Analysis Question #4
On the day when she breaks up with Melinda at lunch, Heather acknowledges that Melinda is “the most depressed person [she’s] ever met.” She also tells her that she thinks Melinda needs professional help. Did Heather handle this situation properly? Why or why not?
It was very wrong of Heather to ditch Melinda the way she did. Instead of telling her that she’s “the most depressed person she’s ever met” pg. 105, or that she needs professional help she could have supported her and asked what was wrong instead of only telling her her own problems. Heather doesn’t realize that just telling someone that is depressed to get help or just get better because it isn’t that easy. She was being ignorant and only cared about how people thought of her hanging out and being friends with Melinda and didn’t realize or care that being a friend and being there for her would help her get better. She didn’t care that without her Melinda didn’t have anyone without her. Heather is very self-centered and she needs to think of others more than herself sometimes.
Quick Write Question #8
Choose any character in the novel, besides Melinda – discuss what you think their views of high school, life, and Melinda would be. How do you think the story would change if it was told from another character’s perspective?
Heather is the type of person who is very focused on social status. Her views on high school are that you have to be in a clique, it isn’t good to be a “nobody” and you have to have a big group of friends. “Heather has found a clan, the Marthas… This is a part of her strangely to make a place for herself at school.”pg.42. Her views on life are that you should always be the best, skinniest, most popular person and you should do anything to be that way. She also thinks that if you don’t have a ton of people around you then nothing matters and your main goal should making and having a lot of friends. Her views on Melinda are that she is a very depressed person who doesn’t care about anything. She thinks she has serious problems and needs to get professional help. The story would be much more focused on social life and popularity if Heather was the main character. Heather isn’t a very loyal friend and was only friends with Mel because she didn’t have anyone else and left her as soon as she made different friends
I agree with you saying that Heather is a self-centred and selfish person who doesn’t care about others, but instead only thinks about her own benefit.
The idea was clearly explained and I understand your thoughts, but you could improve on the vocabulary used and add in more descriptive words to explain your ideas.
I agree with you on most of your points, but I think you should talk about how what has happened will affect her, rather than saying whether what they did was morally right or wrong.