1. Clean / Dirty Symbolism
Riley Carver, Eric Mercure, Fiona Xhuti, Jack Sanitate

2. Symbolism Presentation Part 1
The introduction of the symbol "Clean/Dirty" occurs early in the chapter "Sanctuary"
In the art room, an oxymoron is used to explain it as "dusty in a clean-dirt kind of way."(10)
Symbolism Presentation Part 1
(second bullet point) the dirt doesn’t bother her because it's not messy it's not bad dirt it's just there it's something you can't really get rid of no matter how hard you work to get rid of it it's something you cant get rid of, it's permanent
(third bullet point) mr freeman is mature enough(unlike melinda) to understand the idea that not everything can be fixed or cleaned away (mistakes) there are some mistakes that are permanent
***Ignore notes these are just thoughts involving the slide***

3. Symbolism Presentation Part 2
Symbol expands a variety of emotions throughout different settings:
White couch- In the chapter "Home. Work." on page 15: "The trick to eating on it is to turn the messy side of the cushions up. The couch has two personalities." 
Janitors closet- In the chapter "Closet Space" on page 51: "Even if I dump the memory, it will stay with me, staining me." 
Night of the rape- In the chapter "Winter Break" on page 72: "I showered until the hot water was gone, then I crawled in bed and did not sleep."
Biology class/ reliving of rape- In the chapter "Dead Frogs" on page 81: "A scream starts in my gut- I can feel the cut, smell the dirt, leaves in my hair."  
Symbolism Presentation Part 2

4. Symbolism Presentation Part 3
Symbol in the denouement: "The tears dissolve on the last block of ice in my throat. I feel the frozen stillness melt down through the inside of me, dripping shards of ice that vanish in a puddle of sunlight on the stained floor. Words float up" (198). Melinda is able to recognize that she is unable to fix all of the mistakes she has made.
Symbolism Presentation Part 3

5. Symbolism Presentation Part #4
"The rest of the leaves are going to drop and I'll have to keep raking" (167).
"I rake the leaves out of my throat" (168).
Theme: Laurie Halse Anderson uses the symbol of clean and dirty to show that dwelling on one's past doesn't allow one to progress in life.
Symbolism Presentation Part #4