In the novel Speak, Laurie Halse Anderson, utilizes Melinda’s non-verbal communication, to convey the significance of Melinda’s isolated emotions that are damaging her relationships. Primarily, Anderson writes that Melinda is finding different ways to come across her point of hopelessness and despair, little does she know she is falling into a deeper hole by slowly losing the people around her. Correspondingly, Melinda’s sorrowful state of mind is leading Melinda to fall right back where she started, causing her to stay out of the social scene. Likewise, Melinda is letting her loneliness and depression influence her decisions whether to put herself into a certain situation or just watch. In conclusion, it’s clear that Melinda’s non-verbal communication is only damaging her relationships and her isolated feelings
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On page 72, Anderson retorts, “They wait with unsure smiles. The snowball grows larger.” Melinda is avoiding the task of using her words to get across her message, which is only hurting her more and more as the book proceeds. Melinda needs positive reinforcement, but she can’t establish this without saying how she feels, hence the snowball growing larger. On page 87, Anderson says, “I open up a paper clip and scratch it across the inside of my left wrist. Pitiful. If a suicide attempt is a cry for help..” The silence around her is building up causing more problems for her and the people in her life. On page 33, it states, “How can I talk to them about that night? How can I start?” Melinda’s thinking of the possibility of reaching out to them but doesn’t fully commit. This leads to more confusion now by her not telling her parents what happened. Melinda’s different ways of showing her despair and hopelessness have failed at first, and her isolated feelings continue to
On page 72, Anderson retorts, “They wait with unsure smiles. The snowball grows larger.” Melinda is avoiding the task of using her words to get across her message, which is only hurting her more and more as the book proceeds. Melinda needs positive reinforcement, but she can’t establish this without saying how she feels, hence the snowball growing larger. On page 87, Anderson says, “I open up a paper clip and scratch it across the inside of my left wrist. Pitiful. If a suicide attempt is a cry for help..” The silence around her is building up causing more problems for her and the people in her life. On page 33, it states, “How can I talk to them about that night? How can I start?” Melinda’s thinking of the possibility of reaching out to them but doesn’t fully commit. This leads to more confusion now by her not telling her parents what happened. Melinda’s different ways of showing her despair and hopelessness have failed at first, and her isolated feelings continue to