Character Analysis
It would have been nice if at least the guidance counselor had a clue about what Melinda's symptoms might suggest. She doesn't seem like a bad person – she keeps in contact with Melinda's parents and even suggests rewards when Melinda stops skipping school. But let's be honest: she basically fails at her job. She never considers that Melinda's plummeting grades, lack of speech, and bloody, bitten lips are reactions to a serious trauma.