The Glass Castle

In Jeanette Walls’ memoir The Glass Castle, the author does a good job of establishing a tone and allowing the reader to understand the situation. The contrast that she provides is an excellent way of introducing conflict and adding character to the story. The beginning of the piece gives the reader a vibe that Ms. Wells’ tale will be that of an upper class woman in New York City. When Ms. Wells’ mother is introduced, then the story truly begins. The tone set is that of conflicting ideas and lifestyles. And you, as the reader, are immediately on side with the plot.

Wells demonstrates a masterful use of diction. Each word is chosen carefully and cleverly to truly represent what she is trying to say. She uses simple metaphors to implant a picture into the readers mind, and then goes on in great detail about certain occurrences. As a writer, using diction well is a skill that takes years of practice and although Ms. Wells is only on her second book, she demonstrates that she is a natural. Her masterful use of diction truly enhances the story and the characters inside of it.