Character Analysis: Speak By Laurie Halse Anderson

Have you ever had to keep a significant secret from the people you care about because you were afraid to tell them? Well, in the novel Speak, the protagonist, the protagonist Melinda Sordino has the same problem. Melinda is just about to start high school and goes to an end-of-summer party only for it to become one of the worst days of her life. That night, senior, Andy Evans rapes Melinda. Going into high school is not easy for Melinda, with the rest of the student body hating her. As the school year progresses she learns to find her voice and speak out about what happened to her. Through the novel, Melinda tries to express her mental health and longing for her friends through her thoughts, speech, and impressions. Laurie Halse Anderson first

Heather claims that they were never really friends, that their tastes are different, and that Melinda truly has no interests at all. Melinda would be told by her that she is the most depressed person she has ever met. Which leads Melinda to say, “ I was the only person who talked to you on the first day of school, and now you’re blowing me off because I'm a little depressed? Isn’t that what friends are for, to help each other out in bad times?” (106). Melinda then understands how much she valued her friendship with Heather. She claimed that Heather should be her friend despite her depression. But then Melinda realizes she wouldn't have any other "Friends" to talk to, Heather was the only person she needed as a friend. Melinda acknowledges that Heather wasn't really a good friend either, saying "She has a choice: she can hang out with me and get the reputation of being a creepy weirdo who might show up with a gun someday, or she can be a Martha—one of the girls who get good grades, do nice things, and ski well." When Melinda uses the word reputation—which refers to the general opinion that people have of a person—she realizes that Heather may have two sides to her, but that she still needs Heather as a "friend" due to the social dynamics of high school. And therefore, even though Heather may have been using Melinda as a friend

When Heather said this it led Melinda to think that maybe Heather was fake and only used her so she could have someone to talk to. Heather tells Melinda that it was really nice that Melinda befriended her at the start of school. But they really don't have much in common, and it's time they realized it. Melinda wants to say something mean to her, but she can't. Instead, she says, "You mean we're not friends anymore?" After Heather had ended their friendship Melinda realized that Heather was fake when she decided to show up to Melinda's house and reveals that she needs Melinda's assistance to complete a major task in decorating the Holiday Ballroom for prom. She offers to assist Melinda with decorating her room in return. Melinda tells Heather she won't do it. Melinda is hesitant about expressing her feeling that Heather betrayed her and deserved to fail because of it. Melinda is hesitant about expressing her feeling that Heather betrayed her and deserved to fail because of it but becomes aware of how phony she actually