--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: 'The Glass Castle' by Jeannette Walls is…" description: "\"'The Glass Castle' by Jeannette Walls is the quintessential dysfunctional family.\" — Sara Shepard" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e80/sara-shepard-1948_castle_the-glass-castle-by-jeannette-walls-is-t_1081055.png" --- # 'The Glass Castle' by Jeannette Walls is the… ![“'The Glass Castle' by Jeannette Walls is the quintessential dysfunctional family.” quote by Sara Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e80/sara-shepard-1948_castle_the-glass-castle-by-jeannette-walls-is-t_1081055.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e80/sara-shepard-1948_castle_the-glass-castle-by-jeannette-walls-is-t_1081055.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e80/sara-shepard-1948_castle_the-glass-castle-by-jeannette-walls-is-t_1081055.png) > “'The Glass Castle' by Jeannette Walls is the quintessential dysfunctional family.” [Sara Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-shepard/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A family marked by chaos and neglect illustrates how dysfunction can shape identity and resilience. **In simple terms:** Dysfunctional families shape who we become. Key Takeaway Recognize and heal patterns from your upbringing. Themes family dysfunction resilience identity growth Mood reflective hopeful Type narrative inspirational When to use this quote - family therapy - personal memoir writing - support groups - educational workshops Key Concepts psychology social dynamics trauma recovery Questions to Reflect On - How has your family background influenced your choices? - What steps can you take to break harmful cycles? A Different Perspective Dysfunction can also foster strength and creativity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Castle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/castle/) [Castles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/castles/) [Dysfunctional family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dysfunctional-family/) [Family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family/) [Glass Castle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/glass-castle/) [Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wall/) ## Related quotes > [I love books about dysfunctional families.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-shepard/i-love-books-about-dysfunctional-families/) [Sara Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-shepard/) > [“In the parlance of today, our family was dysfunctional (is any family not?) I would never become an angel, or even a saint. Instead…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-smith/in-the-parlance-of-today-our-family-was-dysfunctional-is-any-family/) [Lee Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-smith/) > [If you grew up in a dysfunctional family, then there is really no hope for you to have a good relationship. That is another…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-chapman/if-you-grew-up-in-a-dysfunctional-family-then-there-is-really-no-hope/) [Gary Chapman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-chapman/) > [A dysfunctional family is any family with more than one person in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-karr/a-dysfunctional-family-is-any-family-with-more-than-one-person-in-it/) [Mary Karr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-karr/) > [“If they had a pill that would fix every dysfunctional family in the world, don’t you think they’d be selling it?” “I don’t think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-thomas-ford/if-they-had-a-pill-that-would-fix-every-dysfunctional-family-in-the/) [Michael Thomas Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-thomas-ford/) > [If I grew up with a dysfunctional family, I would eventually start a book club.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-macisaac/if-i-grew-up-with-a-dysfunctional-family-i-would-eventually-start-a/) [Martha MacIsaac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-macisaac/) > [“The more dysfunctional, the more some family members seek to control the behavior of others.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-w-earle-lpc-love-is-not-enough/the-more-dysfunctional-the-more-some-family-members-seek-to-control/) [David W. Earle LPC- Love is Not Enough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-w-earle-lpc-love-is-not-enough/) > [The human race is one big dysfunctional family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-barron/the-human-race-is-one-big-dysfunctional-family/) [Robert Barron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-barron/) > [“Each dysfunctional family is dysfunctional in its own way.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-c-perkins/each-dysfunctional-family-is-dysfunctional-in-its-own-way/) Michael C. Perkins > [“Perhaps nothing so accurately characterizes dysfunctional families as denial.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bradshaw/perhaps-nothing-so-accurately-characterizes-dysfunctional-families-as-2/) [John Bradshaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bradshaw/) > [People talk about dysfunctional families; I've never seen any other kind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-grafton/people-talk-about-dysfunctional-families-i-ve-never-seen-any-other/) [Sue Grafton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-grafton/) > [“One needn't stop dysfunction; just evince and reflect.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-harglesis/one-needn-t-stop-dysfunction-just-evince-and-reflect/) [Andy Harglesis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-harglesis/) > [“We are in the era of dysfunctional relationships.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/we-are-in-the-era-of-dysfunctional-relationships/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [I came from a dysfunctional family - very dysfunctional. And my father used to find great humor in throwing me down the stairs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-beckel/i-came-from-a-dysfunctional-family-very-dysfunctional-and-my-father/) [Bob Beckel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-beckel/) > [“A dysfunctional family makes for great writing -”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-rose/a-dysfunctional-family-makes-for-great-writing/) Angela Rose ## More by Sara Shepard > [I am a big outliner. For my adult book, 'The Visibles,' I did not outline, and it took me two years to write because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-shepard/i-am-a-big-outliner-for-my-adult-book-the-visibles-i-did-not-outline/) [Sara Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-shepard/) > [“Girls fight much dirtier than boys”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-shepard/girls-fight-much-dirtier-than-boys/) [Sara Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-shepard/) > [“all of us are damaged in our own ways. It's just that most people call it 'experience'. And you've had a lot of experience.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-shepard/all-of-us-are-damaged-in-our-own-ways-it-s-just-that-most-people-call/) [Sara Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-shepard/) > [It's amazing what you don't see, though. Even when it's right in front of your eyes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-shepard/it-s-amazing-what-you-don-t-see-though-even-when-it-s-right-in-front/) [Sara Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-shepard/) > [Sutton's dead. Tell no one. Keep playing along... or you're next.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-shepard/sutton-s-dead-tell-no-one-keep-playing-along-or-you-re-next/) [Sara Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-shepard/) > [Its more fun to think of the future than dwell on the past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-shepard/its-more-fun-to-think-of-the-future-than-dwell-on-the-past/) [Sara Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-shepard/) > [“Pull yourself together, bitch. He's just a guy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-shepard/pull-yourself-together-bitch-he-s-just-a-guy/) [Sara Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-shepard/) > [I understood we used to be close. But they were like books i'd read two summer ago; I knew I'd liked them, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-shepard/i-understood-we-used-to-be-close-but-they-were-like-books-i-d-read/) [Sara Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-shepard/) > [Everybody has a secret and everybody has problems.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-shepard/everybody-has-a-secret-and-everybody-has-problems/) [Sara Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-shepard/) > [“You Know What They Say About Hope. It Breeds Eternal Misery. -Spencer Hastings”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-shepard/you-know-what-they-say-about-hope-it-breeds-eternal-misery-spencer/) [Sara Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-shepard/) > [Every pretty girl is a heartbreaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-shepard/every-pretty-girl-is-a-heartbreaker/) [Sara Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-shepard/) > [“I know what I know,” she said softly. “But I let go of the fury I had for that boy a long time ago.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-shepard/i-know-what-i-know-she-said-softly-but-i-let-go-of-the-fury-i-had-for/) [Sara Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-shepard/) > [“I will never forget that moments, or the moments that came after”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-shepard/i-will-never-forget-that-moments-or-the-moments-that-came-after/) [Sara Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-shepard/) > [“Get ready to meet your maker. It won’t be long now. Kisses! A (the real one)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-shepard/get-ready-to-meet-your-maker-it-won-t-be-long-now-kisses-a-the-real/) [Sara Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-shepard/) > [It's not fun to keep secrets, but sometimes you have to do it to protect yourself. And to protect people around you. - Meredith,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-shepard/it-s-not-fun-to-keep-secrets-but-sometimes-you-have-to-do-it-to/) [Sara Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-shepard/) [Explore all 193 Sara Shepard quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-shepard/) ## More Castle quotes > [I especially like the songs Hurry Up and The Curse Of Castle Dragon, and I often include them in my live show.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-gilbert/i-especially-like-the-songs-hurry-up-and-the-curse-of-castle-dragon/) [Paul Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-gilbert/) > [My father said, ‘When in doubt, castle.’](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/my-father-said-when-in-doubt-castle/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [Happiness is always the inaccessible castle which sinks in ruin when we set foot on it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arsene-houssaye/happiness-is-always-the-inaccessible-castle-which-sinks-in-ruin-when/) [Arsene Houssaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arsene-houssaye/) > [I took a lot of influences from Studio Ghibli, which is the Japanese animation studio that made 'Spirited Away' and 'Castle in the Sky.'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-hewlett/i-took-a-lot-of-influences-from-studio-ghibli-which-is-the-japanese/) [Jamie Hewlett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-hewlett/) > [If Inigo Montoya were around now, he wouldn't need to storm the castle to bring his father's murderer to justice; the police would do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bloom/if-inigo-montoya-were-around-now-he-wouldn-t-need-to-storm-the-castle/) [Paul Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-bloom/) > [The first Westerns I saw as a child were those little 8-mm. home movies put out by Castle Films.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-pullman/the-first-westerns-i-saw-as-a-child-were-those-little-8-mm-home/) [Bill Pullman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-pullman/) > [“When you master a language, you are given the key to a castle. What you’ll find inside depends on you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elif-shafak/when-you-master-a-language-you-are-given-the-key-to-a-castle-what-you/) [Elif Shafak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elif-shafak/) > [I will build you a castle with a tower so high it reaches the moon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/smokey-robinson/i-will-build-you-a-castle-with-a-tower-so-high-it-reaches-the-moon/) [Smokey Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/smokey-robinson/) > [“This is not one of your fictions where people bleed ink.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-paul-winter/this-is-not-one-of-your-fictions-where-people-bleed-ink/) Terence Paul Winter > [You dont need a castle to be her prince. Just treat your princess right and youl be a prince in her eyes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-dont-need-a-castle-to-be-her-prince-just-treat-your-princess/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [An Englishman's home is his castle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/english-proverb/an-englishman-s-home-is-his-castle/) English Proverb > [The Magic Castle is not a place that people know nationally, but as soon as you move to L.A., you hear people talk about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-rust/the-magic-castle-is-not-a-place-that-people-know-nationally-but-as/) [Paul Rust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-rust/) > [“The Castle can be rebuilt, in time. It's not the walls that make a lord, it's the man. - Stannis Baratheon”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/the-castle-can-be-rebuilt-in-time-it-s-not-the-walls-that-make-a-lord/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [“Mahoney sees that she is locked down and bolted. If she were a castle she would have wound up the drawbridge and woken the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jess-kidd/mahoney-sees-that-she-is-locked-down-and-bolted-if-she-were-a-castle/) [Jess Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jess-kidd/) > [The house of every one is to him as his castle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-coke/the-house-of-every-one-is-to-him-as-his-castle/) [Edward Coke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-coke/) [Browse all 265 Castle quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/castle/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "'The Glass Castle' by Jeannette Walls is the quintessential dysfunctional family.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sara Shepard" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-shepard/the-glass-castle-by-jeannette-walls-is-the-quintessential/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Castle" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-shepard/the-glass-castle-by-jeannette-walls-is-the-quintessential/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e80/sara-shepard-1948_castle_the-glass-castle-by-jeannette-walls-is-t_1081055.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e80/sara-shepard-1948_castle_the-glass-castle-by-jeannette-walls-is-t_1081055.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e80/sara-shepard-1948_castle_the-glass-castle-by-jeannette-walls-is-t_1081055.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“'The Glass Castle' by Jeannette Walls is the quintessential dysfunctional family.” — Sara Shepard", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Sara Shepard", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-shepard/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "'The Glass Castle' by Jeannette Walls...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-shepard/the-glass-castle-by-jeannette-walls-is-the-quintessential/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-shepard/the-glass-castle-by-jeannette-walls-is-the-quintessential/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```