Motifs In Laurie Halse Anderson's Speak

In the novel Speak, Laurie Halse Anderson utilizes the motif of the janitor's closet to show the growth and changes Melinda goes through, starting nonfunctional, and then finally finding her voice and learning how to “speak”.
A literary device is a tool that the author uses to transfer a message to the reader. This can help the reader grow appreciation for the work, and better understand the character personality and other traits that are otherwise difficult to convey to the audience. There were several different literary devices that were used throughout the book but I chose to do my paper on a motif.
A motif is a reoccurring symbol or element that generally helps to develop or contribute to the theme or the mood of the text. In Speak it was usually used to alter both the mood and

the theme. I chose the motif of the Janitor's closet in the seniors wing because I think it showed how Melenda changed the most dramatically throughout the book.
When Melenda first found the Janitor's closet she called it her borrow.

This is the place she goes to when others push her out or she feels unaccepted by her peers. When Mr. Neck comes chasing after her in an effort to escape she stumbles across this closest and in some way is her safe haven throughout the book. Because, even though the nothing in the room worked, and it stunk in the room it still felt like the most inviting place in the world to have something represent her and be just to herself where no one could judge. Because once she examined the room her words were, “The closet is abandoned- It has no purpose, no name, It is the perfect place for me.” -Anderson Page 26
In the beginning of the book I believe that there are several ways that the janitor’s closet represents Melenda. One example is that nothing works in the closet worked just in the way that Melinda could barely function in the beginning because she was trying to shut her emotions out. Another example of that would be, that the closet could be used again it would just need lots of work to get it back to the way it was, just as Melenda needed a great deal of help to get back to the way she was before she was

raped.
The closet was also a great insight into the way that Melinda was growing and changing throughout the text. It's almost like Melinda own version of a therapy session. There are a few things she does in the closet that give you insight into Melinda’s head. One thing she does is cover up the mirror this lets you know that she is unaccepting of herself and hasn't accepted what happened so she is disappointed with what she sees in the mirror. Her exact word are, “The first thing to go is the mirror.” Another big thing that she says is, “I do a little bit of work everyday. It’s like building a fort. This could represent that when she was raped her walls came down and she felt exposed but she slowly piece by piece is building her walls back and becoming herself again.