The Effects on The Story of Jeannette's Particular Mode of Language Expressions【Mia】

    

     In The Glass Castle written by Jeannette Walls, she expresses her struggle in her life by using fascinating expressions. She does not use specific words to tell her memory but some language techniques to lead the readers to imagine. This essay focuses on three elements that she uses: visual language, descriptive language, and physical description. It is the analysis of her special sense of writing which imply the ideas.

    One significant example of visual language is the contrast she makes between Jeannette herself and her mother. She expresses Jeannette as “overdressed” when she was in a taxi to go to the party. She looked outside of the car window and she found her mother who wears “tied rags around her shoulders”. This clear comparison is interesting. The author uses visual language to emphasize their difference of social status. The indirect emphasis on the difference in their status by contrasting the mother and child’s attire gives the reader a small sense of discomfort and paints a clearer picture of the story.

    Descriptive language is used in the portrayal of the hospital that Jeannette where was admitted to in her childhood. She writes “The hospital was clean and shiny” “It was so hushed you could hear the nurses’ rubber soled shoes squeaking all the way down the hall. I wasn’t used to quiet and order, and I liked it”. From these expressions, the readers can estimate Jeannette’s childhood house was not shiny and comfortable for her. She also describes the nurses’ behavior with emphasis. “The nurses and doctors always asked how I was feeling and if I was hungry or needed anything” “The nurses brought me delicious meals three times a day, with fruit cocktail or JellO for dessert, and changed the sheets even if they still looked clean” imply Jannette's mother was not taking care of Jannette’s personal needs, which a mother would normally do. The author does not use clear words about child abuse or neglect; however, we can tell from her descriptive language. Her facility with the language is outstanding in a way that makes readers understand the backgrounds of the characters without having to explain them in clear language.

     In the scene of Jeannette’s house, there are some physical descriptions. The house she lived in as a child was such a poor place to live, but the house she lives in now as an adult is completely different. Her home is furnished with luxury items such as “bronze and silver vases”, “Persian rugs” and “the overstuffed leather armchair”. It is no longer easy to imagine Jeannette's former poor lifestyle in the trailer from this life. These items prove how much she herself has transformed compared to the childhood she once had. The language shows she is successful in society and has achieved a lifestyle that is the envy of all. The author excels in her language ability to tell the hidden core of the story.

    Although the author never uses direct expressions and she never explains social status or background, we can see it very clearly. This is because she uses unique expressions to depict the scene vividly and make readers imagine. This technique allows readers to see the truth. We read the story in a way that is more in line with Jeannette, as they receive the emotions felt by the characters indirectly rather than directly from the situation. The lack of direct language allows us to step into Jeannette's epic life and see the world she saw.