Previous
Dr. Jarius Dray (“Doc”)
Melo is Justyce’s ex-girlfriend and also attends Braselton Preparatory Academy. Melo is widely considered the most attractive girl in Justyce’s class, which is partially why he finds it so difficult to break up with her once and for all. Accordingly, they have an on-again-off-again relationship, and though Justyce is relatively smitten with her, Manny doesn’t think she’s a good match for him. This is why he criticizes Justyce for going to help Melo one night when a mutual friend calls to tell him that Melo is drunk and not answering her phone. Venturing out, Justyce finds Melo leaning drunkenly against her car, and when he tries to help her into the backseat (to ensure that she won’t try to drive), Officer Castillo appears and violently arrests him, claiming that Justyce is harassing a “pretty white girl,” though Melo’s father—a former professional football player—is actually black. Still, Justyce is the one who gets in trouble (despite Melo committing the crime of underage drinking), even though he was only trying to help Melo.
Melo Taylor Quotes in Dear Martin
The Dear Martin quotes below are all either spoken by Melo Taylor or refer to Melo Taylor. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Chapter 1 Quotes
Justyce can hear the approaching footsteps, but he stays focused on getting Melo strapped in. He wants it to be clear to the cop that she wasn’t gonna drive so she won’t be in even worse trouble.
Before he can get his head out of the car, he feels a tug on his shirt and is yanked backward. His head smacks the doorframe just before a hand clamps down on the back of his neck. His upper body slams onto the trunk with so much force, he bites the inside of his cheek, and his mouth fills with blood.
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
“Officer, this is a big misundersta—’’ he starts to say, but he doesn’t get to finish because the officer hits him in the face.
“Don’t you say shit to me, you son of a bitch. I knew your punk ass was up to no good when I saw you walking down the road with that goddamn hood on.”
So the hood was a bad idea. Earbuds too. Probably would’ve noticed he was being trailed without them. “But, Officer, I—”
“You keep your mouth shut.” The cop squats and gets right in Justyce’s face. “I know your kind; punks like you wander the streets of nice neighborhoods searching for prey. Just couldn’t resist the pretty white girl who’d locked her keys in her car, could ya?”
Related Characters:
Related Symbols:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Get the entire Dear Martin LitChart as a printable PDF.
"My students can't get enough of your charts and their results have gone through the roof." -Graham S.
Melo Taylor Character Timeline in Dear Martin
The timeline below shows where the character Melo Taylor appears in Dear Martin. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 1
Justyce McAllister sees Melo Taylor drunkenly hunched over on the other side of the street. Melo is Justyce’s ex-girlfriend,...
(full context)
Justyce explains to Melo that one of their mutual friends called to tell him that she got drunk and...
(full context)
Unlocking Melo’s car, Justyce tries to pick her up and put her in the backseat. As he...
(full context)
...finds himself slammed face-down onto the hood while the officer handcuffs him. “It hits him: Melo’s drunk beyond belief in the backseat of a car she fully intended to drive, yet...
(full context)
August 25
...Luther King, Jr. that he was only trying to “do a good deed” by helping Melo. However, Officer Castillo thought he looked “menacing” in his sweatshirt, so he arrested him. When...
(full context)
Chapter 2
...thanks him but declines his offer, instead rubbing his sore wrists and telling him that Melo gave him an ointment for the pain. He also mentions that he and she got...
(full context)
Refusing to drop the issue, Manny points out that Melo sat idly by while Castillo mistreated Justyce. All the same, Justyce refuses to listen to...
(full context)
Chapter 6
...only smiles and tells her it was the best hug he’s ever received. Just then, Melo approaches, having seen this embrace. Justyce and Melo have recently broken up again, but their...
(full context)
December 13
...Dr. King how he should navigate “love triangles,” since it’s clear that both SJ and Melo like him.
(full context)
Chapter 18
...asks her why she did that, she says that she “panicked,” saying, “Well, there was Melo…and I didn’t know where you stood with her or how I fit? Anyway. Point is,...
(full context)
