The Glass Castle
by Jeannette Walls

The Glass Castle: Mood 1 key example

Definition of Mood

The mood of a piece of writing is its general atmosphere or emotional complexion—in short, the array of feelings the work evokes in the reader. Every aspect of a piece of writing... read full definition
The mood of a piece of writing is its general atmosphere or emotional complexion—in short, the array of feelings the work evokes in the reader. Every aspect... read full definition
The mood of a piece of writing is its general atmosphere or emotional complexion—in short, the array of feelings the work evokes... read full definition
Part 2: The Desert
Explanation and Analysis:

The Glass Castle’s mood strikes a balance between lighthearted nostalgia and somber reflection. At times, the Walls family’s experiences are presented as thrilling adventures, especially when the children are young and naive. Take, for example, this description from of a night the Walls family spent sleeping under the stars, having just skipped town to avoid paying their bills:

We had no pillows, but Dad said that was part of his plan. He was teaching us to have good posture. The Indians didn’t use pillows, either, he explained, and look how straight they stood. We did have our scratchy army-surplus blankets, so we spread them out and lay there, looking up at the field of stars. I told Lori how lucky we were to be sleeping out under the sky like Indians. 

“We could live like this forever,” I said.