What is the summary of the book Speak?
Speak, published in 1999, is a young adult novel by Laurie Halse Anderson that tells the story of high school freshman Melinda Sordino. After a sexual assault ends up in her busting the end of a summer party, Melinda is ostracized by her peers because she will not say why she called the police.
What is the conclusion of the book Speak?
This novel is pretty depressing until we get to the end. Melinda Sordino finally gets some relief from her brutal ordeal and pieces together her broken life. This relief comes through various forms of speech.
What happened to Melinda Sordino Speak?
The summer before starting high school, she was raped by a senior student, Andy Evans. Due to her trauma and inability to tell anyone about what happened, Melinda spirals into a dark depression; loses her ability to speak with ease; and can express her pain only through physical acts, such as biting her lips and nails.
Did Melinda get raped in the book Speak?
Melinda “Mel” Sordino is the main character and narrator of Laurie Halse Anderson’s 1999 novel Speak. Her last name, Sordino, is an Italian word that can be translated as “deaf.” The character’s ordeals were based on Anderson’s own experiences; she was raped one summer prior to starting high school.
Why is speak a good book?
The Themes. Speak is a deeply emotional and richly complex young adult novel that has many themes to be discussed. The first major theme of the novel is disdain from others. Why so many students hate Melinda at the beginning of the novel is a mystery, but it plays a big role in making her feel like an outcast.
How and why does Melinda finally speak up for herself?
Through the encouragement of her art teacher Mr. Freeman, Melinda starts to find her confidence and her voice again. And when Andy Evans attempts to rape her for the second time, she realizes she must speak out to stop him from doing this to anybody else.
What are the last words of the book speak?
The final words of Marsden’s book are echoed in those of Speak, as Melinda prepares to share her experience with a father-figure art teacher: “Me: ‘Let me tell you about it. ‘” An uncannily funny book even as it plumbs the darkness, Speak will hold readers from first word to last.
What does it symbolize in speak?
Melinda frequently hides in the supply closet at her school. This symbolizes her need to hide from the world so she doesn’t have to speak to anyone. It also represents her isolation, not just how she isolates herself but also that she feels her friends have isolated her.
What is the main conflict in the book speak?
Melinda’s primary internal conflict is over whether or not to tell anyone that she was raped by one of the older students at her school. On the night that the attack occurs, Melinda dials 911 from a phone at the party, but finds herself unable to speak to the dispatcher and explain what has happened.
What is the theme of speak?
Theme of “Speak” Melinda was raped at the party by a boy named Andy Evans. After the rape, Melinda is unable to speak about what happened to her and quits speaking altogether. Rape and the consequences for the victim is the main theme, along with losing one’s voice and the tremendous courage it takes to find it again.
What kind of book is speak?
Novel
Young adult fiction
Speak/Genres
Is speak book appropriate?
Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson is an age-appropriate novel for teens with believable characters and situations. It focuses on a 9th grade girl who suddenly finds herself without friends after an incident that occurred at a high school party.
Speak Summary. Over the course of the school year, the story of Melinda’s past unfolds. She begins to admit to herself what happened and gradually stops running away from the memory of it. She still, however, remains silent. In the spring, her former best friend, Rachel, begins to date Andy Evans.
What was the speak essay in the movie?
Andrea Thomas Speak Essay In the movie Speak Melinda was raped by this guy by named Addy at a party, she was reluctant to talk to anyone about what happened because she was so traumatized, and everyone hated her for calling the cops. She was mad at herself for not being able to do anything about it.
Who is Melinda in the book Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson?
In the novel Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson, Melinda is a freshman in highschool who struggles to escape the traumatizing past of being raped by a popular senior, Andy Evans. Because of her painful memories Melinda would circumvent Andy all year, experiencing bullying, rejection, and social isolation along the way.
Who is Melinda at the end of speak?
The Melinda we see at the end of the novel is not the same Melinda that arrived friendless on her first day of ninth grade. This Melinda is ready to accept what happened and is prepared to seek help. This Melinda speaks.
