In honor of this anniversary, and in conjunction with april being sexual assault awareness. This is how the character melinda completely isolates herself from her surroundings when. This is a gritty, powerful book that teachers and parents could use to launch a number of discussions. However, rachel does, in fact, listen to melindas story. This novel takes place inside her head as she goes about her public and private life. The summer before starting high school, she was raped by a senior student, andy evans. Since shes also the narrator, everything we learn about the other characters is filtered through her. In the book speak, one of the biggest conflicts is when melinda was at a summer party. She also does poorly in school, and doesnt socialize very easily with other students. What are some character traits of melinda in speak.
Find out how melinda gates met her husband, microsoft founder bill gates. Melinda, the main character in the book, called the police at a huge party right before the start of her high school career. Why do you think melinda tells us about the apple orchard. At the party there was drinking and drugs but the worst part was when melinda got raped by andy evans. Melinda is ostracized by her fellow classmates and old friends because she called the cops while at an endofsummer party. Freemans last name work on a symbolic level in speak. At the party, melinda feels uncomfortable and out of place. Hes in melindas social studies class and is her lab partner in biology. What are some character traits of melinda in the book speak. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Speak deals with underage drinking, bullying, selfmutilation, and sexual assault. The character of rachel bruin in speak from litcharts. Maya angelou goes went though a lot of the same problems. The character of rachel bruin in speak from litcharts the creators of sparknotes.
Every girl going into high school needs to read this book. In the book, speak the main character melinda goes though a lot during the summer of 8th grade and the start of her freshman year in high school. Only two people know the real reason behind melindas call to the police on the night of the big bash. Shes only fourteenyearsold, and shes dealing with one of the worst things that can happen to a person.
I have watched the movie, which didnt contain this scene, probably because the actress who played melinda had been very young to do such a thing in a movie. Melinda is very perceptive and bright, but her vision is sometimes clouded by her suffering. Melinda sordino is the main character of the book speak. Melinda mel sordino is the main character and narrator of laurie halse andersons 1999 novel speak. What are some character traits of melinda in speak melindas character traits. To see if melinda overcomes this tragedy you must read speak by laurie halse anderson. She is friendless, outcast, because she busted an endofsummer party by calling the cops, so now nobody will talk to her, let alone listen to her. Speak is the narrative of a young outcast, melinda sordino, who spends most of her freshman year of high school in silence. In the book speak, what are 3 things melinda sordino loves. He is the main antagonist of the book, and spends much of the narrative harassing melinda in various subtle but menacing ways. Melinda sordino begins her freshman year at merryweather high school in. The remainder of the student body dislikes her for being a snitch. There was drinking and drugs at the party, but this isnt the reason melinda decided to crash the party.
Get an answer for what major incident happened to melinda in speak. Book summary melinda sordino begins her freshman year at merryweather high school in syracuse, new york, with a heavy secret weighing on her. None of her former friends or would be friends can help her. The fact that anderson leaves out a basic understanding of. What are some examples of depression in the book speak by laurie halse anderson. In the novel speak by laurie halse anderson, melinda sordino is entering her first year of high school. Speak study guide contains a biography of laurie halse anderson, literature. Speak up for yourselfwe want to know what you have to say. After melinda calls the police at a party in august, her former friend group ditches her and disintegrates. She learns that the only way to counter evil is to speak out against it. The nonverbal communication of melinda in laurie halse.
She is terribly unhappy, because she is the victim of a vicious rape, and so spends her entire ninthgrade year trying to come to terms with what happened. Speak tells the story of melinda sordino, a ninth grader at merryweather high school in syracuse, new york. Her abuse has made her cynical, though she is very secretive about it. Ever since she called 911 from a teen party, melinda has quieted her voice, literally and figuratively. Some highflying facts about the ninth wonder of the universe, which is about to get a liveaction remake. The novel begins on melindas first day in high school. Although she and melinda used to be best friends, rachel now hates melinda, believing like the other students at their high school that melinda called the police on a summer party in order to get others in trouble, when really she was attempting to. In the third making period, things continue to get worse for melinda, who is. Melinda sordino melinda is the protagonist of speak. Over the summer, she and her friends went to a party and melinda ended up calling the police, causing her friends and everyone at the party to socially reject her. But melinda cannot speak about her pain, and, consequently, the adults in the novel tend to see her as arrogant and. Melinda sordino she is a sophomore in merryweather high school, syracuse, new york.
It is a wonderful book on a really terrible topic that manages to keep a sense of humor while simultaneously horrifying the reader. She is friendless, outcast, because she busted an endofsummer party by. However, it is clear by the end of the novel that melinda, not heather, will. The author of speak, laurie halse anderson, positions the main character melinda very clearly towards communication in the beginning of the book with the following. Its not clear how much david suspects about melindas problems, but it seems likely hes aware things arent right with her. From the first moment of her freshman year at merryweather high, melinda knows this is a big fat lie, part of the nonsense of high school. The cliques and social groups or clans at her school disgust her, a fact which she makes well known through her narration. After what had happened she called the cops and a lot of people got arrested for under aged drinking and taking drugs. Despite his friendly facade, he also has a terrible reputation at school. Why do you think melindas best friends from middle school turned against her immediately rather. Its fifteen years since laurie halse andersons young adult novel speak was first published.
Speak is an enduring novel that has a significant place in ya fictions history, and anderson herself has been a champion of ya lit, as well as a champion of those who advocate on behalf of ya readers. Well, perhaps we can come up to a conclusion if we follow the personality traits of melinda gates, the most powerful and possibly the most humble woman of the world. This shows that melinda absolutely hates the way she looks. In the book, speak by laurie halse anderson, a young girl, melinda, who used to be a popular girl is now an outcast. I would categorize the students of merryweather high school as the foreign exchange kids, the goths, the cheerleaders, the artists, the marthas, jocks, country clubbers, and those who are clanless. Thanks she posts many failed drawings of her tree and the turkey bone sculpture this represents her true self and her passion for art. How did they express melindas feelings in the book speak. She is very observant and notices every small detail. Melinda, a high school freshman, is the protagonist in laurie halse andersons speak. She puts the poster up because maya angelou was also raped and an outcast, so she feels empathy with. From the first moment of her freshman year at merryweather high, melinda knows that this is a big fat lie, part of the nonsense of high school. She only finds it when its needed to prevent a reoccurrence of the same horror. Book summary over the summer, she and her friends went to a party and melinda ended up calling the police, causing her friends and everyone at the party to socially reject her. Speak study guide contains a biography of laurie halse anderson.
Trace melindas personal growth over the course of the novel. She used to be very social, outgoing, and loved until one night at a party. Speak, published in 1999, is a young adult novel by laurie halse anderson that tells the story of high school freshman melinda sordino. Melinda does not attempt suicide, but this scene demonstrates the depth of her emotional pain and also reveals the likeability of melinda, who despite her difficulties, displays an ironic, subtle humor throughout the book. It might seem strange to call a national book award finalist and new york times bestselling author underrated, but in the case of laurie halse. She is 15 years old and is beginning her freshman year at merryweather high school. Accurate descriptions of the minutiae of high school will appeal to any teen who has felt like an outsider, and when melinda is finally able to speak, readers will rejoice in her triumphs. Get an answer for how did they express melindas feelings in the book speak. What book does melinda read on halloween instead of going trickortreating. In the first section, what are the signs that melinda has experienced a trauma. Speak by laurie halse anderson about the book speak up for yourself we want to know what you have to say.
Why did the school board decide to change the school mascot from the trojans to the blue devils. But the most apparent question is how does she lead such a hectic life with so much grace. Speak study guide answer each question with a complete sentence. She is frustrated with herself, so she gets up and takes down the mirror and puts it somewhere where she knows, she will never see herself. Speak is set in syracuse, new york, in the specific neighborhood and schoolmerryweather high schoolof melinda sordino in the present day character list. When did melinda get raped in speak by laurie halse. When did melinda get raped in speak by laurie halse anderson.
As you read the first section of speak list reasons why you believe she might be feeling this way. Character list and analysis melinda sordino melinda, a high school freshman, is the protagonist in laurie halse andersons speak. He was the most popular guy in their school, he was dating melinda. Melinda discovers an abandoned janitors closet at school, and she converts it a homeawayfrom home. Including being raped, being verbally abused by her parents, and her friends start to hate her. David is a brainiac and one of the few people who treats melinda decently. The first sign of depression in speak is melindas insistence on being alone. When does melinda find the janitors closet in speak. According to don latham, melindas aversion to her reflection illustrates acknowledgement of her fragmented identity. The character of andy evans in speak from litcharts the. After facing the fact that she was raped, melinda begins to recover from the. She is so traumatized that it affects her family life, her friendships, and she begins withdraws into her self.
Freemans art class, which will be the silver lining in the cloud that is her school life. Melinda starts her freshman year at merryweather high with no friends and a terrible secret. Speak summary speak tells the story of melinda sordino, a ninth grader at merryweather high school in syracuse, new york. At the end of the school year, melinda completes her art project and tells her art teacher, mr. Why does melinda view david as a hero in the book speak. The shattering of the mirror, and the use of one of its broken shards to. In the last chapter of the novel, melinda sits in mr. Discussionwriting guide for speak, by laurie anderson.
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