Out of My Mind

Out of My Mind

In the story, "Out of My Mind", by Sharon M. Draper, a disabled girl named Melody faces criticisms and hardships because she is unable to communicate with the people around her. Everyone thinks she's dumb but that's not true. She's smarter than anyone in the class or maybe even at school even though nobody acknowledges her because she can even speak or walk. She has a long-lasting memory and can remember everything she has every seen before. But all these only existed in her head. No one knows that she's smart, no one even knows that she existed. Even her parents isolates her. I understand how her parents feel even though they treat Melody harshly because taking care of a disabled child is not easy.

When Melody's parents first learned that Melody was "stupid" and could not either speak or walk, they were disappointed and shock. I know a distant relative who's child has learning incapability and disability too. It takes a lot of patience and money to take care of that child. Sometimes they get really frustrated when their child doesn't understand something that they have been repeatedly trying to teach him. Melody's parents are similar. They try to do their best to take care of her but sometimes it's just too hard. She eats all over the place and rips everything she sees. Her mom especially, always had to clean up after her. I know that they try to help her overcome her obstacles but sometimes it's just a compete failure. They don't understand her and they, too, believe that Melody is just a hopeless idiot. My distant relative and Melody's parents are alike because they also cannot properly communicate with their child the right way. It also cost a lot of money for a family that's not rich. I understand how they feel because it is indeed hard to watch out for a kid who lives in a different world.

I really like this book because it clearly shows that you shouldn't judge things by the cover. No one would have ever realize that Melody was actually a genius despite the fact that she cannot communicate with people. She can remember everything that she had seen in exact detail like it has been video taped. But sometimes I feel that remembering may be painful. We people often forget only the bad things that has happened in our lives. That's how we managed to live even when we also have hard things in our life. Melody won't be able to forget. She'll always remember the smirks of her classmates, her parents hitting her, and the stares of her relatives. It's really depressing to always all the miserable events in detail.

Therefore, Melody has a life filled with hardships. No one understands her and she has to face all the tragedies all by herself. It's painful to be alone. I would highly recommend this book because it clearly explains the life of the disabled. It'll never be out of my mind.