Summary: The Character Of Melinda

Just before school ended, she started communicating with her lab partner and friend, David Petrakis. She also met Ivy, a kind girl in her art class. As Melinda finally met people that she felt comfortable and happy around, she gained confidence. Her teachers and parents were pleased to discover that this also improved Melinda’s attendance and grades. Melinda finally opened her mind enough to think through the events of the party. She had blamed herself the whole time, just like the rest of the school. As Andy pointed out, Melinda never explicitly told him, “ no” during her rape. She thought it was wimpy that she called the cops. She let her friends and peers convince her that she was an idiot and a wimp. Melinda eventually allowed herself to figure out that she was a victim. She never gave permission to Andy, and she was right to call the police because she was in pain and in danger. Once Melinda opened up and let herself and others in, she was able to defend herself. Melinda proved her confidence and power when she told Andy, “No!” when he tried to attack her in her closet. With Melinda’s new found confidence, she was able to drastically improve her life and save herself from her

Towards the end of the year, there is a clear change in Melinda and she is confident of herself. When Andy tries to attack her again she says “NNNOOO!!!"(188) This shows how much she has grown because she decides not to be a silent victim anymore. Now she is a “definitely breathing”(197) tree. She came up struggling and feeling alone by herself, but she knew that she made a lot of progress from the start.

One of the bigger turning points in her life happened when she is raped at a high school senior party. What made it traumatizing was that they are young girls and Melinda didn't realize

Melinda Darling has always dreamed of being at the center of the Nashville country music scene. She thought getting her Master's Degree in Music Business would be her ticket to the top, but it turns out managers are a dime a dozen in Music City. With no other prospects and student loan repayments on the horizon, she takes an internship position under the devious Kitty Konstantine. The job was simple: find talent, introduce talent to Konstantine Talent Agency, and keep it all professional. When she finds The 4 Saints, she can see the men ooze with talent, their stage presence commanding rapt attention. When she lays eyes on Matt Saint, she knows she has no hope of keeping it professional...

Throughout the book, Melinda goes through many different phases. In the “First Marking Period,” she is on the verge of a psychological death, but in the “Second Marking Period,” she knows what she wants to do, but can not complete it. In the “Third Marking Period,” she begins taking risks, and in the “Fourth Marking Period,” she conquers her fears and creates a beautiful tree. Many people can relate to what Melinda has gone through in high school, in fact we all face the same challenges she did. Upon entering high school, all people are forced to reconsider their friends, and are tasked with the difficult challenge of discovering

Another indication of Melinda’s self-destructive behavior is her loss of concentration. This can proven by Melinda’s declining grades which started off as “Playing Nice- B, Social Studies- C, Spanish-C, Art- A, Lunch- D, Biology-B, Algebra-C+, Clothes-C, English-C , Gym-C+.” After, her grades ended at, “Social Life-F, Social Studies-F, Spanish-D, Art-A, Lunch-D, Biology-D+, Algebra-F, Clothes-F, English-D+, Gym-D.” these quotes demonstrate that Melinda puts little effort into her work, meaning she is distracted and that her school isn’t her main priority. Certainly, her distracted behavior is because she is constantly rewinding the memories of what happened to her; she unable to get this out of her head. Seen from the evidence it is good to say Melinda is having difficulty stay focused. In addition, Melinda has found numerous ways to isolate herself from others. Throughout the book, Melinda takes us to her place of choice, being the abandoned janitor’s closet at her

Andy found her closet and he went to visit her on one of the last days of school. “No. a sound explodes from me. NNNOOO!!!”(194). Andy tried once more to rape her. Melinda wouldn’t let him overwhelm her. Melinda said no, as she started to speak again to more people she said no to the one person she hated most. If melinda had not made noise and broken the glass he might have done it again. She finally got the courage to fight and stand up to Andy. Melinda may have let him rape her again but talking to Rachel increased melindas courage to stand up to Andy and others in the

Melinda isn't speaking to anyone, and no one will talk to her, except the new girl, Heather, who moved from the state of Ohio. Realistically, Heather being the new girl just wants to make friends. Heather doesn't know what is really going on with Melinda because she just moved to town. Heather has no idea what happened the night when Melinda called the police, which busted a summer party. In fact, no one knows, except for Melinda, what happened to her at the party? She is convinced that because she is a victim, no one understands her. The whole world, including her world, is out to get her and so it is best for her to remain silent.

Andy Evans is a Senior at Merryweather high school who takes an advantage of Melinda and causes her to lose her trust for all people, expecially her trust for boys, and has caused her to lose all of her friends, and made her to where she has a hard time talking to her own parents, and always ditching school. Andy Evans has helped Melinda find her voice and learn how to stand up for herself, without anyone taking a advantage of her by raping her at a party. He hurt her right after gaining her trust because he knew she was drunk. Doing that to Melinda, Andy Evans has only made her tough and able to handle herself, and not be as scared to fight for herself. He has also caused her to become more cautious and aware of who she is

Melinda Sordino is an introverted, forlorn freshman in Merryweather High School who just wants to get through the year. It’s as if everyone in the school hates her ever since she called the cops on an end of summer party. Now, she just wants to keep her head down, but two people won’t let her. One, her only friend Heather who believes her sole purpose on earth is to become desired by everyone at the school. Two, the monster that haunts her dreams that she personally name ‘IT’ for even its name makes Melinda wish she could evanesce. When ‘IT’ starts to antagonize her, grades drop, she skips whole days of school, and she secludes herself even further from people. Her parents and the school counselor finally take notice and interrogate her

A trait that stands out in the book is the symptom of bodily memories. In Melinda’s case, during a frog dissection in her science class, she remembers the opening up and even says, “She doesn’t say a word. She is already dead. A scream starts in my gut – I can feel the cut, smell the dirt, feel the leaves in my hair.” (81). One of the other symptoms that Melinda has is self-harm. The first time that this is shown in the book, Melinda says this, “I open up a paper clip and scratch it across the inside of my left wrist. Pitiful. If a suicide attempt is a cry for help, then what is this? A whimper, a peep?” (87). Melinda also has a hard time talking to her parents about the rape to which she says, “How can I talk to them about that night? How can I start?” (72). Some victims recover from such a traumatic experience, while others don’t and live a lifetime of depression and must undergo intense therapy. In Melinda’s case, she finds redemption by talking to her parents and the guidance counselor, and putting her faith into her teachers, friends, and her art project at school. Because rape can affect anybody anywhere, everyone should be aware of the circumstances, and how to deal with it.

People make Melinda aware they are angry by physical contact. “The girl behind me jams her knees into my back. They are as sharp as her fingernails.” (page). Melinda gets the attention she does not want for the event comes up in conversation, and all eyes fall onto Melinda. “The girl pokes me harder. ‘Aren’t you the one who called the cops at Kyle Rogers’s party at the end of summer?’ A block of ice freezes our section of the bleachers. Heads snap in my direction…” (page). People get very angry at Melinda and insult her for her actions done at the event. “‘My brother got arrested at that party. He got fired because of that arrest. I can’t believe you did that. Asshole.’”

It is defiantly possible to speak without words; there are so many ways to convey a message without verbally saying what you mean. I feel that it’s possible to speak without words because in most cases, a person’s actions speak louder than their words. This is demonstrated in the novel when Melinda refuses to give her speech in class. This shows more about what Melinda has learned about the freedoms in this country and what the suffragettes fought for than any speech she could have given verbally. Melinda's actions prove that she is a strong willed person, even if she may seem meek and mild. I feel that sometimes it is more difficult not to say anything at all than it is to speak a thousand words Melinda’s actions play an important role in

Her consequence was to go to MISS (Merryweather in School Suspension). “Andy Beast” is in MISS with Melinda. “I am BunnyRabbit again, hiding in the open. I sit like I have an egg in my mouth. One move, one word, and the egg will shatter and blow up the world” (Anderson 117). Which makes her feel uncomfortable and will not speak. Not talking in MISS creates a situation where Melinda must take increased mental torture from Andy Evans. She sits by the man who sexually assaulted her.In addition, more and more into the school year she is beginning to speak, but she isn’t quite fully there yet. When Heather tells Melinda that she isn’t fun and is very boring and depressed, Melinda realizes that she isn’t at all fun. David, her lab partner, start to talk throughout the school year and Melinda starts to feel more and more comfortable with him. “I ask David Petrakis for advice. We come up with a Plan” (Anderson 155). Melinda asked David for advice because she needed to present a project in front of the class, which Melinda is terrified of doing. So they come up with a plan and it helps Melinda communicate with other which is a wonderful thing for her; but the terrible part this presentation got her sent to

Melinda’s gaze drifted towards the open window. “I’m afraid I have not helped you, my child,” she offered with sympathy. “All I can give you is this guidance: Be careful when imposing meaning on your visions; they are merely possibilities, not necessarily realities. To seek meaning in them, you had better be prepared for what you may find.”