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A that she is struggling and shows she

A Tree Called Melinda” Be like a tree and let the dead leavesdrop” (Rumi). Melinda Sordino, the main character in the book Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson, hasstarted high school with a bad reputation. Everyone knows who she is.

On a summer night before her freshman yearshe was at a party and something bad happened and she called the cops. Everyonethinks she called the cops cause she couldn’t handle it. Melinda was actuallyraped and has no idea what even happened to her.

At the start of her year sheis given in assignment in art which is to draw a word and make it to a piece ofart and turn it in by the end of the year. Melinda draws tree. She has a strongpoint in art but she is having problems making this tree. But tree is mentionednot just in art. Tree is mentioned in other classes and nature. As the storymoves on her tree gets better and better with Melinda. Melinda’s tree symbolizesher from pain and suffering to her recovery and healing.

Beginning her freshman year, Melindastarts to paint trees so they are near to death (Anderson 31). Melinda startshows that she is struggling and shows she is dying inside mentally but notphysically. Her first trees she drew leave her frustrated on how to begin. Frustratedshe takes out a piece of paper and begins to draw a tree her “ second gradeversion ” (Anderson 32). Then takes her paper to form it into a ball and takesanother piece of paper out (Anderson 32).

She struggles to draw the tree likeshe is struggling find herself and her voice (“ How does the Symbol…”). Melinda’s tree and her attempts at a tree show pain. Melinda’s pain is showingand she doesn’t know how to deal with it. Her tree still needs work and so doesMelinda.            The second marking period and Melindais still not feeling it.

From her thanksgiving she brings in turkey bones towork on her tree. Melinda makes a piece of art that has forks and knives pokingat it. The knives and forks poking at her tree make Melinda she is in pain. Sheis being attacked mentally on what she feels and thinks all the time. Markingperiod three is when she finds something.

In art class she is force to look ata book of Picasso. She finds a chapter that talks about “ Cubism or seeingbeyond what is on the surface” (Anderson 119). Melinda is like a piece of art.

Melinda can be judge like a loser on the surface but inside she needs help. Sherealizes that you need to see beyond the surface. Her tree is growing now alongwith herself to come out perfect.            In marking period four she is doingwell in school and her is growing but she needs help from someone. Melindavisits the zoo and sees a former friend named Ivy. They both talk about howtheir projects coming along. Melinda is having a hard time with hers but Ivygives Melinda a little advice lets her draw one.

She getting help with her treeand also gets encourage word from Ivy saying ” You’re better than you think youare” (Anderson 146). Later she wakes up to the sound of a chain saw cuttingaway branches that are long dead from diease. Her dad explains that “ By cuttingoff damage, you make it possible for the tree to grow again” (Anderson 187). IfMelinda “ cuts off” the damage of her she can grow and be herself.

Later shegets attacked by IT who raped her. As she gets attacked her fingers aresearching for a tree branch to hold onto (Anderson 195). In the end sheactually use her turkey tree to confront IT and saving her all together. Melinda after that maddens is seen “ beyond the surface”. Her “ tree” is grownand her tree in art is complete. Melinda’s tree is finally finished alongwith her problems. Her assignment has symbolized on how the Melinda has grownout and heal.

As the beginning of her year and parts of the middle were reallyrough. Then as she moves on she realizes that she see things differently andconfront her pains. The tree has finally grown and with Melinda she has grown aswell.

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