The Glass Castle Symbol: Fire Anonymous 8th Grade

“I wondered if the fire had been out to get me. I wondered if all fire was related… I didn't have the answers to those questions, but what I did know was that I lived in a world that at any moment could erupt into fire” (34).

Throughout the story, it is made more and more apparent that fire plays a persistent role in Jeannette’s life. One of her most memorable incidents involving fire was at the very beginning of the book when she lit herself on fire at the young age of three. This resulted in severe third-degree burns, and consequently, Jeannette was admitted to the hospital. Ever since lighting herself on fire, Jeannette has had a certain fascination for this element. Just a few days after leaving the hospital, she related, “Dad also thought I should face down my enemy, and he showed me how to pass my finger through a candle flame. I did it over and over…testing to see how much my finger could endure without actually getting burned” (Walls, 15). Opposed to living in fear of the source of her burns, Jeannette becomes obsessed with controlling the fire. She touches it with the knowledge that she can pull away at any point because she has power over the situation. By being able to maintain control, Jeannette loses her fear of...