Speak Laurie Halse Anderson Character Analysis

While discussing the idea of one’s personality, Malala Yousafzai stated, “It is very important to know who you are. To make decisions. To show who you are.” Speak, by Laurie Halse Anderson is a novel about finding who one really is. The focus is on the life of a freshman girl named Melinda who has been through some very tough and scarring situations. She was raped by Andy Evans at a party with her friends that had no idea what had happened. She was scared and had no other choice in mind than to call the cops. The party was busted and it was completely her fault. From that point on, everyone viewed herself as an outcast and a nobody. Andy Evans became such a issue that she couldn't even see him as a person. IT was the correct name for him, he ruined her reputation. She was left out and forgotten. She barely even knew who she was. Trying to build back her life, she met new people and made new friends. She met a new girl named Heather and they became good friends. Eventually she joined a new group of people and left Melinda behind. No matter how hard she tried, she could never escape IT. The humiliation followed her. IT would never leave her unless she did something about it. Although there are …show more content…
Ever since the incident at the party, she has become less motivated and eager. Nothing interested her anymore because she felt as if she was not loved. She kept getting more distant from her friends and her family. Even the friends that she had were taking notice. Heather let her thoughts of Melinda go and said to her; “You don't like anything. You are the most depressed person I've ever met, and excuse me for saying this, but you are no fun to be around and I think you need professional help”(105). This shows us that Melinda is not as outgoing as she used to be. She doesn’t take passion in the things that she did before what happened. The depression has taken over the way she lives her