Speak Essay “IT happened” There’s no avoiding, no forgetting. No running away, or flying, or burying, or hiding. It wasn’t my fault. He hurt me. It wasn’t my fault, though. And I’m not going to let it kill me. I can grow” (Anderson 1998). This is the realization Melinda- a freshman girl who chooses to be selectively mute after being raped- makes in the novel Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson, which follows Melinda’s narration after she was attacked. A significant part of Melinda’s character is her sudden refusal to speak after she was assaulted, but her character develops and she starts to communicate. Melinda’s reinvention contributes to the novel’s message of the importance of communication for two major reasons: her silence leads to confusion
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You are just so weird sometimes.’ (...) I know what she’s thinking. She has a choice: She can hang out with me and get the reputation of being a creepy weirdo who might show up with a gun someday, or she can be a Martha--” (Anderson 106). This scene builds up the idea of people’s perception of Melinda and the repetitive story of how she’s weird. Melinda’s friend, Heather, is cutting her off in this scene, in which Melinda describes the feeling of being broken up with. The idea that Melinda compares this to something like a romantic relationship highlights the fact that Melinda is a complex character who is often misunderstood by those around her and describes her only friendship to be as strong as a relationship to her. In addition, Melinda’s silence makes her feel powerless, which is a further reason why her reinvention is important to the message of communication. This powerlessness is described when Melinda attends a school assembly and is immediately met with overwhelming feelings and interactions which leads to this moment, “Don’t say anything”. Breathe. The crowd stomps the bleachers and roars
You are just so weird sometimes.’ (...) I know what she’s thinking. She has a choice: She can hang out with me and get the reputation of being a creepy weirdo who might show up with a gun someday, or she can be a Martha--” (Anderson 106). This scene builds up the idea of people’s perception of Melinda and the repetitive story of how she’s weird. Melinda’s friend, Heather, is cutting her off in this scene, in which Melinda describes the feeling of being broken up with. The idea that Melinda compares this to something like a romantic relationship highlights the fact that Melinda is a complex character who is often misunderstood by those around her and describes her only friendship to be as strong as a relationship to her. In addition, Melinda’s silence makes her feel powerless, which is a further reason why her reinvention is important to the message of communication. This powerlessness is described when Melinda attends a school assembly and is immediately met with overwhelming feelings and interactions which leads to this moment, “Don’t say anything”. Breathe. The crowd stomps the bleachers and roars