Speak

Anderson, L. H. (1999). Speak. NY: Penguin. Melinda is a 14 year girl entering her first day of high school.  Over the summer she became an outcast. Everything about her is different; her hair, her clothes, and attitude. Life wasn’t always different for Melinda. Something happened at a party over the summer that made her friends turn against her. The only thing that she enjoys is art class. Very few people talk to her. Most ignore her or bully her. She has an almost non-existent relationship with her parents. Melinda is very alone. The novel follows her through the entire freshman school year. Is the last portion of the book we learn that Melinda was raped by a classmate that continues to taunt her. She finally stands up to him and gains back the confidence she lost during that difficult year.  Truly, Melinda turned against herself. She was a fun loving and confident girl that let the rapist win and she turned into herself and let all her friends believe she was just the “rat” that got them all in trouble for having a party. This book is perfect for the high school age. Melinda struggles with her emotional development. Something terrible happened to her, but she struggles with finding the courage to tell someone about it. She finds it easier to allow everyone to hate her than to tell the truth that the reason she called the cops was because she was raped. She even allows the boy to taunt and bully her. Ultimately, she finds her voice and uses it.