Essay On The Importance Of Friendship In Speak

The Importance of Friendship in the Lives of Teens For many, high school can be an extremely draining and difficult time. Many teens are still confused about who they are and what they are trying to accomplish. These mixed emotions are seen through the eyes of freshman Melinda Sordino in Laurie Halse Anderson’s novel, Speak. Anderson uses a variety of different conflicts to symbolize Melinda’s journey throughout the novel from a shy, depressed girl to a blossoming teenager who is unafraid to speak for what she believes in. During the summer before her freshman year, Melinda is raped at a party by a senior (Andy Evans), drastically changing her life for the worse. She loses all her friends when she calls the authorities to the rape scene, since

A couple weeks into the school year, she comes to realize that “[she] is [an] outcast”; excluded from all clans and social events because everyone thinks she called the police at Kyle Rodgers’ summer party to break up the fun (Anderson 2). She feels alone and as if no one would listen to what she has to say, therefore she does not attempt to reconnect with old friends, and tell them the truth. After being dumped by her only remaining friend, Heather, Melinda finds herself in quite the predicament; she is now completely and utterly alone. She realizes that she does not even have a ‘disposable’ friend to make her feel better about herself, until her lab partner, David Petrakis begins talking to her more. While conversing with David, she realizes she is finally able to call someone a true friend. She asks if he “lectures all [his] friends like [that]” and he responds by saying “only the [friends] I like” (Anderson 159). She no longer feels alone; she is comforted, knowing that she has someone to lean back on if she feels sad or is in need of assistance. Melinda’s character shows growth and development, as she starts the year with no friends and no social life, though by the end of the year, she has finally succeeded in making a true

She finds it increasingly difficult to speak to anyone at all. When trying to speak, “[her] throat is always sore... [Her] jaws are clenched… Every time [she] [tries] to talk to [her] parents or a teacher, [she] sputter[s] or freeze[s]” (Anderson 50-51). The beginning of the year is when Melinda finds it hardest to speak. She implies that every time she attempts to talk to anyone about anything, she freezes and can not seem to get the words out. Finally, Melinda builds up the courage to open up to her ex-best friend – Rachel. Melinda shows great character development by speaking to Rachel about the incident, as she is one of the most – if not the most – difficult person to tell. Although Melinda is nervous to tell Rachel, as she and Rachel converse, she writes a note explaining that “[she] didn’t call the cops to break up the party, [she] called – [she] put[s] the pencil down. [She] pick[s] it up again – them because some guy raped [her] under the trees. [She] didn’t know what to do…” (Anderson 183). Rachel asks “why [she didn’t] tell [her]”, and Melinda explains that “[she] could not tell anybody” (Anderson 183). Although Melinda was not ready to speak before, she is now ready to speak and that is what matters the most; she has grown significantly since the rape occurred. In autumn, Melinda’s character is selectively mute and has a lack of communication skills. Yet, by the end of the year,