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
Shreya Shirodkar Ms. Lane American Literature January 17, 2014 Laurie Halse Anderson: Changing the Scope of Young Adult Fiction How do you write about the major, live-changing events of people you've never met? How do you write about sensitive issues in an engaging, but still thought-provoking way? How do you write about your own demons so that others do not follow your path? Writer Laurie Halse Anderson could provide the answers to these questions. Written at a time when difficult topics, such
What if you were raped and nobody knew about it? In the book Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson, Melinda was raped and she didn’t tell anyone. Before school started Melinda was at a party and she was drunk. She was raped in the woods that night by an older senior , Andy Evans. She called the police and she was blamed for calling the police on the party but, its because she never told anyone she was raped. Through many different events and people Melinda changes from being shy to feeling confident. I
Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson Speak, by Laurie Halse Anderson, is a story written in the first person about a young girl named Melinda Sordino. The title of the book, Speak, is ironically based on the fact that Melinda chooses not to speak. The book is written in the form of a monologue in the mind of Melinda, a teenage introvert. This story depicts the story of a very miserable freshman year of high school. Although there are several people in her high school, Melinda secludes herself from them
Chains, by Laurie Halse Anderson, is about a girl named Isabel and her younger sister Ruth who are both slaves during the revolutionary war. When their former owner Miss Mary Finch passes away her will she states to free both Isabel and Ruth, and they are ready to claim their freedom. Sadly the lawyer, who wrote the will, Mr. Cornell, left for Boston before the blockade and took his papers with him. Since they have no proof in being free, Miss Finche’s awful nephew sells the two to the Lockton
Speak is a cleaver and an ironic title for a story in which the main character chooses not to speak. The story is written in first-person narration from the point of view of protagonist, Melinda Sordino. Speak is written like an interior monologue in the mind of an introverted teenage girl, like excerpts from her personal diary during her miserable freshman year of high school. Instead of blending in and finding her way through high school. She withdraws and secludes herself from the other students
At any one point in time life could take a twist, and the only way out of the hard times life goes afterwards; is by asking for help, which takes courage. The book “Speak” written by Laurie Halse Anderson, follows the High School life of Melinda Soreno, and she is struggling with showing courage. Her life is perfect until one late night party, and now she keeps a secret inside of her that she needs to get out. Courage can be admitting to something you’ve done, or call someone for help; it could
In the book Speak written by Laurie Halse Anderson the main character, Melinda, faces a serious problem. She went to a party over summer where there was underage drinking going on, she called the cops. The classmates of hers got mad at her and she lost all her friends even though they didn't know the reason she really called the cops. Her problems are caused caused by two major conflicts, Man vs Self, and Man vs Man. Man vs Man is a conflict because she was raped at the party, we don't find this
The novel Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson is about the struggles of being sexually assaulted, and the daily tests of being in highschool. The main character, Melinda has a hard time with being alone, and not wanting to tell her story. Coming towards the end of the book Melinda faces her biggest fear and learns to express herself through art, specifically through the form of a tree. Throughout the novel, the tree is used to symbolize emotions, growth, and flaws in relation to how Melinda developes
among all human beings, regardless of race, color or religion. This day has been recognized in several countries and is used today. Friendship is established on loyalty and being there for your friend in their time of need. In Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson, the protagonist, Isabel, created several relationships with other characters that were constructed on loyalty. Lady Seymour and Isabel’s relationship is assembled on both of them being there for each other. An example of loyalty in their friendship
Speak, is a novel written by Laurie Halse Anderson, about a girl entering high school, for the first time, with a heavy secret weighting on her. Melinda Sordino begins freshman year at Merryweather High School, being a complete different person. Over the summer, Melinda and her friends went to a senior party, where Melinda ended calling the police. This caused her friends and the people at the party to socially reject her, even though they didn’t knew that before the phone call, Andy Evans raped
forms of hero’s. You can’t tell someone that they are not a hero just because they don’t change into a disguise in a telephone both or can throw lightning bolts from a cloud. Everyone is a hero in their own way. In the book Twisted by Laurie Halse Anderson, Tyler Miller is about to be a senior in high school. He has been doing community service all summer for the mistake he committed by spray painting his school walls. He has to go home to a sister, Hannah, who is going to be a freshman, a mother
in these dirty little goddam cliques. The guys that are on the basketball team stick together, the Catholics stick together, [...]” (Salinger, 170) and again in Melinda’s quote, “We fall into clans: Jocks, Country Clubbers, [...] I am clanless” (Anderson, 14). Their statements are so similar that there is no doubt they are being tortured with the same feelings of loneliness from being isolated. The two characters are alienated for the same reasons: they both do not know how to properly function within
Everyone has faced rough patches with their emotions. Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson contains many relatable themes and does not shy away from discussing the difficult subjects. This story details the side effects of sexual assault on high school freshman Melinda Sordino. This book can touch many young readers, no matter their situation. Despite its heavy themes, it does a fantastic job of addressing sexual assault and rape. This novel has relatable themes about broader topics that can be applied
more impossible. To capture all of the mood changes, hardships and comments a teenager thinks in their head is a daunting task. Often that is why I find realistic fiction dull and boring because the author is not able to do that. However, Laurie Halse Anderson crafted her work in a way that she almost took thoughts from my mind and put them into her writing. I was captivated by the way she wrote her stories and used witty comments as well as sensitivity. I think many readers would agree with me on this
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
this. Melinda. [She smiles. Audience shudders] We’re not asking for much, dear. We just want you to do your best. And we know your best is much better than this. You tested so well, dear. Look at me when I talk to you.’” Speak, Laurie Halse Anderson In both Laurie Halse Anderson’s Speak and in our daily lives, authority is a major factor. Authority, the right to give orders or enforce obedience, is used nearly daily in classrooms, homes, and even jobs. The
Speak, by Laurie Halse Anderson, is first-person narrative about overcoming our habits and misfortunes. It takes place at Merryweather High over the course of a year. The main character, Melinda, is a fourteen year-old, who is just starting high school. She is introduced, at first, as someone who doesn’t speak to anyone, almost, at all. All the other people in the high school seem to detest her. They say hateful things to her and throw objects at her. She seems not bothered by any of this. She is
pouted, seeing that we had to get yet another book to read. As we walk to the library in an unorderly and boisterous way, I ponder on what book we would be getting. We walk into the library and get out new books. It was titled, Speak, by Laurie Halse Anderson. We go back to class and Ms. Reid starts reading us the book but also expects us to read it
Laurie Halse Anderson has written for all ages, but her most popular books are those written for young adults. These books include Speak, Catalyst, Prom, and Wintergirls. A common trait found in all of these books is her spectacular use of characterization. Some reviewers have criticized Catalyst and Fever 1793 for weaknesses in characterization and plotting but all of Laurie Halse Anderson's books remain highly popular with young readers, who identify with Anderson's honest portrayal of adolescence