Effective Use Of Themes In Speak By Laurie Halse Anderson

We go through many stages in life, and they are both great and horrible. Our voices have the power to help us. In the novel, Speak, by Laurie Halse Anderson, the central idea is to use your voice and speak up against your trauma. Anderson used metaphors and external conflicts the character, Melinda Sordino, had as she struggled life in high school, freshman year. Anderson used those to show how Melinda felt throughout her first year of high school.
Everyone needs to find the endurance to express themselves when they go through trauma, and Anderson had Melinda express herself through art, as well as comparing herself to others, and having conflicts with others. “Mr. Freeman: “This has meaning. Pain.” The bell rings. I leave before he can say more.” (Wishbone) Mr. Freeman is Melinda’s

Melinda compares herself to the tree she’s created. The tree she created represents her depression as each branch impersonates her loneliness, weakness, and being overlooked . She used her art class to express how she felt instead of telling others, which helped Mr. Freeman realize Melinda is going through something. “We communicate with notes on the kitchen counter.” (Home. Work.) Melinda did not speak when she was at home, her parents and she communicated through notes at home, and this shows that Melinda's parents realized she wouldn’t speak, but doesn’t know why, and that was their only way of communicating with her. “Me:”I said no.” He nods. Someone is pounding on the door. I unlock it, and the door swings open.” (Prey) After Melinda was brave enough to tell Rachel that her boyfriend had raped her at a party, it spread around to the whole school, and the rapist, Andy Evans, went to assault Melinda again in the janitor closet. Melinda stabbed him in the neck after getting attacked again, and that’s when she finally spoke up to him and did something