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Isolation In Laura Halse Anderson's Speak

988 Words4 Pages

“Speak up, because the day you don’t speak up for the things that matter to you is the day your freedom truly ends”. Speak up when you have the change because if you don’t you will end up like me . I lied to my mom about doing something. I know, everybody as lied to their parents. But she’s a mom so when I lied to her she already knew I did it. It was no point of lying. Your mom is always smarter than you. That’s why she is the mom and you’re the kid. That’s why you don’t lie, that’s why you need to find the strength to speak up. For this reason that’s what Laura Halse Anderson’s novel, speak , focuses on the idea of finding the strength to speak up, this theme is demonstrated in how the main character was isolated by her peers, isolated herself, and finally , in the metaphor of the tree. Melinda was isolated by her friends because of one night. Ever wonder how different your life would be if that one thing never happened ? On page 72 in chapter winter break, the author states “What had they …show more content…

Like many isolated people, they were wrapped up in themselves and not too interested in the world outside. Charles Frazier once said “people who are isolated interest me,whether they isolate themselves or have been isolated by circumstances.” The inner thought coming from the heart represents the real motives and desires. These are the cause of action . The tree metaphor is speaking her voice and inner thoughts without her having to speak up. Melinda needs to confess what happened at Kyle Rodger’s party the only way she finds the courage to speak up. She write a note to Rachel explaining about the night of the party. She doesn’t believe her into the very end of the book. I wonder what made her change her mind ? You should read the book to find

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She is starting to appear more content with herself even though she still hasn’t been able to tell anyone happened yet. “I’m on a roll, I’m rocking… The time time has come to arm-wrestle some demons. Too much sun after a Syracuse winter does strange things to your head, makes you feel strong, even if you aren’t (Anderson 180).” She is able to talk to Rachel during their study hall, they pass notes so they won’t get in trouble with the librarian. Rachel tells Melinda she isn’t mad at her about calling the cops to the party anymore, since it was such a long time ago.

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280 Words | 2 Pages

In Speak Laurie Halse Anderson uses trees to represent Melinda's emotional growth throughout the novel. At this point of the story she has just been raped and is feeling depressed and alone and it makes her feel “diseased”. “My last tree looks like it died from some fungal infection”(92). At the start of the story she’s in a bad place because she feels that she can't tell anybody about what happened because they might not have a positive output on the things she has been through. When she starts school, everybody hates her for what she did at the party and it makes her feel unwanted.

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At the end of the story she finally found her voice and was able to stand up for herself. In the beginning, Melinda didn't talk to anyone, barely even to her parents. She says, “I have tried so hard to forget every second of that stupid party and here I am in the middle of a hostile crowd that hates me for what I had to do. I can't tell them what really happened” (Anderson, 28).

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