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Laurie Halse Anderson

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Welcome to the LitCharts study guide on Laurie Halse Anderson's Speak . Created by the original team behind SparkNotes, LitCharts are the world's best literature guides.

Speak: Introduction

Speak: plot summary, speak: detailed summary & analysis, speak: themes, speak: quotes, speak: characters, speak: symbols, speak: theme wheel, brief biography of laurie halse anderson.

Historical Context of Speak

Other books related to speak.

• Full Title: Speak
• When Written: 1999
• Where Written: Mexico, New York
• When Published: October 1999
• Literary Period: Contemporary
• Genre: YA fiction
• Setting: Syracuse, NY
• Climax: Andy Evans, Melinda’s rapist, tries to attack her at the end of the school year and she successfully fights him off, finding her voice in the process
• Antagonist: Specifically, Andy Evans, Melinda’s rapist; more broadly, the culture of silence that has made her ashamed of her own rape
• Point of View: 1st person

Extra Credit for Speak

Such stuff as dreams are made on. In interviews, Laurie Halse Anderson has said that Melinda came to her in a dream; she credits this experience with helping her to develop Melinda’s strong and distinctive voice.

Melinda in the movies. In 2004, Speak was adapted into a movie starring Kristen Stewart; the movie has helped contribute to the widespread popularity of the book.

86 pages • 2 hours read

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Part 1, Chapters 1-21

Part 2, Chapters 22-44

Part 3, Chapters 45-63

Part 4, Chapters 64-89

Character Analysis

Symbols & Motifs

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

Summary and Study Guide

Speak is a young-adult realistic fiction novel by Laurie Halse Anderson, first published in 1999. It follows the plight of a teenager, Melinda , who was raped at age 13 and struggles to put her life back together and find her voice . Anderson has written several young adult novels, all of which address pressing issues for teens honestly and empathetically. She was honored with the Margaret A. Edwards award for her important and relevant contributions to the young adult genre . Speak was a National Book Award finalist, a Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year, and an Edgar Allan Poe Award finalist, among many other awards and nominations. Anderson continues to receive letters from readers about how Speak has impacted their lives and helped them through difficult times and similar experiences, and she speaks to as many youths as possible about her book. At the novel's end, Anderson includes resources for survivors of sexual assault, which serves as one last reminder of her desire to help those who feel voiceless be heard.

This guide utilizes the 2011 publication of the novel.

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Content Warning: This novel deals with topics such as sexual assault of a minor, child abuse, and verbal abuse.

Plot Summary

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Speak is divided into four parts, each one being a marking period for the school year. It starts as school and the first marking period begin, and it is Melinda’s first year of high school. She attends Merryweather High School and starts her first day with nobody to talk to or sit with. Melinda is insecure and shy, as anyone would be in a new place; she also has a secret that she keeps deep within herself: She was raped at a summer party that she attended with her then-best friend, Rachel , by a senior named Andy Evans . The shock and terror from the experience clouded Melinda’s mind at the time, but she was able to call the police. In a moment of panic, she left the house before they arrived and never told anyone her story. On top of this, she has not spoken about the rape to any of her old friends or her parents. Instead, she keeps it to herself, which eats away at her self-esteem and ability to enjoy her life.

Melinda has several teachers with unique personalities: Mr. Neck is the social studies teacher who always seems to be angry and is eventually revealed to be racist; Ms. Keen is the biology teacher who makes biology fun for Melinda; Hairwoman is the old English teacher who gives out tough assignments but whose class Melinda still enjoys; Melinda’s Spanish teacher refuses to speak English, which creates several humorous moments; Mr. Freeman is the art teacher and the teacher who influences Melinda the most throughout the novel. At the beginning of the year, Mr. Freeman announces a year-long project in which students will pick the name of a random object out of a broken globe and spend the year trying to turn that object into vibrant, living art. Melinda picks the word “tree,” and trees become symbols for her and her personal growth out and above her trauma.

Melinda’s home life is not much more welcoming than her school life. Her mother is always stressed and working, and her father often seems on edge. Melinda does not speak to her parents at all, remaining totally silent for several months. She often hears them arguing at top volume. Melinda often has trouble completing her homework at home, as she is often a victim of verbal abuse. At school, Melinda steals several late passes and discovers an abandoned closet, which she makes her new hiding place, decorating it with a Maya Angelou poster and eventually her art creations.

Melinda becomes friends with a new girl named Heather . Heather is desperate to fit into the school cliques. Melinda does not care about that but needs a friend, so she spends much of her time with Heather anyway. It slowly becomes clear that Heather is only using Melinda until she becomes popular; she does not defend Melinda when people talk poorly about her. Heather finds a clan of girls to hang out with called the Marthas. They help with school fundraisers, volunteer outside school, coordinate outfits, and expect perfection. Heather asks Melinda to help her with her first Martha project, and Melinda agrees. She creates posters for a fundraiser, but the Marthas hate them, and Heather blames Melinda. Meanwhile, Melinda continues to have difficulty speaking, communicating largely in nods and hand gestures.

During the second marking period (autumn), Melinda has a breakthrough in her artwork when she takes the old turkey bones from Thanksgiving dinner and pieces them back together. She adds a Barbie doll head and some twigs for legs and decides that the piece is meant to represent her. Mr. Freeman tells her she is onto something.

Christmas arrives, and Melinda puts up the tree alone. She and her parents sleep in on Christmas day, hand out presents in silence, and then go their separate ways. Melinda wishes she could tell her parents what happened over the summer and why she cannot speak. In biology class, Melinda faints when she has to dissect a dead frog, and it reminds her of how she felt when she was assaulted.

Melinda decides to name Andy Evans “IT.” Until now, she did not call him anything and does not reveal the events that took place until the end of the third marking period. Melinda starts skipping school and thinks more seriously about telling someone what happened to her. Melinda develops a crush on her classmate and lab partner, David Petrakis , who is outspoken and confident and seems not to care about her reputation.

Melinda’s parents and principal hold a meeting with a guidance counselor and determine that Melinda will have an in-school suspension. She must also abide by strict rules and attend all of her classes. Andy Evans begins harassing and taunting Melinda in school, causing her to relive her abuse. In art class, Melinda looks at Picasso’s cubism paintings and feels inspired to create a tree drawing made of tiny, cracked lines. Mr. Freeman approves and advises her to stop thinking about trees when she draws and to think about her emotions instead.

Melinda’s struggle to become an artist unfolds alongside her healing process after being traumatized, thus illustrating the novel’s theme, The Importance of Art as a Form of Self-Expression and Healing . Melinda attends all her classes for a week and is rewarded with new clothes. At the store, she stares at herself in the mirror and does not recognize who she sees; she is changed by her traumatic experience, developing the theme How Personality and Perception Change as a Result of Trauma . At the end of the third marking period, Melinda describes the rape in detail.

As the world begins to thaw outside Melinda’s window, she does too. She slowly starts to speak again and resolves to nurture herself like a seed and grow into who she was before being assaulted. Melinda also starts talking to one of her former friends again. To Melinda’s chagrin, Rachel begins dating Andy, and Melinda realizes she has to tell Rachel about him. In social studies class, Melinda stands up for her right to remain silent when Mr. Neck demands that she deliver her report to the class. She cites the suffragette movement and its fight for freedom. Afterward, David criticizes her, reminding her that suffragettes fought for the right to speak, not to be silent. Melinda considers this carefully.

When Melinda stays home sick from school one day, she watches talk shows and calls her experience “rape” for the first time. Melinda’s relationship with her parents also slowly begins to soften again; she speaks a short phrase to her father, and they spend a relaxing afternoon eating pizza together. Ivy is in Melinda’s art class, and they bond over their struggles to represent their objects. Ivy reveals that she has heard rumors about Andy, which eventually inspires Melinda to write a warning on the bathroom stall, telling other girls to stay away from him.

Days later, Ivy shows Melinda that many other girls have added to the message, writing similar warnings and documenting their experiences. Melinda feels elated to know that she has done something to help. Melinda also finally stands up to Heather. Melinda works up the courage to tell Rachel what happened to her, but Rachel accuses her of lying out of jealousy. It is not until prom that Rachel finally realizes Andy’s true character and dumps him.

In the novel’s final moments, Melinda is attacked in her hideaway closet by Andy. When she screams for help and threatens him with broken glass, he backs off, and the girls on the lacrosse team rescue her. In art class, Melinda finishes her tree illustration. It is not perfect, but she now realizes that is exactly how it should be. She understands what happened to her and that it was not her fault; in the end, she resolves to be a survivor and grow from it. Melinda’s journey is one of Finding One’s Voice After It Has Been Lost .

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Speak , about a ninth grader who struggles to recover after her life and sense of identity are destroyed by a traumatic act of violence, is one of my favorite books to teach to late middle school or early high school students because it’s written in a compellingly insightful and sarcastic voice and because it’s a powerful tool for teaching empathy.

Students might find the interviews with Laurie Halse Anderson linked on this page interesting for the context they provide and for the insights they offer into both the novel and the author’s life, as well as the intersection between the two. They may also prompt further discussion of the novel and stimulate interest in Anderson’s other works.

Speak lends itself to interpretation in different media, and both the film version (which, unfortunately, got little attention) and the 2018 graphic novel version have been well-received by critics.

Related Resources

Speak Study Questions (PDF)

Speak Journal Instructions and Sample Entries (PDF)

Interviews with Laurie Halse Anderson: The Voice of Speak Is Loud As Ever Goodreads Q&A

Amazon | Parnassus | Powell’s

Speak DVD | Speak graphic novel

Study Questions

First marking period.

1. In what tense is the story told? What effect does this choice have on the reader’s perception of the narrative?

2. Describe Melinda—her personality and her emotional state. What effect does feeling like an outcast have on her behavior?

3. What information does this first section of the book give us about what Melinda did to make her friends reject her and why she did it?

4. What is Melinda’s attitude toward high school life—school itself, extracurricular activities, students, teachers, and school officials? What comments does she make about these things?

5. Describe Heather. How are she and Melinda different? What is their relationship like?

6. Describe Melinda’s parents. What is her relationship with them like? What is their relationship with each other like?

Second Marking Period

1. What purpose does Melinda’s closet at school serve? Why does she cover the mirror, and why do you think she covers it with a poster of Maya Angelou?

2. How do you interpret the artwork that Melinda makes with the turkey carcass and the Barbie head?

3. Why do you think Melinda views David Petrakis as a hero?

4. What almost makes Melinda tell her parents about what happened? Why does Melinda end up not telling them? What does this passage tell us about the state of their relationship and what Melinda needs from them? What is the symbolic and thematic significance of the cartoon about Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer? (Consider, for example, Rudolph’s comment about being independent.)

5. What reaction does Melinda have to her experiences in her parents’ workplaces? Why do you think she is so deeply angry with her father?

6. Why does Melinda go along with the basketball coaches’ requests at first? Why does she decide that she won’t show up to teach the Basketball Pole?

7. Why do you think Melinda has such a strong reaction to dissecting the frog?

Third Marking Period

1. Why does Melinda wish she were “in fifth grade again”?

2. What do you think the author’s opinion about analyzing books is—do you think she believes that authors intentionally use symbolism in their writing? How do you feel about that kind of analysis?

3. Why does Melinda consider Mr. Freeman the sanest person she knows?

4. Do you think it’s still true that it’s “easier to floss with barbed wire than admit you like someone in middle school”?

5. Why does Heather break off her “friendship” with Melinda? Why does Melinda suddenly feel that Heather is very important to her? What thoughts does Melinda have about Heather’s decision? How do you feel about Heather and her decision?

6. What makes Melinda decide to leave the hospital?

7. What reaction do Melinda’s parents have to her skipping school and her reluctance to talk? Why doesn’t she explain her behavior? How do you feel about how her parents deal with this situation? How should they handle it instead?

8. Why did Melinda call the police at the party? Why didn’t she do more to resist what was done to her?

9. What signs do you see in this chapter that Melinda is beginning to change—that she has begun to deal with what happened to her?

Fourth Marking Period

1. What further signs are there in this chapter that Melinda is beginning to recover emotionally?

2. What dilemma does Melinda face regarding Rachel/Rachelle? What conflicting feelings does she have? Why is she uncertain about how to handle it? How does she finally decide to handle it, and why?

3. What topic does Melinda choose for her report? Why is this topic appropriate for her? What is ironic about her refusal to present her report for the class?

4. What conclusion does Melinda come to about whether she was raped? What makes her doubt whether it was really rape? Why do you think she hasn’t spoken up about it?

5. What happens in this chapter to make Melinda and Ivy begin to bond more deeply?

6. What encounter does Melinda have with Heather in this chapter? How does Melinda respond to Heather, and what does this show?

7. What reaction does Rachel have to the revelation that Andy Evans raped Melinda? Why do you think she has this reaction?

8. What is the significance of the trimming of the tree in Melinda’s yard?

9. What is the significance of Melinda’s visit to the site of the rape?

10. What is the climax of the book? How does Melinda deal with the situation she finds herself in, and what does this show?

11. What positive things happen after that incident (the climax) for Melinda, both psychologically and socially?

12. Why do you think Melinda adds birds to her last drawing of the tree?

PDF version

Questions © 2002 C. Brantley Collins, Jr.

Speak Reading Journal Instructions

I would like you to keep a journal of your thoughts—specifically, your observations about, reflections on, and reactions to the book—as you read through each section. The number and length of your journal entries will vary depending on the length of each reading assignment, the topic you’re writing about, etc., but you should write enough to show that you’re really processing what you’re reading.

Don’t focus on summarizing the story in your journal entries.  Plot summary is too simple; it doesn’t require much thought. I want you to analyze the story and react to it. You can use these questions to guide your thinking:

• What events in the story are important plot developments, and why?
• How does the story make you feel, and why?
• Can you relate to the characters’ experiences? Be specific.
• What points is the author trying to make?
• What things in the book have a symbolic meaning?
• What thoughts do you have about the characters in the story—what do their words and actions reveal about them?
• What changes do the characters go through?
• How would you describe the author’s style? What literary and rhetorical devices does the author use, and what effect do they have?
• What plan or meaning can you see in the way the author chose to structure the story?
• What predictions might you make about what will happen later in the story?
• What important questions do you have that you would like to discuss in class?

Note : I don’t expect your comments about the story to sound as if they were written by someone with a degree in literature or philosophy. And although I would like your writing to be as grammatically correct as possible, the most important thing is to show me that you are thinking about the story.

Sample entries for the First Marking Period

The first two pages tell us the situation Melinda is in: she is an outcast, rejected by her friends for something she has done. It’s clear that the story will deal with how she becomes accepted again (and how she learns to accept herself).

There were cliques (clans) in my high school as well, but I never wanted to be stuck within one group, to be limited to one identity. I’ve always tried to make many different kinds of friends. Although I’ve never been an outcast, I can relate to her feeling of alienation, because there’s so much about the world that doesn’t make sense to me—the apathy and cruelty shown by those who don’t care about the effects of their actions, the narrow-mindedness of so many conservative older people, and the superficiality of so many younger people. Although I’ve always been able to make friends easily, it’s sometimes hard for me to find close friends I can really relate to.

“If there is anyone in the entire galaxy I am dying to tell what really happened, it’s Rachel.” This tells us that Melinda has some kind of secret that she can’t tell anyone, a secret that would explain why she did whatever she did that made her friends hate her. This must have to do with the title of the book: Speak.

Melinda makes a lot of sarcastic comments. This shows that she is intelligent and perceptive and that she has a great sense of humor, but it also shows that she is feeling hurt, angry, depressed, and isolated. For example, her list of “the first ten lies they tell you in high school” is funny, but it also expresses her frustration about the difficulties high school students face and the way that adults treat them, as well as her cynicism about the quality of high school education. The title of the next section, “Our Teachers Are the Best,” is also very sarcastic and cynical—obviously she doesn’t think that her teachers are very good.

The project her art teacher assigns is interesting, and I think it will be a major part of the story. Melinda will learn to express her feelings through her artwork. Why did the author decide to make her object a tree? Trees can symbolize life, growth, and resilience, so perhaps the painful experiences Melinda is having will lead to some kind of spiritual growth for her.

The primary motif of the novel seems to be alienation . Melinda feels that everything around her is alien to her, and she doesn’t fit in. She is alienated from her friends and peers, who have rejected her, she is alienated from adults in her world, who don’t understand or want to understand the source of her strange behavior, and she is alienated from her parents, who don’t have a close relationship with her and don’t express concern for her. She is even alienated from herself, because she doesn’t have a clear sense of her own identity. The word “alien” itself even appears twice in the text of this first part.

The feeling of alienation is something that many people in modern society, especially teenagers, can relate to. In traditional societies, people had a clear sense of identity and a feeling of belonging to certain groups. They identified with their own ethnic groups, their own nations, their own communities, and their own families, and they had clear role models whose footsteps they could follow in. These relationships, and the cultural environments people grew up in, heavily influenced their values and goals in life. But modern society is much more complex. We are now exposed to different values and belief systems, and relationships are much more diverse—families often aren’t so close, and we often form relationships with people of other ethnicities and nationalities. One of the results of this can be alienation, the feeling of not identifying with the world around us, of not belonging. But this situation is good in some ways as well. In the past, people’s identities were largely determined by others, but now we have more freedom to choose our own identities, to determine for ourselves who we are.

Instructions and sample entries © 2002 and 2018 C. Brantley Collins, Jr.

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Laurie Halse Anderson on her groundbreaking book Speak being reissued as a graphic novel

The book's taboo-shattering discussion of sexual assault continues to resonate nearly 20 years later

David Canfield is a Staff Editor. He oversees the magazine's books section, and writes film features and awards analysis.

In 1999, Laurie Halse Anderson published her novel Speak , a groundbreaking exploration of sexual assault and its aftermath. From stable book sales to its presence in high school curriculums, its endurance is a testament to the power of the novel, as well as an unsettling reminder of how little things have changed since its initial release.

Yet over the past few months, the conversation on sexual misconduct has accelerated at a rapid pace, as allegations against major public figures such as Harvey Weinstein and Russell Simmons have forced a collective reckoning with the sexism, misogyny, and gendered power imbalances that have long pervaded American life.

It’s timely, then that Speak is re-entering the conversation in a major way. Anderson has teamed with comics artist Emily Carroll ( Through the Woods ) to reproduce the book as a graphic novel, available for purchase Feb. 6. (Pre-order it here .) The new format illuminates the original text’s discussions of trauma, violence, and recovery in beautifully surprising ways, while still not shying away from the harshness of it.

Anderson spoke with EW about Speak ’s enduring legacy, her collaboration with Carroll, and what she’s taken away from speaking with kids about these subjects for more than a decade. Read on below.

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: How did the idea to re-release Speak as a graphic novel come together? LAURIE HALSE ANDERSON: When the paperback rights to Speak reverted to Macmillan in 2011, I met with the good people there to chat about two projects that were close to my heart: partnering with RAINN to support sexual violence survivors, and creating a graphic novel version of the book. The Macmillan team was very supportive and made both dreams come to life!

How did Emily Carroll get involved? How did you two collaborate? Emily was at the top of my wishlist of artists. Her technical skills are superb, and her ability to create tension is masterful. I am very grateful that she was able to make the time for the project. I wrote the script for the graphic novel in 2015, and Emily got to work. Our collaboration was coordination with our editor and art director. I finally got to meet Emily a few months ago — it was like meeting an old friend, in a strange way.

The new cover is gorgeous. There was never any thought of replicating the original cover. The graphic novel stands on its own feet as a piece of art, therefore it deserved its own cover. It took my breath away.

What does the graphic novel format bring out in the story, thematically, that couldn’t be done in a standard novel? It gives the readers more perspective on intensity of the emotion that Melinda is dealing with. The fear, the sorrow, the rage, and the triumph are visceral. The addition of the art turns a haunting melody into a resonating chord.

The book has run into censorship for its more explicit content. How was that considered in the graphic adaptation? It wasn’t. Rape is a crime. This book shows the attack, its devastating consequences, and the strength of the survivor as she reclaims her voice and her strength. To soften any of that would have been disrespectful to everyone who has had to endure it.

Speak has resonated deeply and remains as relevant as ever — why do you think it’s lasted in a way so few books have? Because millions of survivors of sexual violence are still trying to be heard.

What are your thoughts on conversations around sexual misconduct and assault finally reaching the culture so sharply, after so long? I try not to focus on my rage that it has taken so long to get to this place. The point is that we are finally here, that the doors are beginning to open for meaningful discussion and change. We must keep the pressure on. We must make sure that this is a truly intersectional movement, that women of color and transgender people and male survivors are all heard and supported too.

Over decades of talking to teenagers about this book and the issues it raises, what have you learned? What have you come away with? The full answer to that question requires another book! But the shorthand version is this: Until parents get over their discomfort at talking to their children about consent and sexuality — a lot — we will continue to reap generations of people scarred by sexual violence and silence. It’s on us.

Related Articles

The Book “Speak” by Laurie Halse Anderson

In Speak , the author, Laurie Halse Anderson, illustrates the idea that people can recover after trauma and become stronger. The writer utilizes the first-person point of view to show the path protagonist goes through to her transformation. The first-person point of view is the type of narrative in which events are described from the narrator’s point of view using the pronouns “I,” “we,” “me,” “us.” Throughout the book, readers can see the theme of a traumatic event’s consequences, the experiences associated with it, and recovery from it.

The book is structured like a diary of the main character Melinda Sordino, who survived violence by a classmate, and at the same time, became an outcast in school. Readers have access to all her thoughts and feelings, introspection, and attempts to find a way out and speak about the problem. The narrator states, “I want to confess everything, hand over the guilt and mistake and anger to someone else. There is a beast in my gut, I can hear it scraping away at the inside of my ribs. Even if I dump the memory, it will stay with me, staining me.” (Anderson, 1999, p. 38). Readers understand that Melinda feels dirty, a terrible event haunts her, and at the same moment, she feels guilty, like most victims of violence, although she did nothing.

Feelings of anger and guilt depress Melinda, most clearly manifesting in the fact that she hardly speaks. After some time, the young girl feels a desire to free herself: “A small, clean part of me waits to warm and burst through the surface” (Anderson, 1999, p. 122). An example of her recovery from injury is the bold statement, “It wasn’t my fault. And I’m not going to let it kill me. I can grow” (Anderson, 1999, p. 128). When readers see this courage, after all the experience, they understand what transformation Melinda goes through. The main character can recover, although it took a lot of braveness and time. Thus, it is clear that the author’s use of the first-person point of view helped illustrate the idea that changes and healing are possible after trauma.

Anderson, L. H. (1999). Speak . Farrar, Straus and Giroux.

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By Laurie Halse Anderson Read by Mandy Siegfried , Ashley C. Ford , Jason Reynolds and Laurie Halse Anderson

Category: teen & young adult fiction | teen & young adult social issues | audiobooks.

Jan 09, 2007 | 349 Minutes | Young Adult | ISBN 9780739355961 --> Buy

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Jan 09, 2007 | ISBN 9780739355961 | Young Adult

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About Speak

“Speak up for yourself―we want to know what you have to say.” From the first moment of her freshman year at Merryweather High, Melinda knows this is a big fat lie, part of the nonsense of high school. She is friendless, outcast, because she busted an end-of-summer party by calling the cops, so now nobody will talk to her, let alone listen to her. As time passes, she becomes increasingly isolated and practically stops talking altogether. Only her art class offers any solace, and it is through her work on an art project that she is finally able to face what really happened at that terrible party: she was raped by an upperclassman, a guy who still attends Merryweather and is still a threat to her. Her healing process has just begun when she has another violent encounter with him. But this time Melinda fights back, refuses to be silent, and thereby achieves a measure of vindication. A timeless novel about consent and finding the courage to speak up for yourself, the twentieth anniversary edition of the classic novel that has spoken to so many young adults now includes a new introduction written and read by acclaimed writer, host, speaker, and cultural commentator Ashley C. Ford as well as an afterword written and read by New York Times- bestselling author of All American Boys and Long Way Down, Jason Reynolds. This edition will also feature an updated Q&A, resource list, and essay and poem written and read by Laurie Halse Anderson. Praise for Speak : “In a stunning first novel, Anderson uses keen observations and vivid imagery to pull readers into the head of an isolated teenager. . . . Will leave readers touched and inspired .” ― Publishers Weekly , starred review “An uncannily funny book even as it plumbs the darkness, Speak will hold readers from first word to last.” ― The Horn Book , starred review Accolades for Speak : New York Times Bestseller Publishers Weekly Bestseller Michael L. Printz Honor Book National Book Award Finalist Edgar Allan Poe Award Finalist Los Angeles Times Book Prize Finalist ALA Top Ten Best Book for Young Adults ALA Quick Pick Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year Booklist Top Ten First Novel BCCB Blue Ribbon Book School Library Journal Best Book of the Year

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Also by laurie halse anderson.

About Laurie Halse Anderson

Laurie Halse Anderson is a New York Times bestselling author whose writing spans young readers, teens, and new adults. Combined, her books have sold more than eight million copies. She has been twice nominated for the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award…. More about Laurie Halse Anderson

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Flashbacks And Suspense In Speak By Laurie Anderson

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On a dark august night, Melinda and Rachel went to an end-of-summer party. Feeling out of place, Melinda resorted to drinking. Once she took a step out, she was confronted and assaulted by a senior named Andy Evans. Melinda felt small and just wanted to say “no” but the words couldn’t find their way out. That was the night that Melinda got raped. Melinda’s conflict with herself continues as she tries to overcome the events of that night. In the realistic fiction novel Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson, the author uses symbolism and allusions to show how Melinda struggles to overcome the rape throughout the novel. Symbolism is widely used in Speak to suggest something more of an object. Colors are big symbols as they convey Melinda’s thoughts …show more content…

To illustrate this, Anderson compares Melinda to a dryad (p.17). Dryads originate from Greek mythology and it is the female spirit of a tree. The life of a dryad is connected to a tree. Dryads also tend to be shy creatures. Metaphorically, the author is trying to imply that teenagers are in the stage of development and growth, just like plants. Melinda is still growing and overcoming her rape. Anderson also makes allusions to literature to compare and contrast Melinda’s story to stories of other characters. To exemplify, Maya Angelou is mentioned quite frequently. In her novel I know why the caged bird sings, (p.50) she writes about how she was raped by Mr. Freeman. She can’t talk and is helped by someone with a name of a plant. Anderson uses irony since in the novel Speak, Mr. Freeman is the one who helps Melinda grow. Also, metaphorically comparing Angelou and Maya, we can foreshadow what happens next (the rape). When Melinda finds her closet, she discovers a shattered mirror which symbolizes her past and she tries to cover it up with a picture of Maya Angelou (which is not better.) The poster which symbolizes her rape and secrets doesn’t help Melinda grow. Another example would be The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne. (p.100) Melinda mentions “[Hester] is kind of quiet. We would get along.” (p.101) Melinda is comparing herself to Hester Prynne, a character in Hawthorne’s novel who has to wear a red letter A to mark her guilt. Both Melinda and Hester feel like outcasts and are a shame in society. Anderson also uses allusions by mentioning the suffragettes (p.154). The suffragettes were people who stood up against unfair treatment of women. To get extra-credit, Melinda has to write a report and present it to the class. Being that Melinda doesn’t speak, she and David Petrakis, her lab partner, make a plan. Instead of talking, Melinda gives

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Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson is a coming of age themed fictional Novel based around Melinda Sordino, a freshman at Merryweather High School. During her days at school Melinda found trouble fitting in and speaking because of an incident that happened at a summer party. That incident being that she was raped by a senior named Andy Evans, aka, “IT.” At the time, Melinda panicked and ended up calling the police, which resulted in everyone despising her. Similarly to “high school drama,” the author illustrated gossip and the effects it can have on a person. To compare, when the news hit Melinda, she became silent and isolated staying away from any old friends she glanced upon. Fortunately, Melinda found new hope when a stranger asked, “I’m Heather

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Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson Essay

Speak, by Laurie Halse Anderson, is a story written in the first person about a young girl named Melinda Sordino. The title of the book, Speak, is ironically based on the fact that Melinda chooses not to speak. The book is written in the form of a monologue in the mind of Melinda, a teenage introvert. This story depicts the story of a very miserable freshman year of high school. Although there are several people in her high school, Melinda secludes herself from them all. There are several people in her school that used to be her friend in middle school, but not anymore. Not after what she did over the summer. What she did was call the cops on an end of summer party on of her friends was throwing. Although

Character Analysis In Speak By Laurie Halse Anderson

Speaking out is a tough task for many people that have dealt with horrible, traumatic situations. In the novel Speak, by Laurie Halse Anderson, the main character, Melinda, is one of those people who lost their voice. To be able to understand another person’s emotions, feelings, and situations is very difficult to do, especially because of how our society has formed and became a very judgmental place. Melinda Sordino starts her freshman year at Merryweather High School in Syracuse, New York, to a terrible start; she is a victim of a sexual assault and loses her confidents and voice to speak out. The more she interacts and makes new friends is how she starts to reach out and become more self-sufficient. Few weeks into school Melinda’s only

Speak By Laurie Halse Anderson: Summary

Self) She sees herself as an outcast. the internal conflict of Melinda Sordino I that she was raped and does not tell anyone about it, causing her to become depressed. Her parents realize that she acts differently at home, but Melinda does not tell the reason why. In the story, Melinda fears a guy named "IT", who we later on know as Andy Evans. And teases her in the story for example on page 97 he hands Melinda a donut saying, "What a bite?". He is obviously teasing her and Melinda makes it noticeable that she fears him by running away. The authors purpose is to show that Andy is the reason for Melinda's depression. She expresses this by having Melinda call Andy

Laurie Halse Anderson Character Development

One of MElinda’s ex-friends starts dating the guy who raped her. She sent anonymous letters trying to make her stay away from him. That proves she has grown, and she doesn’t want others to suffer because of him like she did. “I dig my fingers into the dirt and squeeze. A small clean part of me waits to warm and burst through the surface. Some quiet Melinda girl I haven’t seen in months. That is the seed I will care for,” (chapter 86, page 188-189). Melinda is facing her fears. She went to the place where it all happened. She wanted to have peace. She was ready to move on from the situation. The bottle was now open, and her feelings were flying

Symbolism In Speak By Laurie Halse Anderson

Within “SPEAK,” Laurie Halse Anderson uses Melinda’s artwork to express Melinda. At the Beginning of the story Melinda gets a year long art project to draw a tree. At the beginning, she struggles because she is still feeling pain and depression from getting raped. But, Throughout the story, she slowly grows and comes out of her “shell,” and becomes better and better with it; So by the

Symbolism In Laurie Halse Anderson's Speak

In Laurie Halse Anderson’s Speak, the protagonist, a freshman named Melinda must learn the key to recovery after enduring extreme trauma. She struggled to find someone to speak to, due to the school shunning her for calling the police at the party. Throughout Speak, Melinda seeks to recover from the trauma she experienced, especially the cruel actions from her ex-friends. Through symbolism, Laurie Halse Anderson displays the theme in Melinda's perspective.

Archetypes And Allusions In Laurie Halse Anderson's Speak

“It is my first morning of high school. I have seven new notebooks, a skirt I hate, and a stomachache,” (Anderson 3). These are Melinda Sordino's first thoughts as she enters her first year of high school. Melinda dreads having to be around so many people and is shunned by other students for calling the police at a summer party. She falls into depression and decides to stay silent about what happened. As the school year goes on, Melinda knows that she will have to face her biggest fear: to speak. Laurie Halse Anderson, author of Speak, uses numerous archetypes and allusions to put a powerful impact on readers. These archetypes and allusions make Melinda’s struggles relatable to real life problems and situations and reflect universal

Essay about Laurie Halse Anderson's Speak

• 3 Works Cited

Hairwomen is hammering it to death” (Anderson 101). This shows that Melinda doesn’t really enjoy how they’re reading the book because of how the class is reading one sentence at a time and analyzing every small thing in the book. Melinda was thinking why Nathaniel couldn’t just say what he meant straightforward but figured how it would be boring if he just repeated everything he said in the book. That’s why he used symbolism in the story to make it more interesting. In another example, Melinda says “I can see us, living in the woods, her wearing that A, me with an S maybe, S for silent, for stupid, for scared. S for silly. For shame” (Anderson 101). This shows that Melinda is emotionally unstable and thinks of herself in many bad ways such as her being dumb and afraid. It also shows that Melinda is kind of mad at herself for the person she is. For that, she makes herself feel ashamed.

Speak: Speak By Laurie Halse Anderson

Melinda's a troubled high schooler who has had difficulties fitting into her freshman class. She is also having trouble finding her identity due to some unfortunate events during the summer. In Laurie Halse Anderson's novel, speak, Melinda the main character is assigned an art project. She is asked to study drawing and research trees throughout the year. Melinda takes this project very seriously, her artwork is the only ways she communicates her emotions to the outside world.

Rape in the Book Speak Essay

A trait that stands out in the book is the symptom of bodily memories. In Melinda’s case, during a frog dissection in her science class, she remembers the opening up and even says, “She doesn’t say a word. She is already dead. A scream starts in my gut – I can feel the cut, smell the dirt, feel the leaves in my hair.” (81). One of the other symptoms that Melinda has is self-harm. The first time that this is shown in the book, Melinda says this, “I open up a paper clip and scratch it across the inside of my left wrist. Pitiful. If a suicide attempt is a cry for help, then what is this? A whimper, a peep?” (87). Melinda also has a hard time talking to her parents about the rape to which she says, “How can I talk to them about that night? How can I start?” (72). Some victims recover from such a traumatic experience, while others don’t and live a lifetime of depression and must undergo intense therapy. In Melinda’s case, she finds redemption by talking to her parents and the guidance counselor, and putting her faith into her teachers, friends, and her art project at school. Because rape can affect anybody anywhere, everyone should be aware of the circumstances, and how to deal with it.

Analysis Of Speak By Laurie Anderson

Laurie Anderson also used allusions while describing Melinda’s trauma. “IT sees me. IT smiles and winks. Good thing my lips are stitched together or I'd throw up.” (Anderson 96). The book Maya Angelou is written by a girl who was once raped. The experience is similar between Melinda and Angelou. The audience may not fully understand what Melinda was thinking during that time, but the book, Maya Angelou, fully describes the life of a raped girl which gave us a fuller understanding of the situation that Melinda was dealing with. She also used the archetype of darkness, when Melinda was raped, it was night time. Darkness represents Chaos, emblem of bad judgment and destruction, for instance, Melinda was raped in the darkness. This word should give the readers a clear “foreshadowing” of what will happen next.

The Third And Final Continent

Symbolism is utilized to advance the theme of Speak and The Third and Final Continent. Each of these literary works uses some type of symbolism as a way to develop their theme. Notably, in Speak, talking is used as a symbol of Melinda’s progress in moving past her rape. For example, in the beginning of the novel, the author wrote, “It is easier not to say anything. Shut your trap, button your lip, can it. All that crap you hear on TV about communication and expressing yourself is a lie. Nobody really wants to hear what you have to say” (Halse Anderson 9). Explicitly stated, Melinda is bitter about her trauma, and (at this point) is far from moving past what had happened; she refuses to even acknowledge that speaking up about her rape could help. In contrast, during a scene towards the end of the novel, when Melinda’s rapist, Andy, is once again trying to

Related Topics

• English-language films
• High school

by Laurie Halse Anderson

Speak speak, the book vs. speak, the movie, about the movie.

Speak the film was produced independently and released in 2004. Film production occured over a period of only 21 days in Columbus, Ohio. Anderson visited the set during filiming and appears in one scene as a lunchlady serving potatos. The film stars Kristen Stewart as Melinda, Eric Lively as Andy Evans , Allison Siko as Heather , and Hallee Hirsh as Rachel .The movie's tagline was "The Truth Will Change Everything."

Top 10 Differences Between the Book and the Movie

1) The movie takes place in the Midwest, not in Syracuse, New York.

2) The mascot only changes once in the movie, from Trojan to Hornet.

3) Melinda meets Heather on the school bus in the movie, not in the cafeteria.

4) In the movie, Melinda is raped in Andy's car, not outside of the party.

5) When Melinda is struck by mashed potatos in the movie, it is portrayed as purposeful, instead of accidental.

6) Mr. Neck and David Petrakis only argue once in the film, and David does not hire a lawyer

7) In the film Melinda cuts class only once and goes straight to the hospital.

8)Melinda does not send Rachel a warning note in the film. Instead, she only approaches her in person.

9) Andy does not attempt to rape Melinda a second time in the film. He just physically assaults her.

10) In the film, Melinda's final confession is to her mother, not to Mr. Freeman .

Laurie Halse Anderson on The Film

"The movie is very faithful to the book, but obviously, some things had to be cut. If they had filmed the whole book, it would have been a twelve-hour movie."

"I was on the set for a couple days, with my oldest daughter, Stephanie. It was a very moving, fun experience for both of us. The cast and crew were sweet, though I found that whenever Mr. Neck walked in the room, my stomach started to hurt."

"One unknown actress gave a stunning, if brief, performance in her role as The Lunch Lady Who Puts Mashed Potatoes on the Plate. Yes, folks, that was me."

"I love the movie. A lot. Jessica did a fantastic job. She had a budget of one million dollars....one camera, and three weeks to make the movie...The air conditioning in the building had to be turned off because the noise messed up the sound recording. A record-breaking thunderstorm opened up holes in the school's roof--over the room that held all the electrical boxes--and they lost power for a day. I have no idea how Jessica pulled it off, but she did."

Speak Questions and Answers

The Question and Answer section for Speak is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.

What aspect of The Scarlet Letter does Hairwoman seem obsessed with?

Hairwoman is obsessed with the symbolism in The Scarlet Letter.

How is Mr. Freeman keeping track of grades in his art class?

Mr. Frreman doesn't give grades, but rather, evaluates his students' work and paints his evaluations in a list on the wall.

what problems are people having with mr.freemans assignment? what advice does he give to help them? from pages 20-26

Mr. Freeman's assignment is rather abstract. He wants students to pick an object that metaphorically speaks to the person who views it. I think Mr. Freeman tells them to listen to themselves.

Study Guide for Speak

Speak study guide contains a biography of Laurie Halse Anderson, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

• About Speak
• Speak Summary
• Character List

Essays for Speak

Speak essays are academic essays for citation. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson.

• The Power of Words: A Speak Analysis
• From Wishbones to Wings: The Symbolism of Birds in "Speak"
• The Factors That Helped Melinda Recover
• Sexual Assault in Speak

Lesson Plan for Speak

• About the Author
• Study Objectives
• Common Core Standards
• Introduction to Speak
• Relationship to Other Books
• Bringing in Technology
• Notes to the Teacher
• Related Links
• Speak Bibliography

Wikipedia Entries for Speak

• Introduction
• Literature and film
• Organizations