Melinda's Identity In Speak By Laurie Halse Anderson

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Melinda has a very different character. She had many friends and was very happy until a specific tragedy. After that her friends dumped her, and she became depressed. Her behavior changed along with her whole attitude. Melina’s trauma shapes her identity. For example, she was raped, and has not been the same since. “I want to grab her by the neck and shake her and scream her her to stop treating me like dirt” (Anderson 21). Consequently, Melinda has been acting out and has not been herself. She has been skipping school, not worrying about her grades, and constantly thinking of what others think of her. Melinda’s friendships shape her identity as well. For example, her friends dumped her which left her feeling more self conscious. “What

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