Speak Chapter 71 Summary

Growing Pains

• Melinda's a bit irritated with Mr. Freeman. He is extremely negative about her tree, and she has to agree with him.
• She thinks she should be banished from art class, so she won't get in the way of "real artists […] like Ivy" (71.2).
• Tears in her eyes, Melinda throws away the linoleum on which she was carving her tree.
• Mr. Freeman takes her work out of the trash, brings her tissues, and encourages her to keep trying. He wants her to give her tree "flaws" to make it "interesting" (71.3).
• If Mr. Freeman believes in her, she'll keep trying even though it's hard.