Melinda's Narration Depicted In The Story Speak

In the story Speak, the theme is to speak up for yourself. Some quotes and reasons on why that is the theme are, in the beginning of the story Melinda is an outcast, a quiet high school girl who splits everyone into factions who don't all get along very well. In the middle of the story Melinda thinks of herself as a loser, someone people shouldn't get close to and a freak. It is winter in the middle of the story, so the setting is cold and the mood is distrust for the reason Melinda doesn't think that she can trust anyone in believing her. In the end of the story, Melinda's mother thinks that Melinda can't cope with other people in the world just because of her silence. In this part of the story it's spring or as Melinda calls it, “mating season.” The mood in this section of the story is fear, and the reason for this is melinda shows fear towards Andy Evans, the fear is so strong she can't move.

“I am outcast” is the first imitation we got of melinda she says this herself meaning that in the story she has no friends to talk to and she's all alone.

“It's my first morning of high school” is where you first figure out where Melinda is,this doesn't have much to do with the theme right away. The mood of the story is rivalry this is because everyone in the school has their own place and if someone is different they fight over it. This is the beginning of the story speak.
“Complete and total loser, not quite sane, stay away, do not feed.” this is how Melinda describes herself a loser that you should stay away from. The setting in the story is winter or cold you figure that out from when melinda says “we had eight inches of snow last night.” the theme fits in with this because melinda is once again alone with no friends she chooses not to go talk to other people, so she stays sitting alone instead. This is the middle of the story

speak.
“A living breathing friend for her maladjusted daughter” this is how melinda’s mother thinks of melinda or at least that's what melinda thinks, maladjusted means crazy, different or unable to cope with society, meaning melinda can't cope with society meaning she's a loner with no possible friends at the moment. “The climax of mating season is almost upon us.” most likely meant that spring was near so it's depressing outside the snow is all grey and melting the streets are full of slush and, everything is cold and wet. “I remember. I remember, metal hands, hot knife hands” this is making the mood of the story fear because melinda is more variable in this part of the story because she told her old friend rachel about what andy evans did so he could be after her. The reason why this part of the story helps the theme is because she does tell rachel what happened and people help her out after.
In the story speak the theme is speak up because if she were to speak up she wouldn't have been ignored by everyone the whole year, she wouldn't have been hated and she wouldn't have been alone. Since she ended up telling people she was helped and her problem was solved.