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Summary Of Speak By Laurie Halse Anderson

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Speak was written in 1999 by Laurie Halse Anderson. The book is about Melinda, a freshman just starting high school. Melinda starts school off with no friends, she lost the ones she had over the summer. A traumatic event causes Melinda to shut everyone out, and not speak to anyone. Growing up usually takes time, but Melinda is rushed into maturity too soon and must help others do the same. Melinda is forced to grow quickly because she goes through a traumatic incident at a party. We learn about what happened that night in Third Marking Period, A Night to Remember. In middle school, Melinda was best friends with Rachel Bruin. Over the summer, Rachel was invited to a high school party, and took Melinda and a couple of other friends with her. …show more content…

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. Now that Melinda has confirmation that Rachel isn’t mad anymore, she’s able to tell her why she actually called the cops. Rachel seems genuinely concerned and asks Melinda who raped her. When Melinda tells her that is was Andy Evans, who Rachel “loves”, Rachel yells at her calling her a liar and leaves Melinda alone in the library. Ivy spots Melinda at the end of the day and takes her to the bathroom to see the stall Melinda wrote on. Under where Melinda wrote Andy’s name of Guys to Stay Away From, there’s multiple girls agreeing with her, calling him a monster, and saying call the cops. On the day after prom, which Andy and Rachel went to together, we find out Rachel broke up with Andy because he wouldn’t stop groping her. Andy finds out that Melinda told Rachel that he raped her, he traps Melinda in a closet and attempts to hurt again. This time Melinda is able to shout no and breaks a mirror, holding a glass shard to Andy’s neck. The lacrosse team finds the two and Melinda finally gets help and everyone understands her

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