The Power Of Words In Laurie Halse Anderson's Speak

The idea that high school is one of the best times of life is constantly stated. Parties, friends, and endless days of fun is the American stereotype. These dreams dissipate, though, if you start freshman year with a record of zero friends. In the young adolescent novel titled Speak, written by Laurie Halse Anderson, the reader encounters the feeling to lack the most powerful tool ever given to you: the tool of words. Melinda’s predicament commences after an end of summer senior party, where she cruelly got raped. Rather than sharing her pain with the world, and achieving justice, she chose to keep her secret locked up, as she did not know how to reveal it. Speaking out would have dramatically changed her life for the better. The main theme

People have the potential to combat the opposition with words, and when Melinda was silenced, she was unable to take a stand, letting herself be abused. The first time the character allows herself to be bullied by her innocence is in the cafeteria with a teacher; mash potatoes pounded her, and when she tried to run out to clean her shirt, she was hindered by her teacher. As written on page 9, “It is easier not to say anything. Shut your trap, button your lip, can it. [...] Nobody really wants to hear what you have to say.” This quote shows how Melinda chooses not to retaliate, as she is reluctant of facing Mr. Neck, the teacher on lunch duty. Her dirty shirt is sported the rest of the day and she is thoroughly embarrassed. It would have been far more beneficial to speak back to her teacher, to stand up, and tell him her side of the story. Furthermore, Melinda could have kept her reputation with her teacher, if she had tried to explain herself. Speaking out is important, and Melinda did not complain owing to the fact she did not have the courage to utilise her voice. Later in the book, Melinda again is faced with situations in which she was the weaker person who was manipulated; this time, though, Melinda spoke out, and it made all the difference in the world. “I'm on a roll. I'm rocking. I don't know what it is; standing up to Heather…. The time has come to arm-wrestle some demons. Too much sun after a Syracuse

Melinda had several times through the year where if she had asked for help, her life would have drastically improved. An instant of such is near the beginning of the school year, where Melinda notices her friend Rachel in the bathroom. On page 21 the text reads, “I want to grab her by the neck and shake her and scream at her to stop treating me like dirt. She didn't even bother to find out the truth—what kind of friend is that?” No matter the attitude of Rachel, Melinda did not bother to communicate with Rachel, which prevented her from learning about what actually happened. If Melinda had spoken, she would have gained necessary emotional help from her friend, and it would have infinitely improved her condition during her freshman year. Melinda did not understand the power of words, until she could not speak. Luckily, after a few negative incidents throughout her freshman year, Melinda finds the courage to speak out and ask others if they can relate to her traumatic occurrence, her rape at the party. She scribbles a note in the bathroom stall, writing, “Guys to Stay Away From”, then proceeded to write Andy Evans name. And though this method was anonymous, it helped her find those that also stayed silent. “There's more. Different pens, different handwriting, conversations between some writers, arrows to longer paragraphs. It's better than taking out a billboard. I feel