113 Best Glass Castle Quotes (with Commentary)

The Glass Castle is a strong memoir by Jeannette Walls that digs into themes of family, strength, and survival.

The quotes from this story show the emotional depth of growing up in a dysfunctional household while maintaining hope, determination, and strength.

Through the unfiltered and sincere dialogue, The Glass Castle brings out the complexities of family bonds, personal dreams, and the ability to overcome adversity.

Top Glass Castle Quotes

Jeannette Walls’ memoir, The Glass Castle, presents powerful insights about resilience, hardship, and the complexities of family life. Here are ten impactful quotes from the book:

“Things usually work out in the end.” “What if they don’t?” “That just means you haven’t come to the end yet.” – Jeannette Walls

“You can’t cling to the past. Because no matter how tightly you hold on, it’s already gone.” – Jeannette Walls

“Sometimes you have to get sicker before you can get better.” – Jeannette Walls

“No child is born a delinquent. They only became that way if nobody loved them when they were kids.” – Jeannette Walls

“Too much hard luck can create a permanent meanness of spirit in any creature.” – Jeannette Walls

“Life is a drama full of tragedy and comedy. You should learn to enjoy the comic episodes a little more.” – Jeannette Walls

“You should never hate anyone, even your worst enemies. Everyone has something good about them.” – Jeannette Walls

“Dad said he was teaching us to have good posture because the Indians didn’t use pillows, and look how straight they stood.” – Jeannette Walls

“One thing about whoring: it put a chicken on the table.” – Jeannette Walls

“Sometimes you need a little crisis to get your adrenaline flowing and help you realize your potential.” – Jeannette Walls

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The Glass Castle Quotes on Family and Relationships

In The Glass Castle, Jeannette Walls explores the complexities of family, capturing both love and dysfunction. These quotes reveal the fragility and strength of familial bonds:

“You should never hate anyone, even your worst enemies. Everyone has something good about them.” – Jeannette Walls

“Life’s too short to care about what other people think. Besides, they should accept us for who we are.” – Jeannette Walls

“Being homeless is an adventure.” – Jeannette Walls

“Dad was teaching us to survive, not by coddling us but by forcing us to confront life’s challenges.” – Jeannette Walls

“We were drowning slowly, but none of us wanted to save ourselves.” – Jeannette Walls

“You can’t just live like this,” I said. “Why not?” Mom said. “Being homeless is an adventure.” – Jeannette Walls

“I realized that no one had a perfect life, even those who seemed to have it all.” – Jeannette Walls

“Our parents taught us to dream big, but they didn’t give us the tools to build those dreams.” – Jeannette Walls

“I wanted to believe in Dad’s dreams, but deep down, I knew they were illusions.” – Jeannette Walls

“We may not have had much, but we always had each other.” – Jeannette Walls

The Glass Castle Quotes on Overcoming Adversity

The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls is a poignant memoir that encapsulates the power of resilience, showing how adversity can shape and strengthen a person. Here are ten powerful quotes from the book that capture the essence of overcoming hardship:

“You learn to value life more when you’ve stared into the face of adversity.” – Jeannette Walls

“Sometimes you have to face your worst fears before you can find peace.” – Jeannette Walls

“The struggles we face are what make us who we are.” – Jeannette Walls

“Adversity is a teacher, not an enemy.” – Jeannette Walls

“We learned to survive in the harshest conditions, and that made us stronger.” – Jeannette Walls

“The only way out of hardship is to keep moving forward, no matter how tough it gets.” – Jeannette Walls

“Even in the darkest moments, there was a flicker of hope.” – Jeannette Walls

“Life is a test, and how we handle adversity defines us.” – Jeannette Walls

“The harder life got, the more determined I became to overcome it.” – Jeannette Walls

“Adversity reveals the strength you never knew you had.” – Jeannette Walls

The Glass Castle Quotes on Resilience and Strength

Jeannette Walls’ story is a testament to the strength of the human spirit. Throughout The Glass Castle, Walls shares how resilience carried her and her family through life’s harshest moments. These quotes reflect the power of perseverance:

“Resilience is built through every trial and every hardship.” – Jeannette Walls

“Strength isn’t about avoiding pain; it’s about enduring it.” – Jeannette Walls

“The glass castle taught me that no matter how fragile things seem, they can endure.”* – Jeannette Walls

“We survived, not because it was easy, but because we were determined.” – Jeannette Walls

“Resilience is not about bouncing back. It’s about pushing forward.” – Jeannette Walls

“Through every storm, we found a way to stand tall.” – Jeannette Walls

“It’s in the brokenness that true strength is found.” – Jeannette Walls

“Even when life was at its worst, we held on to hope.” – Jeannette Walls

“Our spirits were unbreakable, even when everything around us seemed shattered.” – Jeannette Walls

“The journey to strength is paved with struggle.” – Jeannette Walls

The Glass Castle Quotes on Dreams and Aspirations

In The Glass Castle, dreams and aspirations play a critical role, especially for Rex Walls, who continuously chases his idealistic vision of building a “glass castle.” His unyielding pursuit of dreams inspires his family, despite their difficult reality. Here are some memorable quotes that highlight this theme:

“Sometimes you need a little crisis to get your adrenaline flowing and help you realize your potential.” – Jeannette Walls

“We were always dreaming of the future, always planning something, always fighting for something better.” – Jeannette Walls

“The best thing about dreams is that fleeting moment when you are between asleep and awake, when you don’t know the difference between reality and fantasy.” – Jeannette Walls

“When you give up your dreams, you die.” – Jeannette Walls

“The only way to escape the present is to immerse yourself in the future.” – Jeannette Walls

“A dream doesn’t become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination, and hard work.” – Jeannette Walls

“Sometimes you need to step outside, get some fresh air, and remind yourself of who you are and who you want to be.” – Jeannette Walls

“The walls of our dreams can either confine us or set us free.” – Jeannette Walls

“The journey to build my castle begins with a single dream.” – Jeannette Walls

“We were all drowning slowly, but none of us wanted to save ourselves.” – Jeannette Walls

The Glass Castle Quotes on Forgiveness and Healing

Forgiveness and healing are also central themes in The Glass Castle, particularly as Jeannette Walls comes to terms with her tumultuous childhood. Here are ten quotes that reflect this powerful theme:

“You can’t cling to the past. Because no matter how tightly you hold on, it’s already gone.” – Jeannette Walls

“Forgiveness is the key that unlocks the door to healing.” – Jeannette Walls

“Too much hard luck can create a permanent meanness of spirit in any creature.” – Jeannette Walls

“Sometimes you have to get sicker before you can get better.” – Jeannette Walls

“Sometimes the hardest lessons come from the people we love the most.” – Jeannette Walls

“The past is a puzzle, and I’m still trying to fit the pieces together.” – Jeannette Walls

“You should never hate anyone, even your worst enemies. Everyone has something good about them.” – Jeannette Walls

“In the whispers of the past, we find echoes of our future.” – Jeannette Walls

“The beauty of a glass castle is in its transparency—just like the truth.” – Jeannette Walls

“Sometimes, you’ve got to break the glass to create something new.” – Jeannette Walls

The Glass Castle Quotes on Poverty and Struggle

Jeannette Walls’ memoir, The Glass Castle, paints a raw picture of poverty and hardship through the lens of her childhood experiences. The following quotes explore the depth of struggle, capturing moments of survival amidst dire circumstances:

“Too much hard luck can create a permanent meanness of spirit in any creature.” – Jeannette Walls

“If you had weak eyes, they needed exercise to get strong. Glasses were like crutches. They prevented people with feeble eyes from seeing the world on their own.” – Jeannette Walls

“Life there was hard and it made people hard.” – Jeannette Walls

“You can’t just live like this,” I said. “Why not?” Mom said. “Being homeless is an adventure.” – Jeannette Walls

_”Mom told us we would have to go shoplifting. ‘Isn’t that a sin?’ I asked Mom. ‘Not exactly,’ Mom said. ‘God doesn’t mind you bending the rules a little if you have a good reason.'”* – Jeannette Walls

“Sometimes you have to get sicker before you can get better.” – Jeannette Walls

“The worst thing you can do is give up on yourself.” – Jeannette Walls

“Maybe I should have cut him some slack. Too much hard luck can make anyone mean.” – Jeannette Walls

“Life’s too short to care about what other people think. Besides, they should accept us for who we are.” – Jeannette Walls

“One benefit of Summer was that each day we had more light to read by.” – Jeannette Walls

These quotes capture the weight of poverty while also highlighting the unique way Jeannette’s family navigated through these struggles.

The Glass Castle Quotes on Hope and Determination

Despite the overwhelming challenges, The Glass Castle is filled with moments of hope and determination that helped the Walls family persevere. Here are ten quotes that reflect this resilience:

“Sometimes you need a little crisis to get your adrenaline flowing and help you realize your potential.” – Jeannette Walls

“We were always dreaming of the future, always planning something, always fighting for something better.” – Jeannette Walls

“I think that maybe sometimes people get the lives they want.” – Jeannette Walls

“You should never hate anyone, even your worst enemies. Everyone has something good about them.” – Jeannette Walls

“Resilience is not about bouncing back. It’s about pushing forward.” – Jeannette Walls

“The only way out of hardship is to keep moving forward, no matter how tough it gets.” – Jeannette Walls

“Sometimes, you have to face your worst fears before you can find peace.” – Jeannette Walls

“The glass castle taught me that no matter how fragile things seem, they can endure.” – Jeannette Walls

“Sometimes the hardest lessons come from the people we love the most.” – Jeannette Walls

“The journey to strength is paved with struggle.” – Jeannette Walls

The Glass Castle Quotes on Dysfunctional Family Dynamics

The Glass Castle delves deep into the complexities of family life, highlighting dysfunction, love, and resilience. The Walls family, with its flaws and chaotic structure, is a perfect example of how love and dysfunction can coexist. Here are ten quotes that capture these dynamics:

“Mom told us we would have to go shoplifting. ‘Isn’t that a sin?’ I asked. ‘Not exactly,’ Mom said. ‘God doesn’t mind you bending the rules a little if you have a good reason.'” – Jeannette Walls

“You should never hate anyone, even your worst enemies. Everyone has something good about them.” – Jeannette Walls

“Dad was always telling us to dream big and build our glass castle, but we never seemed to get past the dreaming phase.” – Jeannette Walls

“Too much hard luck can create a permanent meanness of spirit in any creature.” – Jeannette Walls

“We were all drowning slowly, but none of us wanted to save ourselves.” – Jeannette Walls

“You can’t cling to the past. Because no matter how tightly you hold on, it’s already gone.” – Jeannette Walls

“Our family may not have had much, but we had our stories and our dreams.” – Jeannette Walls

“If you had weak eyes, they needed exercise to get strong. Glasses were like crutches.” – Jeannette Walls

“Life is a drama full of tragedy and comedy. You should learn to enjoy the comic episodes a little more.” – Jeannette Walls

“Mom told us that being homeless was just another adventure.” – Jeannette Walls

The Glass Castle Quotes on Childhood and Innocence

The Glass Castle paints a vivid picture of childhood innocence, despite the harsh realities Jeannette Walls and her siblings faced. Their innocence shines through even in the most difficult circumstances, offering moments of light and laughter amidst the struggle. Here are ten quotes that highlight childhood and innocence:

“We were always dreaming of the future, always planning something, always fighting for something better.” – Jeannette Walls

“One thing about whoring: it put a chicken on the table.” – Jeannette Walls

“I believed in Dad’s dreams, no matter how impossible they seemed.” – Jeannette Walls

“Mom taught us that art was more important than food.” – Jeannette Walls

“We were like fish swimming in a bowl. We could see the world, but we couldn’t touch it.” – Jeannette Walls

“We believed in the magic of the glass castle, even if we knew it would never be built.” – Jeannette Walls

“Lori and I played outside while Mom painted and Dad dreamed about the glass castle.” – Jeannette Walls

“We didn’t have much, but we had our stories and our dreams.” – Jeannette Walls

“Dad always made our lives seem like an adventure, even when things were tough.” – Jeannette Walls

“We never let go of our childhood dreams, no matter how far-fetched they seemed.” – Jeannette Walls

The Glass Castle Quotes on Survival and Resourcefulness

In The Glass Castle, survival is not just about physical endurance but also about the ability to be resourceful in the face of extreme poverty and challenges. Jeannette Walls and her family found ways to make do with very little, and these quotes reflect that resourcefulness:

“Sometimes you have to get sicker before you can get better.” – Jeannette Walls

“We were like fish swimming in a bowl. We could see the world, but we couldn’t touch it.” – Jeannette Walls

“Life’s too short to care about what other people think. Besides, they should accept us for who we are.” – Jeannette Walls

“Dad taught us to survive, not by coddling us but by forcing us to confront life’s challenges.” – Jeannette Walls

“The only way out of hardship is to keep moving forward, no matter how tough it gets.” – Jeannette Walls

“Being homeless is an adventure.” – Jeannette Walls

“One thing about whoring: it put a chicken on the table.” – Jeannette Walls

“Even in the darkest moments, there was always a glimmer of hope.” – Jeannette Walls

“Sometimes, you need to take risks to survive.” – Jeannette Walls

These quotes highlight the ingenuity and tenacity required to survive in such difficult circumstances, which is a recurring theme in The Glass Castle.

The Glass Castle Quotes on Identity and Self-Discovery

Throughout The Glass Castle, Jeannette Walls embarks on a journey of self-discovery, navigating the complexities of her upbringing and the impact it had on shaping her identity. The following quotes reflect her process of coming to terms with who she is: