...Speak Personal Response Speak shows that the author, Laurie Halse Anderson, understands and remembers the crude emotions and unrest that makes up a teen’s world. This happens to be the most realistic fiction story on the battles of adolescence and harassment. Melinda does not turn into a racist activist Wonder Woman (even though she might when she is older) portrayed in some movies and her recovery is not sugar coated, it describes the true struggles. Even though this novel is based on sexual harassment it also focuses on the thoughts and feelings of a victim of the cruelties in high school. Rape and harassment are not issues I have dealt with but the shunning by friends, weird teachers, and oblivious teachers are problems that I and many others can relate to. For instance, the description of the Sordino family’s communication system on page 14 depicts how some teens get cut of from communication with their parents. The author of Speak portrays high school to be truly what it really is. “I am clanless.”(4) Melinda thinks just what practically all teens think. I am part of no clan; I don’t think FFCA has clans but you still fell “uncool” or not popular. Melinda also talks a lot about how no one cares what you have to say and in reality, that is the comprehension countless teens have about adults. Laurie Halse Anderson did a dead-on illustration of a ninth graders’ day to day life in the dog eat weaker dog world we call high school. Creativity and symbolism in writing are...
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...It's not hard to speak; between rumors and confessions, words spill from our lips all the time. After all, we all naturally enjoy verbalizing our thoughts and being listened to. Those who are unable, or unwilling, to gain such attention always have a reason. Usually, these individuals are the ones who have something important to share. Melinda Sordino - the main character of Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson - is the epitome of such a character, she had several reasons to be silent. Melinda took nearly a year to speak out because she was surrounded by people who wanted to speak more than listen. For her, every reason became another wall, blocking and limiting her capability to speak. The start of Melinda's degeneration into utter mental and physical seclusion was the scarring event that took place at a party over summer. It was then she unwillingly experienced her first sexual encounter with senior Andy Evans. From the first protest to the last (verbal or otherwise), Melinda's voice was not heard, not listened to, and not heeded. Consequently, when she called the police, the teen couldn't say that she had been raped before the voice on the other line made the decision to send aid. Police rushed in to find a rowdy crowd of partying teens with alcohol. The party attendees and her friends were quick to make a cursory assessment and a superficial inquiry of the truth before promptly labeling her as the Squealer. Subconsciously known or quietly acknowledged, a prison began to build...
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...Television, the popular successor to radio and newspapers. Today television shows are used as a form of entertainment. The shows range in genre from comedy to hard hitting dramas, and production of the show must go through many stages until it is finally released to the public. The genre and extensive production effort is all in place to explain the events that are conveyed through this storytelling medium. Much like television shows, novels come with different stories to tell the audience. Filmmakers use props, lighting, and facial expressions, while authors use symbolism to convey subliminal messages. One of many novels that uses symbolism effectively is Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson Throughout the novel, Anderson employs symbolism using...
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...Imagine a high schooler has everyone against them, but they haven’t done anything wrong. Deep inside they’re burning. Their best friend is now their worst enemy. Their parents don't even take time out of their day to ask them how they’re doing. All the teachers, always harassing them. The counselor tells them that they need help, but never taking the next steps of actually helping the student themselves. They have a secret sunk deep into their heart and mind. They have been raped by their ex-best friends new senior-boyfriend. Why bother even saying anything, no one will listen anyways. In the book Speak by author Laurie Halse Anderson, Melinda Sordino goes through exactly this. She experiences many turning points along her eventful 9th grade...
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...hair the wrong clothes the wrong attitude. And I don't have anyone to sit with” (pg.4) “Speak” by Laurie Halse Anderson is about Melinda who is the main character in the book . The quote above mentioned that Melinda started school on the wrong foot and that was because she was sexually assaulted at a party. She did call the cops which was the right thing to do, but now everybody is mad at her. It is all because of Andy Evens it wasn't even her fault. First, Melinda starts High School as a freshmen with no friends. A group of people were laughing at her when she didn't do anything. Mels ex best friend Rachel was the reason why the group was making fun of her. “I turn around. Its Rachel surrounded by a bunch of kids” (pg.4) Rachel is really mean to Mellie and nobody knows why she called the cops, and she is too shy to talk about it or tell anyone. Melinda when she comes to the cafeteria for lunch she always runs out at lunch because she has nowhere else to go. That has a big effect on Melinda because she is so lonely and wishes she wishes she had just one friend. There is a girl who follows Mel around, and she doesn't really like her that much because she talks too much. “Heather from Ohio sits with me lunch” “She can talk for...
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...Lost One’s Weeping Turned to a Found One’s Smile “When people don't express themselves, they die one piece at a time.”- Laurie Halse Anderson, Speak. This statement is especially true for Melinda in Speak, because the longer she keeps her past to herself, the more she destroys herself. Her problem roots from her trust issues, and while in good reason, it clearly blocks her progress in moving on. Melinda is a girl of few words, but she does try to communicate through her art, body language or posture, and speech, even if it is rare. One of the first methods Melinda used to express her thoughts and feelings to other people was through her art. This method was considered ‘safe’ for Melinda because she didn’t have to spell anything out to anyone, so anyone could interpret it they way they saw her art. That...
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...Literary Analysis: Speak Imagine not having a voice to speak out for yourself, your thoughts, and your opinions. In the book “Speak” by Laurie Halse Anderson, the main character Melinda tries to do what she believes is the right thing for herself, but eventually looses everything that's important to her all because she spoke out. Though her high school experience wasn't the best, the one thing that was valuable is the fact she found a voice to speak out about what happened to her. Though it may seem impossible to do, try your very hardest to find that voice, speak out for yourself. The author of “Speak”, Laurie Halse Anderson, was born on October 23rd, 1961 in Potsdam New York. She is most know for young adult and children's novels. Laurie’s...
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...Nicholas Black Elk’s text Black Elk Speaks was an account transcribed in 1932 about his prophetic vision as an Olgala Lakota in 1883 in which it was revealed that he was the redeemer of his people. One major theme that runs through the text is how animals function as symbols in the Lakota religion. Indeed, the constant power given by animals in the text is symbolic of the Lakota’s religious outlook that all life is fundamental interconnected between human beings and animals. Religions have their own perspective on the connection between human being and animals, or the power that animals might transmit in a religion. In the text Black Elk Speak by Nicholas Black, the fuction of animals is primary with each step that Black Elk takes throughout...
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...Written in a time when many were unware of the turmoil, Black Elk Speaks, introduces us to an amazing gentleman named Black Elk. Transported into a time when Native Americans were hunted, tracked, and murdered in the pursuit of land, gold and pure human greed. The Lakota Indians were a peaceful tribe that wanted to live among their people and culture in their own country and be content. At the beginning of the book, we are introduced to Black Elk as a young boy. At this time Black Elk falls very ill and has a great vision. This vision plays a huge part in Black Elks life and in the Lakota culture. We learn through Black Elk that he continues to have visions and he is blessed him with many gifts and that he was able to use to help himself and people. Black Elk was around 5 years old when he had his first vision and heard the voices, but it was not until the age of 9 that he really began to understand the visions....
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...In Speak, by Laurie Halse Anderson, the protagonist, Melinda Sordino, is struggling with depression. She attends a party with her friends and upperclassmen before the start of freshman year. Melinda, wrapped in the thrill of her first party, drinks three beers and is asked by Andy Evans for a dance. She agreed, flattered that a senior would ask her for such a thing. However, he abuses Melinda’s intoxicated state and aggressively rapes her. Terrified and confused, she quickly calls the cops, though finds herself unable to speak. The other kids realize she’s calling the police, who arrest several of the partiers once they arrive. Abandoned by all her friends, Melinda starts school with the bad reputation of a “tattler”. Anderson uses symbolism...
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...struggles to feel accepted in their society, and each member struggles with an emotional journey of growing up. In the Outsiders by S.E Hinton and I quote, "If you can picture a little dark puppy that had been kicked too many times and is lost in a crowd of strangers, you'll have Johnny." (S.E Hinton, 49.) Johnny is the youngest member of the gang, also known as the most vulnerable. After he was abused by his parents and the socs, he began to become afraid of everything and everyone and shut the world out. This connects back to Holden’s isolation and how a traumatic event can affect your daily life. The book Speak as well is another example of isolation. Melinda Sordino is just attending a new school and is at a party and decides to call the cops, people get very upset with her actions at the party and she is left as a lonely outcast. Laurie Halse Anderson writes in Speak, “My room belongs to an alien. It is a postcard of who I was in the fifth grade. It is a demented phase when I thought that roses should cover everything and pink was a great color.” (Laurie Halse Anderson, 9). Melinda is now an outcast retracing her old memory. She recalls the innocence in the color pink and the roses representing promises, hope, and love. Pondering, Melinda remembers how vulnerable she used to be. All of these characters have something in common. Each has had a traumatic event in their lives, while that being abused, death of loved ones, and even raped. The traumatic events in individuals...
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...Wahlberg Grade 10 Period 7 CP 11 March 2013 A Silent Outcast's Dark Secret The novel "Speak" written by Laurie Halse Anderson is a story known to most teens. Laurie Halse Anderson did a great job of interpreting many modern struggles most teens may face today. Not every teen is enjoying their high school experience or may have it as easy as their peers do. Freshman Melinda Sordino did not have her ninth grade year go as planned for her. Her story is told in this book. This is a powerful novel that is great for opening discussions and shining awareness on topics such as violence, sex, language, drinking, drugs and smoking. "Speak" tells the story of 13 year old Melinda Sordino, who has a rough first year of high school. The previous summer, Melinda busted a party by calling the cops. No one understood why she did so, and this one act of hers is what made her an outcast her freshman year. It was made known what she had done that night and people weren't easy on her for this. With her friends not talking to her and the constant judgment of those around her who didn't even know her, this caused Melinda unbelievable stress. Melinda, now a mute and friendless, only found comfort in herself but she could never remain eased for too long because there was something else that happened that night that was causing her nonstop stress. She couldn't find the voice to speak about what had happened to her, and she didn't have anyone she could talk about it to anyway. The characters...
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...Psychological and Social factors that urges students spread gossip/rumors We should distinguish between rumor and gossip, as each appears to function differently in its pure state. Rumors have been described as public communications that are infused with private hypotheses about how the world works (Rosnow, 1991), or more specifically, ways of making sense to help us cope with our anxieties and uncertainties (Rosnow, 1988, 2001). On the other hand, as Wert and Salovey (2004b) noted, "almost as many functions of gossip have been argued as writers to write about gossip" (p. 77). More than rumor, gossip tends to have an "inner-circleness" about it, in that it is customarily passed between people who have a common history or shared interests. Popular usage defines gossip as "small talk" or "idle talk," but gossip is hardly inconsequential or without purpose (e.g., Gluckman, 1963; Goodman & Ben-Ze'ev, 1994; Rosnow & Georgoudi, 1985; Sabini & Silver, 1982; Spitzberg & Cupach, 1998). For example, it has been theorized that gossip played a fundamental role in the evolution of human intelligence and social life (Dunbar, 2004; Davis & McLeod, 2003) and that it continues to play an active role in cultural learning (Baumeister, Zhang, & Vohs, 2004) and as a source of social comparison information (Suls, 1977; Wert & Salovey, 2004a). To be sure, it is often noted that rumor and gossip can also be undeniably aversive and problematic-currently illustrated, for...
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...Rubab Rahat Kath and Mouse 1. The nickname given to Helen is Mouse. Kathryn Morris aka Kath gave her this nickname because Helen “did look like a mouse, with mouse-brown hair and small, sharp features”. Helen is called Mouse because she is very quiet, shy, and passive. She is not confident enough to confront Kath for being mean to her; instead she “ducks her head like she’s been hit”. Helen is called Mouse because she behaves like an underdog who doesn’t speak up for herself against Kath. 2. The story takes place in a school during winter, “It was about ten below zero”. The setting signifies a normal school life of the present where one meets all sorts of people; both good and bad, bullies, friends, and etc. The mood and atmosphere of the story is very intense and harsh for Helen. 3. During lunch, Helen sat on Kath’s table without an invitation. “…Helen would know she had already broken one of the most important rules. No one sat at Kath’s table without and invitation.” Kath | Helen | Kevin | * Plays oboe * Overconfident * Powerful * Insecure “…she just acted like Kath didn’t exist. Kath tried to pretend it didn’t matter, but it did.” * Arrogant * Thinks she is “the queen of the world” | * Sings * Eager to prove herself "You don't have to prove yourself, you know? I said. Maybe I want too...'' * Full of pride since she’s a terrific singer * Introverted | * Plays piano * Polite * Considerate and understanding * Sympathetic...
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...The movie begins with Melinda Sordino’s first day of high school. Melinda is an introvert and quiet girl that doesn’t have any friends. Throughout the movie she has flashbacks of a night she went to a party with her friends. In the firsts flashbacks she seems to be a very outgoing teenager, the opposite of what she is now. As the night went on, Andy Evans, a popular senior, told Melissa that she was beautiful and they start dancing and kissing. After a while, they went to Andy’s car and started kissing in the passenger seat and even though she tells him several times to stop, he continues. He sexually abused her. She got back to the house of the party, picked up the phone and called 911. She didn’t say anything so the police tracked her call and went to the house. The party ended and everyone knew that the fault was hers but nobody tried to know why and she didn’t find the courage to tell. Her best friends stopped talking to her. One day she went to a game and when she saw that her ex-best friend Rachel and Andy were dating, she ran away. Melinda wanted to tell Rachel what happened in the summer but she thought she wouldn’t believe her or would hate her. A time later she went to the place where she was sexually abused and had, once again, flashbacks of that night. That was when she decided to tell Rachel the truth, so she went to school and found her in the library. After finding out that Rachel was going to prom with Andy, Melissa picked up Rachel’s pen and wrote ‘I was raped’...
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