Analysis Of Speak By Laurie Halse Anderson

Not many English and Language Arts classes use contemporary novels and literature as part of their curriculum. Speak, by Laurie Halse Anderson, is a novel that has been and continues to be used in classrooms throughout the country whether it is in middle school or high school. This novel discusses issues that adolescents face in high school, which can help prepare early adolescents for what they need to know. The novel portrays real challenges that adolescent’s face. It presents an honest, real portrayal of experiences that occur in adolescence. Teens do not have the opportunity to learn about the harsh realities of adolescence when adults are not being honest and exposing them to the issues that some teens face. Reading and discussing these

Due to the events that occurred the summer before her freshmen year, Melinda’s whole world turned upside down. After being raped at a party, and calling the police, she becomes hated by everyone. She doesn’t tell anyone about what happened to her, not even her parents. She is completely alone, both at school and at home. She struggles to cope with her rape, but it eats at her and starts to affect how she sees herself and life in general. Her grades are plummeting, she skips class, and she loses all sense of purpose. The only class she seems to tolerate is art class. This is where she seems to show her pain through the art she creates and where she is able to come to terms with what she is feeling and experiencing. This is where she feels safe and regains her voice (Anderson

For example, one of the characters that used to be Melinda’s best friend starts to take on different languages and becomes part of the foreign exchange student’s clique. She changes her name, how she dresses, how she speaks, etc. This character changes who she used to be and decides to try and fit in with the popular crowd. These are all experiences that adolescents face during this time. It is very relevant because there are so many changes and transformations those teens face and sometimes they lose friends, as Melinda did, or they themselves are the ones who want to change who they