First Marking Period Second Marking Period

Plays Nice B Attitude D

Lunch D Lunch C

Clothes C Clothes C-

Social Studies C Social Studies D

Biology B Biology B

English C English C-

Spanish C Spanish C-

Algebra C+ Algebra C-

Gym C+ Gym C-

Art A Art A

In these first to marking periods here are Melinda’s report cards. As you can see, she seems to be putting much effort into her art projects. Biology she is getting a B in. Every other class she is getting a C. Melinda also is grading herself on other things such as: Plays nice, Lunch, Clothes and attitude. Her Mom said that she was at the top of her class last year, what happened? Well Melinda Sordino got raped.

First Marking Period

Melinda is showing how much she doesn’t care about school. In social studies, English, Spanish, and algebra. In social studies she has Mr. Neck. In the first few pages of the book she compares herself to a wounded zebra, in the auditorium. Who is the person to tell her to sit down? Mr. Neck. Also social studies and lunch, he keeps an eye on her. Mr. Neck gives Melinda her first demerit when she doesn’t have a hall pass. Melinda still doesn’t dwell on it and continues on. During Art she thinks of it as from normal classes or nightmare to a dream. She loves art. In art she is drawing a tree, her first tree was a lightning tree in water painting. This class is more about expressing herself. She gets an A as she keeps on trying hard. A big reason she gets a grade above a C in Biology, is her smart lab partner, David Petrakis. He is a foil to her, but takes a different path. He is confident and brave; he stands up for what he believes in. He helps in biology and Melinda pays a little more attention I biology. Algebra, she says she can’t get her head around it. Although in Junior High she was at the top of her class. The rape has really affected her this quarter.

Melinda also graded herself, in plays nice lunch and clothes. First in plays nice, she isn’t mean or gets mad at people, especially when they bump or knock her books. In lunch, on the first day she gets mashed potatoes on her. She runs out and gets caught by Mr. Neck. She also never eats in the cafeteria. For clothes she just wears jeans and a turtleneck nothing popular or flashy. Her clothes are just average like her grade.

If Melinda even put forth a little more effort she could be a straight B student. The rape has totally twisted her and changed her style. In the first marking period she really struggles.

Second Marking Period

In the second marking period, Melinda’s inability to speak really makes her grades go down. In Gym she has the possibility to get an A if she teaches the basketball team to make a swish. Of course, when they ask she doesn’t respond and never shows up. Melinda than gets a C- lower than last quarter. In every class she doesn’t care or pay attention to. Biology is the only class she gets a B in. In one lab with an apple she gets extra credit for showing the seed to the teacher of a seed of a little tree in the apple. Also in a lab she dissects a frog. Melinda compares it to her rape how she was locked to the ground and couldn’t move and how she was hurt. It shows that Melinda can do well. David Petrakis is a major reason she is doing well in this class. Art is still an A. A project of thanksgiving she makes a turkey with a Barbie doll in it and turkey bones. The Barbie doll represents her 5^th grade person. The carcass is going back to the wounded zebra metaphor; she is in pain. Mr. Freeman notices it and says that the artwork says pain. He also notices her sore throat, the first to notice this. Mr Freeman here is symbolizing he really cares. Mr. Freeman comments on the Holiday gone bad, in her painting. This shows how busy her mom is and the family not having the holiday like old times. Melinda still continues to not try in her other classes but she is finding much peace in Art.

Melinda grades herself again. She says her attitude is a D. Melinda is grading very honestly. She doesn’t try she doodles in class and her grades continue to slip. Lunch she does a little better no accident happened; she also has a person sit with, Heather. So her grade gets a little better. Another thing is her clothes are yet again a C. Melinda is very consistent with her grades in the C’s and her no effort. Even though Melinda is not doing well in school, she is finding a little more peace, in art and in her burrow.