Speak, by Laurie Halse Anderson, is a fiction novel about the struggle of speaking up about a problem. The author takes us through the struggles of Melinda Sordino’s freshman year. Before Melinda’s freshman year of high school she and a group of friends went to a party full of seniors, and beer. It was at this party where Melinda got raped by Andy Evens, called the cops, and became an outcast. Keeping to herself about the rape Melinda struggles to survive the drama of freshman year.
Melinda often found herself trying to ignore or hide from her problem because she was scared of the positional harm that it could cause when confronting it. “IT is my worst nightmare and I can’t wake up. (Anderson 45)” IT, referring to Andy Evens, makes Melinda scared constantly because of the pain that it has caused her. “Little flecks of metal slice through my veins. IT whispers to me ‘Fresh meat.’ That’s what IT whispers. IT found me again. I thought I could ignore it. (Anderson 86)” When IT is around Melinda she finds herself …show more content…
“I start another subject thread on the wall: Guys to Stay Away From. The first entry is the beast himself: Andy Evens. (Anderson 175)” Even though Melinda haven’t said verbally expressed that she was raped she finally realizes that holding the stress of being raped in isn’t good, and by writing that people should stay away from Andy lets other positional victims of Andy’s know that he’s a horrible person and helps get some weight off her shoulders. “You’ve been thorough a lot, haven’t you?’ The tears dissolve the last block of ice in my throat. I feel the frozen stillness melt down through the inside of me, dripping shards of ice that vanish in a puddle of sunlight on the stained floor. Words float up. ‘Let me tell you about it” In the end Melinda finally confronts the problem knowing that by telling someone and getting help that things would get
Melinda often found herself trying to ignore or hide from her problem because she was scared of the positional harm that it could cause when confronting it. “IT is my worst nightmare and I can’t wake up. (Anderson 45)” IT, referring to Andy Evens, makes Melinda scared constantly because of the pain that it has caused her. “Little flecks of metal slice through my veins. IT whispers to me ‘Fresh meat.’ That’s what IT whispers. IT found me again. I thought I could ignore it. (Anderson 86)” When IT is around Melinda she finds herself …show more content…
“I start another subject thread on the wall: Guys to Stay Away From. The first entry is the beast himself: Andy Evens. (Anderson 175)” Even though Melinda haven’t said verbally expressed that she was raped she finally realizes that holding the stress of being raped in isn’t good, and by writing that people should stay away from Andy lets other positional victims of Andy’s know that he’s a horrible person and helps get some weight off her shoulders. “You’ve been thorough a lot, haven’t you?’ The tears dissolve the last block of ice in my throat. I feel the frozen stillness melt down through the inside of me, dripping shards of ice that vanish in a puddle of sunlight on the stained floor. Words float up. ‘Let me tell you about it” In the end Melinda finally confronts the problem knowing that by telling someone and getting help that things would get