'I Groan And Rip Out A Piece Of Notebook Paper'

Melinda's struggle starts when she goes to a party ,and she is raped by a guy named Andy Evans. She later calls the police and since then she is known as a snitch and she suffers from shame and bullying. Also, everytime she sees Andy she either runs or hides in fear. For example when she encounters Andy in the bakery ,”Bunny Rabbit bolts, leaving fast tracks in the snow.” This only influences her to obtain more and more fear which she can't seem to face her problems or even warn her friends about him and his inappropriate and hurtful actions. A reason she can't stand up to him is because she suffers with her friendships causing her to be speechless and untrusted, for all her past friends left her and she is left alone and vulnerable. In addition, one of the actions she takes toward retrieving her voice is warning her friend about Andy and his desires. Melinda decides that she has to advise her friend after she sees Rachel kissing with Andy. she finally comes to the choice of writing her a note on a torn piece of paper while still hiding her identity, “I groan and rip out a piece of notebook paper. I write her a note, a left-handed note, so she won't know it's from me.” This is one of the first steps she takes toward regaining her voice. Also this helps explain to her friend indirectly why she called the cops

Such as when she draws a half dead tree which represents her in the sense that she is barely surviving and feels dead. Another way her artworks depict her feelings is when she draws the tree that was struck by lightning which shows that she too has been hurt and she can't heal due to the fact that she can't let go of her past. Finally her final artwork is a full grown beautiful tree and she decides to even add birds which, to her represent hope and opportunity. This changes her for it helps her believe that she can still get over it and progress for the