Speak

 

Bibliography

Anderson, Laurie Halse. SPEAK. Square Fish, 2011. ISBN: 978-0-312-67439-7.

Plot Summary

In the book SPEAK, we follow a young girl, Melinda Sordino, through her first year in high school. But there's an issue... Right before summer ended, Melinda was sexually assaulted at a party. After calling the cops and getting the party busted, the whole school hates her. Including her friends. Struggling to navigate through all these challenges, Melinda is now outcasted and does not talk to anyone. On top of it all, her parents marriage and the entire family dynamic is not helping at all. Throughout this book, you follow Melinda's journey to find her voice again while dealing with her trauma.

Critical Analysis

Author Laurie Halse Anderson beautifully captures the brutal reality of depression, life after trauma, and the unfortunate experience of being a freshman outcast. The main character, Melinda Sordino, is entering high school who had been raped right at the end of summer. Now entering high school without her friends and the entire school hating her, the inner monologue of Melinda is able to capture the true, raw thought processes of a young teen who feels alone. 

At the end of the book, I was quite upset about the many minor plot holes. Reading the "Author Notes" section completely changed my feeling about this. Anderson discusses how she did not feel like writing more to the story she had already written. Pondering on this a bit, I can't help but agree. Keeping situations like her conversation with her former best friend, life after telling her truth, or her parents’ reaction unwritten, allows for sexual assault victims' perception of what life is like after speaking out to not be set in stone. If there were many happy endings to this story, I think it would give a false sense of reality to those who can relate to Melinda's story. 

Review Excerpts

"In a stunning first novel, Anderson uses keen observations and vivid imagery to pull readers into the head of an isolated teenager. . . . Will leave readers touched and inspired ." Publishers Weekly, starred review.

"An uncannily funny book even as it plumbs the darkness, Speak will hold readers from first word to last." The Horn Book, starred review.

Accolades for Speak : New York Times Bestseller Publishers Weekly Bestseller Michael L. Printz Honor

Connections

SPEAK can be used in a high school class during a unit discussing types of voices in narrators. Anderson's writing allows for Melinda's voice to change at moments, which students can analyze to point out Melinda's feelings and important events in the story. Although there is a giant conflict within this story, I don't believe it would be a good novel for a unit about problem-solving. This is due to the fact of the many minor plot holes in the story.