In the beginning of the book, Rex Walls starts calling his daughter, Jeanette, “Mountain Goat”. The nickname symbolizes her character traits, foreshadows events in the end of the novel, and expresses their strong father – daughter relationship.
Jeannette Walls is a strong woman because of her tough childhood. Throughout her youth she endured through any struggle she came across and never lost sight of herself. She could climb life’s mountains without losing her footing, like a mountain goat. This persistence and endurance foreshadows the realization that her and her siblings need a fresh start to live full and stable, even if it means not living with or near their parents. The last meaning to the goat is to highlight the bond between Rex and Jeanette. Mr. Walls gave no other child a nickname. This shows his favoritism towards his middle daughter. He never got into huge screaming matches with her until she was punished for back talking her mother. Memories of demon hunting, Venus, and the Glass Castle all made Rex’s death extremely hard for Jeannette Walls. He had always loved her and she had always loved him no matter how plastered he got. Their bond was something truly irreplaceable.
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