In Jeannette Walls' "The Glass Castle," the narrator encounters a small Joshua tree sapling growing near an old tree and feels compelled to replant it closer to home for better care. She expresses her desire to nurture and protect it, believing that her efforts would help the sapling thrive. However, her mother disapproves, emphasizing that the beauty of the Joshua tree comes from its ability to endure struggles and harsh conditions.

This moment highlights a deeper theme in the book about the importance of adversity in shaping strength and character. The mother's perspective suggests that true beauty lies in resilience and the challenges faced, rather than in the absence of struggle, a lesson that's mirrored throughout Walls' own life experiences.