The Glass Castle By Jeanette Walls: Literary Analysis

In The Book Thief by Markus Zusak and The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls, the main characters mirror one another in several ways. Between Jeanette and Liesel there are many strong literary connections. Both Liesel and Jeanette are both raised in extreme circumstances, overcome an impoverished childhood, and have a crucial father figure who teaches them how to survive. One way that both characters compare closely to each other is because they grew up in extreme environments. It is astonishing that both Liesel and Jeanette were able to develop into successful adults despite the inconveniences of their surroundings. Liesel was caught up in one of the most stressful periods in modern times as she lived during the rise of Nazi Germany. Liesel is one of the few Germans who are not supporters of Hitler. Liesel also lost her brother at the age of ten, and she is forced to live with a foster family: “Still in disbelief, she started to dig. He couldn't be dead. He couldn't be dead. He

Hans Huberman was Liesel’s foster dad. He taught her how to read and write and also showed her generous love and care. “Possibly the only good to come out of these nightmares was that it brought Hans Hubermann, her new papa, into the room, to soothe her, to love her. He came every night and sat with her” (Zusak 36). His love is what brought her through all the rough times. If Hans had not taught her how to read and write, she would not have the hope to survive in Nazi Germany. Jeanette also had a father figure who inspired her to keep pushing on in life. Her father did things differently though. He lived off of the very minimum and made Jeanette do things independently from a young age. He told her, "If you don't want to sink, you better figure out how to swim” (Walls 66). Jeanette loved her dad but at the same time resented the way he lived. This encouraged her to move onto a new lifestyle without the hassle of her dad’s