Out of My Mind

Mrs. Violet Valencia—fondly called Mrs. V—is Melody’s next-door neighbor and a former colleague of her mother’s. Mrs. V steps in to assist Melody’s parents when they need someone to watch Melody when they have to work late. Mrs. V becomes a mentor to Melody, and always, without fail, treats Melody like a person who has feelings. She is Melody’s champion, coming to the girl’s defense when needed and providing the tough love necessary at times when Melody is prone to feeling sorry for herself.

In particular, Mrs. V is the driving force behind Melody learning how to use her Medi-Talker efficiently, and Melody making the school’s Whiz Kids quiz team. She is a loving, caring person who sees Melody as a beautiful, bright girl. Mrs. V functions as Melody’s friend and her voice of reason. All along, she tells Melody that she’d rather Melody be just like she is than like other kids, and Melody seems to have internalized this thought by the end of the novel when she leaves her cruel classmates behind her. Mrs. V is also unfailingly practical and points out that everyone has some kind of disability, some (like Claire) are lucky enough to have braces on their teeth instead of their legs. 

Catherine is an aide assigned to assist Melody throughout the school day. While she is primarily responsible for helping Melody with mobility, feeding, and cleaning, she also attends Melody’s classes. Like Mrs. V, Catherine is a heroine to Melody, a person who truly loves Melody and enjoys her company. She also defends Melody against accusations of cheating and insensitive comments made by some of Melody’s teachers. Catherine also dedicates time to preparing Melody for the Whiz Kids tests and tournament.

Catherine functions as Melody’s ally while she’s at school. She’s part of the circle of people who are invested in Melody, and she takes it upon herself to update Mrs. V and the Brooks’s when something goes awry. She tells Melody that she actually saved Penny’s life, giving Melody the courage to face the Whiz Kid team at the end of the novel. 

Melody’s mother is a very dedicated woman who dearly loves her first-born daughter. She is all too aware of the kinds of prejudice and obstacles Melody must face every day, and she’s fiery enough to defend Melody in the face of so-called “experts” like the psychologist, Dr. Hugely. She advocates for her daughter throughout the novel, more so than Mr. Brooks, even though she does sometimes get frustrated with Melody.

In many instances, Mrs. Brooks can communicate with and understand her daughter without the use of words, but there are also times when she fails to truly listen to Melody, such as when she hits Penny with her car. The character is a realistically created mother of a “special needs” student, complete with the love, joys, and frustrations that come with this situation.

Melody’s father is a calm, laidback person who takes great pride in Melody and her accomplishments. He establishes some of Melody’s earliest loves, including reading and music. Although her father is protective and proud of Melody, he is not as adept at communicating with her as Mrs. Brooks. This obstacle proves frustrating for both Mr. Brooks and Melody at times throughout the story. When Melody is unable to make her flight to Washington DC, the usually calm Mr. Brooks punches a wall, revealing how much the trip means to the Brooks family. 

Penny is Melody’s baby sister, and from Melody’s perspective, their relationship is fraught with contrasts. While she is thankful that Penny was born whole and healthy, Melody has a difficult time watching her sister grow to talk, walk, and play. It’s a constant reminder of what she will never be able to accomplish and that she is different from most other kids, including her sister. For her part, Penny is a genuine, caring, sweet young girl who loves her older sister and loves Melody for Melody.

Rose is one of the students in the music inclusion class who offers to be a guide for Melody during the course. They develop a tenuous friendship; Melody looks up to the pretty, bright Rose, while Rose worries about how being seen with Melody will impact her social standing at school. Although she is kind at times to Melody, ultimately, Rose gives in to peer pressure by not fully embracing Melody as a friend and by not calling Melody from the airport to tell her about the flight change for the tournament in Washington.

Claire and Molly are two immature girls in the music inclusion class. They represent the worst of humanity: they mock, judge, and insult Melody on a daily basis. Their behavior toward her shows the fear they have about Melody’s condition, and their jealousy that Melody is smarter than they are when she is “supposed” to be retarded. These two characters are symbolic of the struggles that Melody will face consistently throughout her life and are the novel’s main antagonists.