When doing things with friends and family, do you always ask for their consent, and what happens when you don’t? The book Speak is a story about how Melinda experienced rape by one of the most popular boys at school, Andy. The book tells how Melinda couldn’t tell anybody, even her family and friends, of her fear of ridicule and bullying but wanted to speak about what happened to her at the party that started this story. The author, Laurie Halse Anderson, teaches the reader the importance of expressing a person’s feelings and opinions through speaking throughout the book. When Melinda had a stressful and embarrassing encounter with Andy at the cafeteria, she tried to run but got stopped by Mr. Neck, who said, “Where do you think you’re going?” Melinda stays silent, not expressing anything; the …show more content…
Talking is important communication, and Melinda’s situation is not her fault. But her environment, in which she lives, makes her parents willing to help, but Melinda does not believe so, and her not believing in the people willing to help, her environment, and not talking makes Melinda’s life much harder for herself and the people around her. Later on, in the book (Chapter Little Writing in the Wall) Melinda does not say it, but on the girl’s bathroom wall, she writes, "...Boys to Stay Away From. The first entry is the beast himself: Andy Evans.” Melinda slowly but steadily starts expressing her thoughts and emotions. Soon after, Melinda explains everything that was happening to her and what happened at the party to her friend Rachel, who happened to be dating Any Evans. Melinda told Rachel how she got raped. Rachell acknowledged it, but when Melinda says it was Andy Evans that did it, Rachell says, “Liar!”. “I can’t believe you. You’re going to be jealous. You’re a twisted little freak and you’re jealous that I’m popular and I’m going to the prom, and you lie to me like this.” (Chapter
In the novel, “Speak” by Laurie Halse Anderson. Melinda, the protagonist, does not join a group at Merryweather High School. Lots of people join but don’t get into the group on the first day, but some people get lucky and get it. Once someone joins a group they will change, and probably won’t be the same person you knew before they join the particular group.
In the book Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson, the main character Melinda is a 14 year old girl who is struggling to find not only a friend group, but also a friend who will stick by her side, but the year before Melinda was invited to a under age drinking party, and she was raped. She was not safe so she called the police. Melinda's desire to protect herself after she is assaulted does not conform to her peers ideas of what is ¨cool¨ and acceptable and so she is ostracized, experiences severe depression, but forced to understand what true friendship really is.
Over the coming months, Alice faces her friends and family, who look and treat her differently after the rape. She faces the criticism from her family and fellow officials who question the act. Sebold deals with th...
For the past few weeks, we have been reading the book Speak, by Laurie Halse Anderson. The book is about a girl named Melinda Sordino, who for the most part refused to speak or interact with others after being raped at an end-of-the-summer party before the start of her freshman year in high school. Ever since she was raped, she has completely changed. However, I think she showed signs of improvement during the second half of the year. Ever since the party, Melinda rarely talked to anybody, including her parents. Nevertheless, I noticed that during the second semester of the year, she talked considerably more.
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
The plot of the book, Speak is that Melinda Sordino, a freshman at Merryweather High went to an end of the summer party with some of her friends. Things take a turn for the worst when a senior named Andy Evans sexually assaults her at the party without her friends knowing about it. Melinda is frightened, afraid, and does not know what to do so she calls 911 busting the party, and causing her friends and everyone at that school to hate her, even if they don’t know her.
When Alice’s rape is discussed, Jane feels anxious and goes into panic attacks. During these attacks, Jane is in an unstable state of mind, and she cannot function properly. Normally, a teenage girl seeks out her mother for guidance in a time of need. However, in this situation, the mother/daughter roles are reversed, and Alice must comfort Jane. While Jane is having a difficult time with the rape, Alice had to step up and support her mother.
Throughout the book we can feel the struggle that a high school student can go through when they are misunderstood, discriminated and looked down upon. High schools and especially North American high schools can be ruthless and brutal about the people that somehow do not fit in. In the beginning of the book it was mentioned how everybody was part of specific groups or “clans” and that someone who did not fit into a group was doomed. I believe, that even though the main topic in the book is rape the author wanted us to think about more than rape and sexual assault in high schools. The fact that Melinda felt guilty, even though she was a victim of sexual assault shows us how hard it is for high school students who do not feel like they belong somewhere to speak up. The best example we can see of this is when David speaks up against Mr. Neck. By speaking up for the right of free speech in class he proved that speaking up is sometimes the best way to fight against an unfair authority. Mr. Neck was constantly shown as a character that picked on and oppressed Melinda, so even a brief act of going against him shows Melinda’s fight against
That summer, we realize that she has been raped and has not yet come to terms with what had happened. For multiple times, Melinda has tried to talk until she gave up and stopped trying. Soon enough, her grades started to drop and she started cutting as a whimper for help. This resulted into an overwhelming amount of feelings that she still was not willing to share. Furthermore into the novel, she stumbles upon her art teacher, Mr.Freeman. She complained how her trees suck because she doesn’t know anything. Mr. Freeman explains that that is because she refuses to express her emotions. He says, ”When people don’t express themselves, they die one piece at a time” (122). This refers to when Melinda’s father called to prune the tree just outside their house. Melinda thought the guy was chopping it down when they were actually doing just the opposite. Her dad explained, “He’s not chopping it down. He’s saving it. Those branches were long dead from disease. All plants are like that. By cutting off the damage, you make it possible for the tree to grow again…” (187). Moments later, Melinda comes into a realization that she is like the tree. Both bruised, messed up, and slowly dying, but deep inside you can find a small, clean part of them waiting to burst through the surface. At this
Luckily, for Melinda she found the strength she needed in a special person and project to support and encourage her expression. So many victims of sexual assault are trapped inside their minds, kind of like the way this book reads. Like a series of letters, trapped from within someone else's mind. They are afraid to tell their story, for fear they will not be believed. But finding that one outlet that builds your inner strength gives you the courage to face your fears. The character transformation that Melinda made was remarkable. She started her freshman year out as an outsider and ended up feeling confident and rejuvenated.
Initially Melinda is unable to communicate; however, as she strengthens her social connections with others, she is able to accept her feelings of loneliness. She believes, “It is easier not to say anything [...] Nobody really wants to hear what you have to say” (9). In terms of Melinda’s home life, her parents have a bad relationship with each other, and in return, Melinda goes to her room to isolate herself; she feels more comfortable in her closet. Melinda’s parents try to communicate with her in the worst ways possible; therefore, she is completely disconnected with them. Melinda thinks that she may never grow up because she is so traumatized. She remembers her childhood memories, yet she is unable to see her own future because feels trapped and damaged. However, as she is able to come to terms with what happened to her, she can finally accept that she is beginning to grow again, and can look forward to her future. As Melinda begins to heal, so does her family. For once in the novel, her parents do not fight and they eat dinner with each other. As a developing artist, she has a lack of ambition and believes that she will never be as talented or as successful as Mr. Freeman. Through her artwork, he is aware of the negative emotions she is expressing. He informs her that she can talk to him when she needs to. Mr. Freeman is one of the only teachers who can understand Melinda. In addition,
Melinda desperately wanted to explain and rely on someone. Rachel showed indifference as she invited Melinda to the party and Melinda did something that she should not have, which could affect her potential high school status. After Melinda calls the cops at the party, nobody bothers to ask what’s wrong, not even Rachel/Rachelle, who was Melinda's best friend. The first interaction that Melinda had after the event was in the cafeteria with Rachel, where she whispers, “i hate you,” from where she is seated (5). Since the people involved are not even slightly curious as to why or what could have happened to make Melinda call the cops, she becomes alienated. Melinda later becomes friends with Heather, their relationship is based on using each other. Melinda uses Heather so she is not alone. While Heather uses Melinda, so she can help her complete activities to join the Martha’s. When you start relying on someone and you still get omitted, it doesn’t make you overcome the wound, in fact, it adds more injuries. Compared to Heather and Rachel, when Melinda meets Ivy and David Petrakis she starts opening up. David is a role-model as he is the only one who helps her speak up. David does not know what Melinda has been through, yet Melinda still went to him when she didn't want to speak for her suffragette presentation. He helps her but later tells her that,"The suffragettes were all about speaking up, [and she] can't speak up for [her] right to be silent." This connects Melinda to the women in the past, who spoke for their rights. In contradiction, Melinda stays silent for hers, which won't have as great an effect (159). Ivy is the first person to understand and agree with Melinda. She also thinks that Andy Evans, Melinda's assaulter is bad news. When Melinda realizes
...dation. Thus, Melinda is a strong girl fighting depression that originated from pressure, and rape; this is very common among adolescents. Melinda may be no less than a twin to many teens.
“Just do it, it’ll be fine.” or things like “Nobody will know, trust me” or even “If you don't do it we can’t be friends anymore.” These are all examples of peer pressure, a problem the whole world faces. Peer pressure is a big problem, and also is in the book Speak too. Peer pressure is the act of peers trying to make you do something, whether it be good or bad. Peer pressure can vary from friends wanting one to help them in doing good deed, or wanting one to do something bad like steal or disobey one’s parents or elders. Peer pressure in the book had put the main character Melinda Sordino through a lot, not knowing where she belonged and who was really there for her throughout the story. Peer pressure in schools and in everyday life of
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”.