Final answer:
Melinda's tee art in the novel symbolizes her personal growth from turmoil towards healing. Beginning with less coherent pieces, her art evolves as she gains confidence and uses it to process and express her experiences, mirroring her journey towards empowerment.
Step-by-step explanation:
The progress of Melinda's tee art throughout the novel can be seen as a metaphor for her personal journey and growth. At the beginning of the story, Melinda is struggling with her identity and the trauma she has experienced. As she starts to work on her tee art, her initial attempts might reflect her internal turmoil and the chaos of her emotions. However, as the narrative progresses, there is a clear evolution in her artistry. Influences can be taken from the Vienna Genesis technique of telling a story through continuous narration in art, as well as from modern artists who use their graphic design skills and political inspiration to depict societal views, such as the exploration of the Gaze and the cultural positioning of women.
In similar fashion, Melinda's art becomes more sophisticated and confident, illustrating her journey towards healing and reclaiming her voice. The art becomes a form of expression through which she processes her experiences and starts to speak out against what happened to her. The progression in her art can be seen in the arrangement, the use of space, and the choice of subjects she depicts, moving towards a climax that mirrors her own climactic moment of empowerment and self-assertion.