The Girl With All the Gifts: Blog Post 6
Melanie in The Girl With All the Gifts was stuck in a corner and isolated. She was set apart, which was seen when she answered the riddles, was the only Black person, controlling the hungries, unknowingly choosing who the Doctor experimented on, and her beautiful short story. I see myself in Melanie in so many ways. I never thought I could relate to a character so much. I even had my own Ms. Justineau, the woman who never doubted me when my world was crashing. I too was subjected to disgusting names that became my identity. For Melanie, it was âfrigging abortions,â for me, it was fat, slow, not good enough, Moto Moto, ugly. For both, our hearts remained pure as we faced hate from all around.Â
My Ms. Justineau, was my first-grade teacher Mrs. Benach. They say you never forget those who helped you when you were low, and oh, was she unforgettable. I was going through hell at home and school. This affected my academic performance and social life. My first-grade teacher saw my weariness in my behavior and attitudes towards others. She offered support beyond my little mind's understanding at the time, but the memory can never fade. She fought against the stereotypical boxes my peers and teachers put me in. She sought the understanding of me when the people in her circle told her it was better to give up. Through my mistakes and flaws, she was my Ms. Justineau, instilling in me constant hope that I am bigger than what THEY call me. Ms. Justineau, Ms.Benach, two blessed souls, the same, all in one.Â
In my mind, my hungries represent people who are just like me, Black, bigger, insecure, internally lonely girls. They are strong enough to fight the oppression, and people destroy them because they are scared to be a part of or associated with our group. When Melanie says, âI don't want to be a hungry,â and the doctor explains it was part of her, Melanie described how I felt and still feel on some days. I used to tell myself I donât want to be Black, and now it transformed to I don't want to be big, I don't want to be ugly, and on some days, I donât want to be me. As much as I hate it, what the doctor said is the truth. True freedom comes from accepting that I am who I am, but I must change the negative connotations I associate with myself. I did this with being Black, as it othered me, but it made me, me. I am so proud of that part of me, even if the world is in opposition to me because of it.










