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Cerebral Palsy: Plot Summary

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Cerebral Palsy: Plot Summary
The book’s focus is around a 12 year old girl named Melody. She is living with the disease Cerebral Palsy. She can’t walk, talk or feed herself. But the disease does not limit it her like everyone thinks it does. She has a photographic memory, and is a very intelligent individual. But she has no way to ever show any of this. Her disability stops her from communicating her emotions and thoughts, but it does not stop her from learning. Most of all this little girl is simply a girl. She worries what she looks like, and what other people say about her. Through her positive attitude, she is able to prove everyone wrong in the end.
The story was a very good insight on the day to day lives of someone living with a disability. The author makes it very clear how other people may start to judge or look down upon
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The author does not make the family seem like a perfect put together puzzle. They father and mother spat with each other, and sometimes one of the parents will take their frustration and anger out on Melody. Melody shows a good understanding of her parents and really appreciates everything they try to do for her. The author can put the real raw reality into a story like this because of her own, up close, and personal ties with Cerebral Palsy; Sharon Draper (the author) has a daughter living with this disease. The story shows that it is not only the disabled individual, but everyone involved is affected by the disease.
The biggest overall theme of the book is acceptance. Although it is not always easy, everyone around Melody has to except her for the person that she is. Melody’s family and educators have to learn to accept her the most, they have to realize that she is still a person, not just a disease. Since it is a packaged deal, everyone in contact or around Melody have to learn how to tolerate her disorder. She craves to be a normal fifth grader, but the doubters squash her

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