Speak And Twisted Analysis

Likewise, teenagers relate to the main characters in the novels, "Speak" and "Twisted" by Laurie Halse Anderson. Students go to school, and eat alone for lunch because of their appearance. In comparison to, Melinda saying, "I have entered high school with the wrong hair, the wrong clothes, the wrong attitudes. And I don't have anyone to sit with. I am Outcast (Speak, 4). She's realizing she's different from others. Also, Tyler revealing, "I figured if I killed myself, everybody who treated me like dirt would feel awful" (Twisted, 190). Melinda and Tyler suffer from adolescence of being a teen, which is why Anderson crafts a theme of facing conflicts to become a better person, and speaking out about a terrible fear.

To begin with, Anderson

use characterization with the protagonists of the novels to create other characters that oppose or support them from becoming a better person. In the novel, "Twisted" reveals, " A dark shadow moved and I flinched. Someone giggled. The shadow came close and whispered, a familiar voice. "That's what you get for hurting my sister, you perv" (Twisted, 183). The quote reveals that Chip, Bethany' s brother used his friends to attack Tyler, which shows how he's opposing him. In contrast to the novel, "Speak" showing Mr. Freeman describing, " Confusion. Tenure. The inside of a lock, the taste of iron. Despair. A city with streetlights shot out. Smoker' s lung. The hair of a small girl who's grows hopeless. The heart of a school board director........... I think he's the sanest person I know" (Speak, 104). Mr. Freeman' s description of the canvas shows he's a flat character. Meaning he doesn't change throughout the story, but play a supporting role in the novel by using art to make her tree come to life, and herself.

In the meantime, Anderson uses symbolism to demonstrate the process of the main characters becoming a better person. In the novel, "Speak", Melinda describes her tree, " Roots knob out of the ground and the crown reaches for the sun, tall and healthy. The new growth is the best part" (Speak, 196). The quote shows Melinda' s tree symbolizes her change of personality as the story goes. In comparison to the novel, "Twisted", Tyler explaining his game, Tophet, and his demon, Gormley, "Gormley grew stronger exponentially, and I scored an obscene amount of spellpoints and kills. By dinnertime, I had finally made it: Level One............ I won. I beat the game" (Twisted, 249). The game, Tophet was Hell. The objective of the game was to make Gormley powerful and survive the sixty- six Levels of Torment. Symbolizing, that Tyler is going through trials and tribulations to become a better person.

For the purpose of the author using imagery was to let the characters visualize that their were becoming a different person, they didn't want to be.

In the novel, Twisted", Tyler looks in the mirror after trying to commit suicide and says, " I didn't fit. I was a different size, a different shape. I kept trying to squeeze into a body, a skin suit, that was too small. It rubbed me the wrong way. I blistered. I calluses. I scarred over and it kept hurting" (Twisted, 212). The quote shows Tyler was not himself, and wasn't comfortable with being someone different. In comparison to the novel, "Speak", Melinda sketching her tree and is illustrating, "I sketch a Cubist tree with hundreds of skinny rectangles for branches. They look like lockers, boxes, glass shards, lips with triangle brown leaves" (Speak, 119). This quote shows Melinda drawing her troubled surroundings and appearance into the

tree.

Moving forward, the author uses personification in both novels to show the readers how the main characters represent themselves or others as an animal.

In the novel, "Speak", Melinda compared herself as a rabbit, when seeing Andy Evans (the anaogist) and thinks, " Maybe he won't notice me if I stand still. That's how rabbits survive; they freeze in the presence of predators.......... BunnyRabbit bolts, leaving fast tracks in the snow" (Speak, 97). This quote shows Melinda representing herself as a rabbit, because she fear Andy, and thinks of him as a predator. Equally to the novel, " Twisted", when Tyler compares his dad to a dragon and says, " Dad snapped the curtains shut. He stood in the middle of the lemon-yellow carpet, opened his jaws, and sprayed fire everywhere. I was a loser, a liar, a jerk, an idiot, a disgrace, and an embarrassment............ I tuned out again. He kept at it for another or so flapping his wings and tearing at the sky with his talons" (Twisted, 150). The author compares Tyler's father to a dragon to inform the reader his angry at Tyler's

actions.

As has been noted, Anderson uses figurative language to craft the theme of facing obstacles to become a better person, and speaking out a terrible fear. Melinda and Tyler shows the suffrage of being a teen when life is difficult. Going through the process, Melinda and Tyler shows perseverance, bravery, suffrage, and love.