Melissa Sordino is the protagonist in "Speak" by Laurie Halse Anderson. Imagine you were to go through Melinda's trash. What might you find and why?

What an interesting assignment! This particular project may help us chart Melinda's emotional growth as the story progresses.

One of the first items we may find in Melinda's trash is the piece of paper with the word "tree" on it. If you recall, Melinda isn't too excited about her art assignment. Since she already knows how to draw a tree, Melinda doesn't think that the assignment will be beneficial or educational in any way. Look for her to throw away the scrap of paper as soon as she can.

The next item we may find in Melinda's trash is one of her mother's kitchen counter notes. This one says "Pizza, 555-4892. Small tip this time." Melinda admits that it's a family practice to communicate with notes; however, the notes are impersonal, and it is obvious that Melinda feels the lack of authentic discourse within the family circle. Her frustrated "What else is there to say?" speaks volumes about her feelings of alienation.

Another item we may find in Melinda's trash is the pom-pom Heather handed her before the Homecoming pep rally. Melinda isn't especially enthused about the rally, but she goes along to please Heather. Sadly, she finds that her friends and classmates are less than understanding about her actions at Kyle Rodger's party the previous summer. For her part, Melinda is too emotionally drained to explain why she called the police. The pom pom represents a school community that has essentially turned its back on her, and it is also a reminder that she will never be like her cheerleader classmates, the Girls Who Have It All. Hence, the pom pom would likely end up in her trash.

The next items that may possibly end up in Melinda's trash are various drawings of trees. You may recall our protagonist's art assignment. Melinda is completely frustrated with her inability to create meaningful art. Her frustration stems from her repressed emotions, but she has difficulty understanding this until later in the story. Her trash bin would likely contain discarded drawings of trees.

Another item we may find in Melinda's trash is the results of a personality assessment test on Job Day. Melinda's test results declare that she should consider careers in forestry, firefighting, communications, and mortuary science. Of course, none of these interest her, and the results seem to be a distressing judgment about her potential in the future. Hence, we may find the results of this assessment test in Melinda's trash.

Yet other items we may find in Melinda's trash are all the calendars she bled on. During her winter break, Melinda finds herself working at her father's office. She is tasked with putting all the calendars into envelopes, sealing them, and then putting mailing labels on them. When the sharp edge of an envelope cuts her tongue as she licks it, Melinda bleeds onto some of the calendars. Her father is furious, so these calendars would probably end up in the trash, whether Melinda discards them at the office or in her own trash bin at home.

As the story progresses, Melinda's grades continue to drop. Her spring semester grades show her failing a few of her classes and getting D grades for the others. The only class she excels in is Art, where she receives an A. It may be conceivable to find Melinda's report card in the trash, as her failing grades are a devastating reminder that her life is falling apart.

Hope this helps! See if you can find the last three items on your own.