Character Analysis Of Melinda In Speak By Laurie Hales Anderson

Speak In the breathtaking book, Speak, by Laurie Hales Anderson, she gives insight into the ups and downs of high school in the eyes of her main character, Melinda. More specifically, Anderson focuses on one down fall, which happens primarily through Melinda “[Going] to [an] end-of the summer party, with beer, seniors, and music” and getting raped (Anderson, 133). While rape victims should tell their story, Anderson rejects the significance of having Melinda talk of her case as a way of showing the consequence of holding your tongue. Efficiently, as a result of her not speaking of her assault at the party, it causes her to go through an important change from the beginning of the novel, to the ending of the novel. According

In the middle of the novel, Melinda is not only staying quite, but is also cutting class. She does this as a deflection from those around her who want her to speak what’s on her mind so they can help. Though, as before mentioned, the raping in Melinda’s mind, is viewed as her fault. Signaling to her believing that she does not deserve help and that she can solve the problem on her own. Greatly, this revelation is best seen when Melinda cuts class, while still being in school. This set-up is done in the form of a “old janitors closet that smells like sour sponges” (25). The janitors closet is a way for Melinda to express the “beast in [her] gut” which harbors her “[guilt, mistakes, and anger]” (51). Another way to show that Melinda thinks she does not deserve help and can solve her problem on her own is when she completely just does not go to school. She does not go to school as even her closet cannot help her, as the vein of her problem is at her school. Resulting in her question to herself: “why go to school?” as alone time somewhere else should clean out her mind

What turns Melinda on to the right path is when she is watching T.V. and Oprah, Sally Jessy, and Jerry all say the things that Melinda needs to hear: the fact that she was raped and that “he (Andy) attacked her” and that “It was not [her] fault” (164). Unhesitatingly, as a result of what the T.V. told her, Melinda tries to talk to Rachel, one of her ex-best friends, about Andy, who she is dating, but she responds to the talk by calling her a “liar” and that Melinda is “[just] jealous” (184). After the interaction, Melinda truly believes that there is no hope for herself now, because of her best ex-friend not believing her. It is not in till after prom that things turn around when gossip of the prom takes root. At the prom, “Andy was all over [Rachel] with his hands and mouth” and started “grinding against her” (191). Him acting like this, lets light filter through into Rachel’s brain, telling her that what Melinda said was the truth, resulting in her dumping him and telling him off. From being told off, Andy does not take it well, resulting in him going after Melinda for putting “lies” into Rachel’s head. His confrontation with Melinda leads with him trying to rape her once again but, this time she has the chance to tell him how she really feels. Melinda reacts to the confrontation by