Why does Melinda choose not to confide in her parents about her rape?
I think that Melinda chooses not to confide in her parents about her rape because she's scared. Shes scared of them not believing her and thinking shes lying for attention, or that they wouldn't understand or wouldn't care.
How was art such an important element of Melinda's lonely life?
I think that art was a very important element in Melinda's life because it was her way of expressing how she felt. Everything that she had hidden and bottled up inside would be expressed through her art. Mr. Freeman says he sees pain in her art work.
Why did Melinda's friends turn against her after the incident, instead of asking her about what really happened?
I think that Melinda's friends turned against her after the party because all the "cool" kids thought she called the cops so they thought if they didn't turn against her they wouldn't be "cool" either. Also I think they turned against her because they were at a party with older people who go to their school and they want to make a good impression on the first day of high school by knowing all the cooler kids but if they had left with the "party pooper" Melinda they would hate them too.
Speak shows how important and valuable friendship is in life. How does Melinda show what life can be like without friendship?
Melinda didn't have any true friends she could trust. She has no one to talk to so she started to cut herself as her last resort. The only way she spoke was through her art.
If you were one of Melinda's friends would you just drop her as a friend or would you have tried to communicate with her and support her?
I understand that her friends panicked and didn't want to be considered a loser for being friends with the girl who called the cops at a party but if I were them I wouldn't let the pressure of being cool ruin my friendship with one of my best friends. I would have stayed with Melinda and asked her why she called the cops.
Do you think Melinda handled the incident properly?
I do not think Melinda handled the incident properly, she should have spoken up and told the cops what had happened when they got to the party. But I understand she was just raped and was in shock and scared to say anything, and by the time she had enough confidence to tell them it was too late.
What do you think of Mr. Freeman?
I think Mr. Freeman was a very important person in Melinda's life. I find he was one of Melinda's only friends even though he was a teacher. He helped her a lot when she had no friends. He let her eat in his classroom even thought it was not allowed. He understood Melinda through her art. Melinda trusted him, and she told him about how she was raped.
The theme of the book is to speak up for yourself. How does this book show this theme?
The theme of the book is to speak up because Melinda didn't tell anyone about what happened the night of the party and caused herself more problems like losing all her friends and getting low grades. If she had spoken up she wouldn't have to deal with this situation all alone.
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