Melanie

Melanie is a character in the short story “Scene from Girlhood” by Kara Lark. She just finished eighth grade, and is the same age as her cousin, Samantha. Her mother, Margot, is unmarried. Melanie does not know her father. Margot and Melanie live in “the family home” (ll. 70-71), which is actually the house of Melanie’s aunt and uncle. Melanie’s lack of a father and her financial dependence on Samantha’s parents make her feel inferior to her cousin 

Melanie’s family situation deprived her of parental attention and affection. Therefore, she thinks she must earn these by being better than others. Through hard work and talent, she hopes to make up for this void in her life. She constantly feels the need to prove she is better than Samantha. She makes up stories about h...