Speak

Bibliography:

Anderson, L.H. (1999). Speak. New York: Penguin Group, 198 pp.

Genre and Awards:

Fiction

In Laurie Halse Anderson’s novel Speak, Melinda loses her voice for an entire year after being raped at a high school party. She also looses all of her friends because they think she called the police to break up their fun, not report her sexual assault.

After realizing that she won’t have any social support at school, Melinda withdraws into herself. She stops caring about her appearance and grades. She also chews on her lips and her fingernails until they bleed. This behavior troubles her busy parents, but they assume she is just going through a troubled adolescent phase.

Only three people reach out to Melinda the entire school year: her art teacher Mr. Freeman, a new girl Heather who is only friends with Melinda until she makes new friends, and David Petrakis, her lab partner who would like to be her love interest.

Melinda’s art teacher provides her some therapy via a yearlong project creating a tree. Melinda becomes more and more isolated until spring when working outdoors in her yard inspires her.

Melinda writes a message of warning about her rapist Andy Evans on the bathroom stall at school. She is validated when other girls respond with more negative comments about Andy. When Melinda finds out that her former best friend Heather is going to prom with Andy, she confides in Heather about the rape. Heather rejects Melinda and accuses her of making the rape up because she is jealous.

At prom Heather breaks up with Andy. After the next school day, Andy confronts Melinda in her janitor closet hideaway and attempts to rape her again. Melinda finally finds her voice, screams for help, and fights back. A group of Lacrosse players arrive after Melinda manages to fight off Andy and she unlocks the closet door. The lacrosse players then help keep Melinda safe from Andy.

At the end of the school year, Melinda finishes her tree project and Mr. Freeman gives her an A. The story ends as Melinda begins to “speak” her truth to Mr. Freeman.

While the content of this novel is depressing, the writing is crisp and clear. I enjoyed reading Melinda’s unique perspective. I have been out of high school for a long time and her insights on adolescent emotional development (or in her case temporary lack of development due to trauma) will be helpful when interacting with students.

I would recommend this novel for readers 13 and older for literature circles and individual reading.