Commentary on Speak Essay

In the novel Speak, by Laurie Halse Anderson, Melinda Sordino is the protagonist who was raped and traumatized in a summer party. She was unable to speak as she became emotionally distressed. She struggled in school as she was not focused and her relationship with other people changed negatively ."When people don't express themselves, they die one piece at a time." p122. The essence of the story is about secrets and what it can do to a person. Moreover how keeping the wrong secrets can destroy a persons self well being. In addition the truth will set you free and that the longer you hide it the harder it can be exposed.

Melinda Sordino, is raped during the summer before the start of her freshman year in high school by Andy Evans, a popular senior. Melinda calls the police and the party is stop to a halt. When the people from the party find out she called the police she begins her freshman year as an outcast. She befriended only one girl, named Heather who was a new student from another state who was unaware of what had happened during the summer. Melinda was like a bunny rabbit who feared the wolf, who was Andy Evans. She feared him and was in constant struggle to avoid him. Furthermore she was struggling in school both academically and socially. Melinda would refer to herself as a wounded zebra. She felt, she was haunted by her teachers, and Andy Evans. Melindas best class was in art. She was assigned a tree artwork and taught it would it be easy, but she later discovered its complexity. The tree represented herself as a person. The tree she illustrated was lifeless, just as she felt emotionally. But as she developed, her tree artwork mirrored her gradual growth.

When one of her former friends, Rachel started dating Andy Evans, Melinda tried to to convince her to end their relationship, but in return Rachel taught Melinda was jealous of her status. Andy Evans finds out about what had happened and he confronted Melinda. He then attempted to rape Melinda again, but Melinda fought back and held a piece of glass to his neck. She yells I SAID NO! at the top of her voice until she was heard by Nicole, her former friend and the rest of the Lacrosse team to aid her. Melinda transitioned from being a lifeless tree to a healthy tree filled with life. Her actions have released her from the suffering she had to endure. She has overcome her challenges by standing up for herself.

Melinda Sordino, has changed from a a broken instrument to a symphony. Furthermore she has treated her emotional wounds by speaking and letting the truth free. In addition, Melinda has evolved to a better person because now her experiences in life are abundant. She now understands the lives of different people because she experienced both popularity and loneliness. She was in fear before when she taught that everyone was against her, but as soon as she opened her story, she discovered she was loved. She felt sorrow for herself and hated joy after she was raped but she had the courage to do whats right. Furthermore she was like a wounded zebra and a bunny rabbit because she was prey to predators around her. In addition despite her circumstances she still gave hope to life and she availed in the end.

The essence of the story is about secrets and what it can do to a person. Moreover how keeping the wrong secrets can destroy a persons self well being. In addition the truth will set you free and that the longer you hide it the harder it can be exposed. Melindas experiences help mold the theme because even with the things that she had to go trough, she still had the courage to uphold what is right. She halted her silence and she opened up to others at the end, to help other people learn about what had happened to her. She was like a wounded zebra in a National Geographic Special. She was mistreated by people in her life. Melinda found comfort in art class where she evolved into a beautiful tree. She came from being popular girl into a outcast, but with the help and support of her Art teacher Mr. Freeman she became a better person. Melinda Sordino overcame her struggles and she turned her life to a right direction by having the courage to expose her secrets and letting the truth free.