Interviewees Name: Jo
Trees are really just there. And Melinda feels that she is just there. When she was in 7th grade, she was a part of the PLAIN Janes. And the kind of trees she are drawing are very plain, so that really enforces it.But trees also grow, and Melinda will grow also.
Are schools really this place that is isolating or is it just the student that isolates him/herself?
It's not really the school, but more the people in it. Part of the isolation is the person them self though. Once they've been rejected, they just give up. The same with Melinda. Instead of going and trying to join clubs and things like that, she's doing the opposite and hiding herself in the closet.
If Melinda's parents were more involved, do you think her relationship and feelings toward them would be different? Also, would her attitude in life be more positive?
If Melinda tried to be more involved with her parents, the relationship would be very different. There would be more communication. It would be a lot friendlier, and they would have much more understanding relationship. And if she behaved and was more involved with her parents, they would maybe fight less and she would like to be more involved with them.
What do you think of the book so far? Even though it may be a bit dramatic, is it far from reality?
It's a very pessimistic book. That's mostly because of the main character is a very pessimistic person herself. It's very different from my life. And since I only know high school from fiction, it may just be what all high school is like.
