To install StudyMoose App tap and then “Add to Home Screen”
Save to my list
Remove from my list
“There are over 321,500 victims of sexual assault each year in the United States”(Rainn.org). In the book Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson the main protagonist is afraid to speak the truth. Melinda, a 14-year-old girl was raped under the trees at a party just before freshman year. In the book “Speak” you witness the struggles she faces throughout freshman year and how she deals with them. A depressed teen, a well-developed internal conflict, and a universal theme make speak a book that all young mature teens will enjoy.
Melinda Sordino was portrayed as a depressed insecure teen.
In the book Speak she feels out of place and feels she doesn’t belong anywhere. At one point she says, ”I’m an outcast”(4). Melinda has the “wrong hair, the wrong clothes, and the wrong attitude. She doesn’t have any friends coming into freshman year and everyone picks on her for calling the cops at a senior party. Her feeling like an outcast can also explain why she won't speak up.
Verified writer
Proficient in: Action Speak Louder Than Words
4.7 (657)
“ Really polite, and a great writer! Task done as described and better, responded to all my questions promptly too! ”
“There is a beast in my gut”(81). Melinda is scared to tell people that she was raped. This makes her depressed as the beast “...Is scraping away at the inside of my ribs”(81).
One trait that makes Speak a great book for all young mature teens is its well-developed plot and internal conflict. Melinda faces many problems such as bullying, her own insecurities, and the rapist who lurks the halls. “800 girls in this school and he finds me”(150). Melinda is scared to see him, she is afraid of what he might do to her or anyone else.
Only Melinda knows the truth about him and is scared to tell people what he is capable of. By the end of the book, she wants to take revenge on Andy Evans for what he did. “I want to slice off his head, I want to hear him scream”(362). This shows that Melinda is now not scared to fight back and she can face her fears.
Another trait that makes Speak a great book is its Universal theme. You can learn to speak out about any problems in your life. Such as being raped like Melinda. “...A guy raped me”(331). Melinda is starting to learn the benefits of speaking out about her problems. She is starting to trust more people and actually starting to talk. “Let me tell you about it”(372). Melinda finally realizes the good that can come from speaking out.
In conclusion, Speak is a wonderful book that all young mature teens will love. The complex characters, mature plot, and its universal theme really make the book worthwhile. You can learn so much from just reading a book. Speak dives into many realistic problems such as depression, anxiety, and rape. I hope that readers will enjoy this book as much as I did,
Fear of Speaking the Truth Under Threat of Death. (2021, Dec 08). Retrieved from https://studymoose.com/fear-of-speaking-the-truth-under-threat-of-death-essay
👋 Hi! I’m your smart assistant Amy!
Don’t know where to start? Type your requirements and I’ll connect you to an academic expert within 3 minutes.
get help with your assignment
