Character Analysis Of Melba In 'Despite Fire'

Imagine a world where you weren’t allowed to go to school, and that if you tried you would be immediately forced to leave. This is the world that Melba, and the rest of the Little Rock 9 must live in. These children are forced to remain courageous, faithful, and enduring through all of their challenges trying to integrate Central High School. Melba must stay courageous, as she faces many threats and attacks while attending Central. She remains very enduring during her story by staying very calm and patient, despite most or all the students wanting her gone. While she faces all these challenges, she still manages to stay faithful and fight through to the end while the help of her grandmother India.
Beals portrays herself as Courageous as she faces physical conflicts at school and internal conflicts in her choices. For example, when Melba is alone in the restroom, she finds “flaming paper wad coming right down on me ...and [it] landed on my hair and shoulders” (Beals 119). In many Instances such as this one, Melba risks her life for integration. Her courage in the face these conflicts continues to grow throughout The memoir, Despite
We act with courage , and with God's help, we ship trouble right on out” (Beals 44). This is a great example of Melba’s grandmother India helping her stay faithful and courageous in the face of danger. Grandmother India played a huge role in Melba’s life and how she grew up. When times get hard she would make sure that Melba prays and writes to god. With all of the problems that Melba is facing at this time she has trouble remaining faithful, especially when she is called to have a meeting with Governor Faubus and she thinks that god is taking away he life. And yet, despite her fears she remains faithful all the way to the end. She later writes, “I apologize, God, for thinking you had taken away all my normal life. Maybe you’re just exchanging it for a new life (Beals