Only rape victims can understand the horrors of being sexually assaulted. Melinda Sordino, the protagonist of the novel, Speak, narrates the story in which she is sexually assaulted at the beginning of ninth grade by a boy named Andy Evans. Melinda is lost, confused, and depressed trying to overcome her trauma, while her classmates bully her for calling the cops on a party. Additionally, her parents and teachers consider Melinda a disappointment because of her actions in school and inability to express herself. Because of her trauma and failure to tell anyone about what happened, Melinda develops a severe depression causing her to lose the ability to speak. Consequently, throughout the school year, Melinda starts to grow inside as she learns
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Even though Melinda is handling her trauma in a mature way, she still feels lost because she still continues to hide her emotions. Melinda describes the tree as a lifeless tree. She says, “I wish Mr. Freeman would put a tree in his masterpiece. I can’t figure it out how making it look real…There is a tree in front my house that looks just like it. Nonetheless, when I try to crave it, it looks like a dead tree…I can’t bring it back to life. (Anderson, L, p.78). Melinda is describing herself as empty inside and lifeless, although she might technically be alive. She has given up hope for herself to be healed. However, overtime Melinda was encouraged to begin speaking again. Reflecting on her actions Melinda said “It happened. There is no avoiding it, no forgetting. No running away, or flying, or burying, or hiding. Andy Evans raped me in August when I was drunk and too young to know what was happening. It wasn't my fault. He hurt me. It wasn't my fault. And I am not going to let it kill me. I can grow” (Anderson, L. 1999. p.198). This is a meaningful quote because it shows the maturity of Melinda and how motivated she is to fight her trauma and make her suffering stop. Melinda is determined to move on with her life, and begin to heal. Consequently, the tree had improved, but it still continues to miss emotions, feeling, and
Even though Melinda is handling her trauma in a mature way, she still feels lost because she still continues to hide her emotions. Melinda describes the tree as a lifeless tree. She says, “I wish Mr. Freeman would put a tree in his masterpiece. I can’t figure it out how making it look real…There is a tree in front my house that looks just like it. Nonetheless, when I try to crave it, it looks like a dead tree…I can’t bring it back to life. (Anderson, L, p.78). Melinda is describing herself as empty inside and lifeless, although she might technically be alive. She has given up hope for herself to be healed. However, overtime Melinda was encouraged to begin speaking again. Reflecting on her actions Melinda said “It happened. There is no avoiding it, no forgetting. No running away, or flying, or burying, or hiding. Andy Evans raped me in August when I was drunk and too young to know what was happening. It wasn't my fault. He hurt me. It wasn't my fault. And I am not going to let it kill me. I can grow” (Anderson, L. 1999. p.198). This is a meaningful quote because it shows the maturity of Melinda and how motivated she is to fight her trauma and make her suffering stop. Melinda is determined to move on with her life, and begin to heal. Consequently, the tree had improved, but it still continues to miss emotions, feeling, and