Themes in Welch The Glass Castle by janeflorencemadden on emaze

Themes

By Ellie, Jane, and Kean

Running away does not solve problems

Throughout the book the walls have been moving away once there’s an issue (have to go to court, haven’t paid bills), but wherever they go there are always new problems that pop up or the problems they already had have reoccurred.

alcoholism creates more problems than it solves

Some people think that alcohol will make them forget about how bad their life is, but instead it forms an irrational, rude, impulsive, uncommitted, father which leads to problems in the family. This happens throughout the book when Rex comes home drunk after having spent all his money on alcohol. Each time he comes home drunk something bad happens: he burns down the christmas tree, he gets in fights with Rose Mary, etc. Also, alcoholism caused Erma's liver to become bad which killed her.

life is drama full of tragedy and comedy

This is what Rosemary says when Jeannette is complaining and not enjoying the comic parts of life. This means Rosemary thinks the family takes things too seriously and should live in the moment.

Everyone has something good about them. You have to find the redeeming quality and love the person for that

Rosemary says this when Jeannette is complaining about what a horrible person Erma is. Rosemary shows her views on people who are mean and rude and makes sure that her kids get to know people for their good qualities not their bad qualities

Kids are not born horrible, it is the fault of their influences

This is mentioned throughout the whole book by Rosemary who defends all people that harm Jeannette or just have a bad life. These people include Billy Deel, Stanley, Rex, and more.

Living the way the walls live is not for a faint heart

Rex says this when the family moves to Welch and lives in a shack with no electricity, no indoor plumbing, a leaking ceiling, or a falling apart porch. They have a hard life living like this that many people would not be able to live.

What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger

Rex and Rosemary tell Jeannette this on many occasions revolving around fire. How fire burnt Jeannette, but it didn't kill her and she is not afraid of it.

One thing about whoring: It puts a chicken on the table

Jeannette mentions this when she goes to the Halls house and eats with Ginnie Sue, the town’s prostitute, and her kids.

You’ll never make a fortune working for the boss man

Rex says this when he is defending the fact that he does not have a job because steady jobs require bosses. So Rex continues to work odd jobs trying to find gold or make an invention

All seasons have something to offer

Rosemary explains that even though there house is leaking and freezing because they have no heat during the winter the cold kills germs. This reflects a few other themes about acceptance.

Chant hail marys while we clean, it's a way to cleanse souls

Rosemary feels that being happy and mighty while cleaning will help cleanse the souls and keep the souls happy. It's a way to keep her children motivated to clean

Real estate is about 3 things. Location. Location. Location

Welfare would cause irreparable

psychological damage to kids

Rosemary is extremely against the government giving the family handouts because once you become reliable on the help from others you will never be able to become independent. This reflects what Rex did to Jeannette at the hot spring.

Rex explains to the kids that he has put a lot of thought into where they live in Welch. There house is high enough to avoid flooding. They didn't live in the valley because the valley trapped the heat. Because they were the highest on the mountainside it was the coolest spot in Welch.

Rex tells Jeannette this when she goes upstairs with Robbie. This is supposed to be good advice to make sure no one tries to have sex with her

Keep your legs crossed, and keep ‘em crossed tight

Sheep don’t win horse races

It was up to every human being to find his or her own way to heaven

This theme occurs when Maureen starts coming home with ideas about Pentecostal religion and her family is a bit thrown back. Although, Rosemary understands that Maureen is being influenced by her friends families and says this to show her understanding.

This was when Rex wrecked Lori's shakespeare clay sculpture because when he wrecked it, it gave it symbolic meaning and that Lori was in a horse race thinking like a sheep.

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