Tragedy in Speak Essay

Tragedy In The Summer

Melinda Sordino Came into Merryweather High School as an outcast, but she wasnt always an outcast. In the summer she faced a traumatic incident; the terrible beast himself, Andy Evens, raped her. Through out the whole book Laurie Anderson, the author, shows a lot of symbolism showing Melindas growth. Melindas mouth, the janitors closet, and plants are some of the symbols in the book.

After the incident Melinda stopped talking completely, and caring about her appearance. To keep herself from talking when she wanted to say something, she would bite her lower lip. This caused cuts and scabs on her mouth, but nearing the end of her freshmen year she gained trust towards Mr. Freeman, her art teacher. She started talking to him, and at the very end she opens up to him, and tells him about the incident. But she didnt also trust Mr. Freeman, she trusted her lab partner David Petrakis. He is a genius, likes to challenge the teachers, and likes Melinda.

In the beginning of the school year Melinda finds this abandoned janitors closet. Melinda really connects with the closet because she too feels abandoned. She decides to bring stuff from home to make it homier, and the librarian gives her a poster of Maya Angelou. Melinda admires her so much because she too was raped, and stopped talking completely for a very long time. As the year goes on, and Melinda is growing further and further she doesnt feel the need to go to her abandoned closet anymore. Then at the end she leaves it behind her, so another outcast can come along and find it and hopefully have it do great wonders for them.

Ms. Keen, Melindas biology teacher, teaches the students about plants. Melinda thinks its really cool because she feels as though plants are just like humans. To just get the plant to grow you have to plant it just right, or else it will never make it or have troubles surviving. If the seed is planted too deep, it doesnt warm up at the right time. Plant it too close to the surface, and a crow eats it. If a baby gets born before the due date it can still be undeveloped. Even if the seed manages to sprout, it can be killed just like all the bad things in the world can overwhelm a kid. Also Melinda understands that a seed needs to blossom to produce more seeds. In the book she tries and implies that to herself by speaking for herself more.

From the cuts and scabs on Melindas mouth to the cool things about plants she learned in biology Laurie shows a lot of symbolism in the book. Through each symbol she portrays Melindas growth. Leaving the best for last when Melinda opens up to Mr. Freeman and tells him her story on what happened. She went from refusing to say anything to telling someone her life story.