Rhetorical Strategies

Anecdote: “I was sitting in a taxi, wondering if I had overdressed for the evening, when I looked out the window and saw Mom rooting through a Dumpster,” (Walls 3).

Imagery: “Then he pointed to the top of the fire, where the snapping yellow flames dissolved into an invisible shimmery heat that made the desert beyond look to waver, like a mirage,” (Walls 61).

Sarcastic Dialogue: “’…what doesn’t kill you will make you stronger.’ ‘If that was true, I’d be Hercules by now,’ Lori said.” (Walls 179).

Jeannette Walls’ memoir, The Glass Castle, is built upon anecdotes, which form the tale’s personal tone. The writer’s excessive use of this rhetorical strategy serves the purpose of creating a connection with her readers that carries itself throughout the novel. Walls also employs imagery on many occasions to emphasize her remarkable memory of the childhood stories she shares. While many authors of memoirs use these strategies, Jeannette Walls intertwines other devices to offset the memories, such as humor, verbal irony, and sarcastic dialogue. These show the writer’s purpose in attempting and succeeding to connect with her readers on a personal level.