If you ask any woman on the planet, they have likely experienced sexism--it could be objectification, assault, or harassment. Melinda Sordino is no exception. The narrative, Speak, written by Laurie Halse Anderson, follows Melinda through her first year of high school after being raped the summer previous. Exploring topics such as sexual assault, everyday sexism, relationships between women, and the lack of power given to women, Speak is a text that defines and highlights the experiences of women in the face of such obstacles. Through a critical feminist approach, the prose epitomizes the negative effects of patriarchy upon girls and women. As stated above, one facet of the patriarchy’s effects are objectification, and how girls judge other
