This story is a remarkable memoir of resilience and redemption, and a penetrating look into a family at once deeply dysfunctional and uniquely vibrant. When sober, Jeannette's brilliant father captured his children's imagination, teaching them physics, geology, and how to embrace life fearlessly. But when he drank, he was dishonest and destructive. Her mother was a free spirit who hated anything to do with domesticity. The Walls children learned to...

The Glass Castle features explanations of key themes, motifs, and symbols including: strength from hardship; abuse; fire; compassion vs. boundaries; the glass castle; Joshua tree. It also includes detailed analysis of these important characters: Jeannette Walls; Dad (Rex Walls); Mom (Rose Mary Walls).