-
Hot Dogs.
At the age of 3, Jeanette severely burned herself cooking hot dogs, demonstrating how negligent her parents were. When her father couldn't pay the hospital bills he took her and ran away with her -
Glass Castle/ Trip to Vegas
Rex(dad) wakes the kids up and tells them they are leaving this "sh*t hole." he also exclaims they would build a glass castle. On a trip to Vegas Jeanette is slung out of the car and is almost left behind. -
Attending School.
At age 5, Jeanette is attending school. She was enthused at the thought of learning to read and write. But on her way home from school this group of girls beat her up, the next day her brothers were able to protect her. -
Abandoned Station
The family is homeless so they move in to a uninhabited depot station. They head uncomfortable living conditions, as they all had to sleep in refrigerator boxes. Jeanette made money for the family by collecting cans while her father got a job at a mine. -
Lost Job/ Attempted Suicide
Rex loses his job, and at age 6, Jeanette witnesses her parents argue and her mom attempts suicide. Rex and the kids prevent it and she becomes a teacher. -
Grandma's Death
At age 8, Jeanette's grandmother passes away leaving behind the will and her house for the family. Rex got a new job, the kids got bikes, and Jeanette's sister Lori got glasses for the first time. -
Drinking problems
At age 10, Jeanette asks Rex to stop drinking for her birthday. He does but it doesn't last long, and he loses his job as a result. The family sells their land and moves to Virginia where Rex's family lives. -
Kicked Out
After 4 years, Rex's mother kicks them out and they're forced into a house with no plumbing and faulty insulation. Rex proclaimed that this foreshadowed the glass castle. -
NYC
at age 17, Lori and Jeanette move out after Rex steals from their piggy bank. -
Graduation/ New beginnings.
At age 23, Jeanette Graduates college gets married, and begins a newspaper column. Her Dad dies of heart attack causing her to finally come to terms with her bad parents. Jeanette leaves her husband and eventually marries a man named John. -
Reflection Cont.
they move away and become successful people. After her father dies Jeanette finally forgives her parents for her childhood. The events of Jeanette's life support the theme of, " no matter where your from or what beginnings you come from you can always be successful if you put your mind to it." -
Reflection
The events of this book shape Jeanette's views in many ways and eventually she comes full circle when her father dies of a heart attack. The hot dogs shows how much her father both distrusts hospitals and how negligent the parents were. The drive to Vegas where she's flung out of the car Further demonstrates the negligence. When they moved into the abandoned depot, her living conditions forced her to persevere, in turn making her a hard working person. After her father steals from her and Lori,