Final answer:
Melinda fixes up her closet to create a personal sanctuary at school as a way to cope with her trauma and exert control over her environment as part of her healing process.
Step-by-step explanation:
Melinda, the protagonist of the novel Speak, fixes up her closet by making it her own personal sanctuary. In the story, Melinda is dealing with the trauma of a sexual assault that occurred before the start of the school year. She cleans out her old janitor's closet at school, decorating it in a way that makes it feel safe and personal to her. This is a practical and symbolic act. Practically, it gives her a place to escape to during the school day. Symbolically, the act of rearranging and making the closet her own represents her attempt to exert control over her environment and, by extension, her life following a period where she felt powerless.
The process of fixing up the closet serves as a coping mechanism for Melinda as she works through her emotional pain. It is a significant part of her healing process, providing a space where she can be alone and undisturbed, giving her the privacy and solace she desperately needs.