Laurie Halse Anderson’s Speak is a novel about high school life that will resonate with many readers.
The story follows Melinda, a freshman who is raped at a party and then ostracized by her classmates. She becomes withdrawn and stops speaking. As the novel progresses, we see Melinda slowly start to heal and find her voice again.
This is an important book that tackles tough subjects like sexual assault and bullying. It’s a powerful story about finding the strength to speak up and be heard.
I just finished reading Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson. Melinda, a high-schooler, is ostracized by everyone, even her former friends, at the start of her freshman year. She’s upset because she called the cops to break up a party over the summer and now she’s the school pariah. But something far more awful happened to her at that party than anyone knows, leaving her almost voiceless. As a result, during Melinda’s freshman year in this novel, she attempts to reclaim her voice.
I really enjoyed this book. I thought it was a powerful story about rape and its aftermath, told from the perspective of a victim. It’s also a story about high school and all the social pressures that come with it. Laurie Halse Anderson did a great job of depicting the cruelty of high schoolers and how they can make someone’s life miserable. But she also showed how, despite everything, there is hope and people can move on from what happened to them.
I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a good read. It’s definitely worth checking out.
Melinda becomes more and more isolated as the story goes on. She almost never speaks, only when she absolutely has to. The school year is coming to an end, and it looks like Melinda will make it without having to tell anyone what happened. But then, something happens that forces her to speak up.
I really liked this book because it was a quick read and I could easily relate to Melinda. I think a lot of people can relate to her because she’s going through such a tough time in high school. This book deals with some heavy topics, but it’s written in a way that’s easy to understand. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who’s looking for a good read.
She retreats into herself, withdrawing from school, her family, and any prospect of companionship. Melinda called the cops to the party since she was raped. She becomes completely cut off and eventually mute. Melinda’s emotional wounds caused by her assault cause her to skip class, acquire passes illegally, and self-harm. Except for one of her instructors, few people attempt to pull her out of the shell.
Melinda starts to open up more when she starts her art class. She meets a girl named Heather and they become friends. Melinda even starts to talk more in class. When the end-of-the-year Art show comes, Melinda’s piece is by far the best in the show. She calls it “Tree of Life”, which shows how she has grown through the year. The book concludes with Melinda finally telling someone what really happened to her that night at the party.
This book was incredibly powerful and eye-opening. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who wants to learn more about the effects of sexual assault and rape, especially on young girls. It is important for everyone to be aware of the signs of sexual assault and rape, so that we can help prevent it from happening to anyone else.
Some people don’t speak up or participate in class for different reasons. For example, some might not because it’s part of their introverted personality to keep everything inside and not say anything to anyone. I used to think that the only reason people didn’t talk was because they had the same problem as me, but then I realized there could be several explainations for why someone would isolate themselves.
Laurie Halse Anderson’s Speak is a novel about a high school girl, Melinda, who was raped by a senior student at her end-of-the-summer party. She calls the police, but when they arrive, she does not tell them what happened. The summer ends and school starts back up again. Because she does not want to speak of what happened, Melinda becomes an outcast.
The book focuses on how people can be affected by something so traumatizing and how it changes their whole perspective of the world around them. It also touches on how one person can help another heal simply by being there for them and listening to them. I think that this book is important because it shows how rape can not only affect the victim, but also the people around them.
I would recommend this book to people who are interested in a novel that deals with tough topics such as rape and its aftermath. This book is not for everyone, but I think it is an important story that needs to be told.
For individuals who are afraid to talk, one of the reasons may be similar to Melinda’s: someone might have experienced a traumatic experience that has left them too stunned or terrified to talk. People also refrain from speaking up due to the fear that no one would listen to them. This attitude is quite prevalent among those whose parents ignore them.
Melinda’s parents completely ignore her, which makes Melinda feel very ignored by the world. A lot of people also don’t speak up because they are embarrassed or ashamed of what they have to say. This was a big problem for Melinda, she was so embarrassed about what happened to her at the party that she couldn’t even tell anyone, not even her best friend Rachel.
Laurie Halse Anderson wrote the novel “Speak” about a high school girl named Melinda who is raped at a party and then struggles to cope with the aftermath. The novel addresses the issue of why victims of sexual assault often do not speak up about what happened to them.
There are many reasons why victims of sexual assault do not speak up. One reason is that they are often too shocked or afraid to tell anyone what happened. Another reason is that they may feel that no one will believe them or take them seriously. Victims may also be embarrassed or ashamed of what happened to them, and so they keep it to themselves.
“Speak” is an important novel because it raises awareness of the issue of sexual assault and encourages victims to speak up about what happened to them. It is also a reminder that we need to believe and support those who do come forward with their stories.
