Speak Response to Literature
“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 feelings is a lie. Nobody really wants to hear what you have to say.” (Speak. Pg. 9, Paragraph 4.) Everyone at some point in their lives have felt that terrifying feeling of dejection, sorrow, anger, frustration and pain. Whether it is an action done by one or an action done by others, there is always the fear of being judged, to which people decide it is best if they don’t talk their problems with others. Melinda used to be a serene, sweet loving girl that loved to play sports and had a good relationship with her parents and friends, but suddenly, as she started her first high school year, she skips days of school, drop her grades and feels completely empty. The tones of fear and relief in Speak, by Laurie Halse Anderson reflect an inner growth presented by the main character when she overcomes the challenging and devastating condition of being sexually abused.
The foreshadowing presented several times in the story reinforces the mystery and the intrigue in the reader as it discovers and resolves the conflict and causes of it. In the beginning of the book, Melinda expresses what she has “been dreading”; she is the “Outcast” and the only person “in the entire galaxy [she is] dying to tell what really happened” (Pg. 3, Paragraph 3; Pg. 4, Paragraph 2.) and whom she trusted all her life, Rachelle, Melinda’s best friend until 8th grade, hates her to death. For this reason the reader can infer that something inconveniently awful occurred since there is a very sudden shift in their friendship that caused not only their total isolation, but also, feelings of anger and resentment. The author does this to emphasize a sense of interest, charm and curiosity as a hook to capture the reader’s attention from the beginning to build up the plot in the story. Equally, later on in the book, there is a shocking event when Melinda gets trapped
The foreshadowing presented several times in the story reinforces the mystery and the intrigue in the reader as it discovers and resolves the conflict and causes of it. In the beginning of the book, Melinda expresses what she has “been dreading”; she is the “Outcast” and the only person “in the entire galaxy [she is] dying to tell what really happened” (Pg. 3, Paragraph 3; Pg. 4, Paragraph 2.) and whom she trusted all her life, Rachelle, Melinda’s best friend until 8th grade, hates her to death. For this reason the reader can infer that something inconveniently awful occurred since there is a very sudden shift in their friendship that caused not only their total isolation, but also, feelings of anger and resentment. The author does this to emphasize a sense of interest, charm and curiosity as a hook to capture the reader’s attention from the beginning to build up the plot in the story. Equally, later on in the book, there is a shocking event when Melinda gets trapped
Bibliography: Halse Anderson, Laurie. Speak. New York: Penguin Group, 2009. Print.