Out of My Mind

Having cerebral palsy impacts every aspect of Melody’s life. The struggles she works to overcome, and the realities she comes to accept, reflect the significant themes of perseverance in the face of her disability and prejudice from her peers. In particular, these themes manifest in Melody’s desire to be “normal,” to communicate, to develop friendships, and to make the Whiz Kids quiz team at school.

Because of her cerebral palsy, Melody is regularly exposed to people’s ignorance, insults, assumptions, and prejudices. Many people incorrectly think that her physical limitations also extend to her brain. This discrimination does not come from just Melody’s classmates and peers at school; many adults, including teachers, come to inappropriate and unsupported conclusions about what Melody can and cannot do. For example, Claire is astonished when Melody is able to “speak” through her Medi-Talker and says she didn’t realize Melody had anything going on inside her head. Likewise, the psychologist Dr. Hugely tells Melody’s mother that she’s brain damaged because she can’t physically complete the tasks he asks of her, even though she knows the answers, and one of Melody’s teachers continues to teach her the ABCs even though she’s far too advanced for the lesson. Melody has to score perfectly on two tests before

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