A Goodreads user asked this question about The Glass Castle:
why is it named a glass castle anyways? it doesnt have anything to do with the book! now i get what the saying "dont judge a book by its cover" means!
Norma The metaphor of the Glass Castle works to explain both her family's lifestyle and to provide further insight into Dad's character. First, the idea tha…moreThe metaphor of the Glass Castle works to explain both her family's lifestyle and to provide further insight into Dad's character. First, the idea that someday the family will strike it rich and live in a house made entirely of glass, with its own power sources, suggests a faith in and desire for future stability despite the lack of it in their current lives. They believe this dream not only because Dad believes in it, but also in hopes that if he focuses on the Glass Castle he will be able to overcome his alcoholism in order to actually make it a reality. However, the very fragility of the dream — the house is made of glass, which can shatter, after all — suggests its elusiveness. Dad, plagued by the loss of a child, paranoia, and alcoholism, is incapable of achieving the dreams he proposes, even though he verbally maintains faith in a different, more prosperous future for himself and his family(less)
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by Jeannette Walls (Goodreads Author)
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