother from a distance. Her mother looks up and Jeannette admits that when their eyes meet she is:

panicked; she was afraid that her mom would see her and call out her name.

Besides tutoring, babysitting, mowing lawns, redeeming bottles and selling scrap metal, what was Jeannette's first real job?

selling jewelry at Becker's Jewel Box

When Lori needs glasses, Rose Mary doesn't initially approve. Her philosophy was

that glasses were like crutches and prevented people with weak eyes from learning to see.

When Jeannette returns to her apartment after seeing her mom, she looks around it and realizes

that she hates herself and all of her belongings.

In one of the earliest episodes of the family doing the "skedaddle," the family prioritizes taking with them

the Dutch oven, some army-surplus tin plates, Mom's archery sets and paintings, and Quixote the cat.

In Phoenix, Dad joins the local electricians' union and has a steady job. On his first payday he bought each of the kids

their own bicycles.

What was Rosemary's plan to make sure Maureen had special treatment and nice clothes?

to shoplift by hiding dresses under her raincoat