The Glass Castle: Movie Analysis

In the Glass Castle, the movie beautifully portrays the scenes in a visually pleasing manner. It captures the characters emotions and physical appearances nearly perfectly. Destin Daniel Cretton, the screenplay writer, does a wonderful job of putting the thrilling stories into action. The actors chosen could not have been better casted, Woody Harrelson, in particular, projects himself into character perfectly. Reading through the book, I wondered to myself how credible the stories actually are. I could not wrap my mind throughout the book questioning if Jeannette Walls’ stories were true, but seeing it on screen changed my mind because I could visualize it all. Watching Brie Larson play as Jeannette Walls allowed me to see the character development

Flashing back and forth from the past to present gives the audience a more sentimental value. One scene in particular although, I imagined to be executed differently. In the book, there is a scene where the kids are left with their grandma, Erma. The parents, Rex and Rosemary decide to take a trip back to Phoenix in hoping to find remains of their belongings. The kids already have a negative relationship with Erma, so leaving them alone will undoubtedly cause trouble. Erma in the book is described as “cantankerous” (Walls 147). It is imaginable that the reader will perceive Erma as a large, pasty old woman. In the movie although, Erma seemed to be much smaller than imagined. Erma was a large curly headed brunette with witch-like features. I personally imagined Erma as a redhead with smeared makeup and a larger frame. The character of Erma although, was executed just like in the book. She gave off a serious and negative tone throughout the entire book and film. In the book, a week after the parents are gone, Erma tells Brian he needs his britches hemmed. Jeannette comes into the room where Erma had taken Brian away, but she comes to find an unpleasant reality to Erma. “Brian, his cheeks wet with tears, was holding his hands protectively between his legs” (Walls 146). Jeannette and Lori attack Erma, resulting in a disciplinary action to move the kids into the basement, where a

It is much more effective for the students to have their own perception of the characters and scenes first, then they can watch the story come to life. The audience will already have knowledge on the message and a personal insight on Jeannette Walls’ emotions. Watching the movie first will already put a visual in their minds, which will not let them create their own private image. Reading is an intimate experience, all readers perceive a picture differently. Although no movie based on a book is fully satisfactory, it is always amusing to watch the storyline in a different light. Jenn Doll, from The Atlantic, explains that “Because a criticism of how it should have been -- and almost always plays out better in our minds -- is in some ways part of the fun of seeing the movie made from a book we love” (Doll). It is an exciting experience to anticipate what we know already in our minds, to be projected into the real world. Overall, the book is a thrilling read, the movie is a thrilling visual, but nothing would ever beat the books complexity of feelings and