Laurie Halse Character Analysis

Laurie Halse employs some figures that encourage the protagonist to overcome her psychological anger. Mr. freeman is one of these figures. He is an art teacher in Melinda 's high school who is used to being nice and gentle to all student specially to Melinda. At the beginning of the novel, he tells his students that in the art class " this is where you can find your soul if you dare. Where you can touch a part of you that you 've never dared look at before" (4. ). He plays an affective role in helping Melinda to overcome her anger. As he encourages her to express her pain through art by saying that the powerful art comes when people use it to express their emotions. During art class, Melinda uses bones of turkey to make a sculpture. Mr.

According to oxford dictionaries of literary terms, baldric defines allusions as: an indirect or passing reference to some event, person, place or artistic work, the nature and relevance of which is not explained by the writer but relies on the reader 's familiarity with what is thus mentioned. The technique of allusion is economical means of calling upon the history or the literary tradition that the author and the reader are assumed to share.

Laurie Halse alludes Pablo Picasso who was a Spanish artist and the one he can" (see) the truth and (paint) the truth"(57, ). Melinda likes Picasso as she expresses her feelings and pain via her sculpture of turkey bones. Furthermore, she alludes Oprah, Sally Jessie and jerry who are a program presenters. All these presenters believe that Melinda 's raping is a crime and she is a victim " it was an attack" (76, ) and Melinda is not to blame for her raping anyway. in addition, she alludes Maya Angelo who is an American author poet and civil right activities. Throughout the novel, Angelo resumes Melinda 's state as Maya Angelo 's books are banished from school as well as Melinda is banished from her school mates. Angelo plays an affective role in developing Melinda 's situation. She encourages Melinda to speak in order to warn and protect her ex- best friend Rachel from the devil Andy. Thus, as a results for these motivation, Melinda breaks out from her silence and takes her revenge from the villain by destroying his reputation and makes him unable to