Figurative Language In Speak By Laurie Halse Anderson

“To produce a mighty book, you must choose a mighty theme.” These were historic words from author Herman Melville. The novel Speak contains the powerful theme of communicating to others even when it may be hard, making Speak a mighty book. In Laurie Halse Anderson’s novel Speak, she describes the life of a freshman in highschool, Melinda Sordino, who has been raped the summer before the school year. She refused to tell her friends that she was raped at the party they were attending, so all of her friends saw her as a whistle blower. Toward the beginning of the novel, Melinda appears to have no real friends at her side. However, she slowly begins to open up to people such as her art teacher Mr. Freeman and her old friend Ivy, showing the power

The effective use of figurative language in the novel helps readers picture an object setting, or character in their mind. As an example, the author states, “The leaves stick together like floppy pages in a decomposing book” (166). This simile paints a clear picture of the leaves in Melinda’s yard. The ability for a reader to clearly see what the author is depicting unequivocally shows that Speak is enjoyable and quality writing. In addition, the author effectively uses descriptive imagery in the novel. For example, in one passage the author states, “The turkey-bone sculpture gives off a faint rotting odor” (151). This is just one of the many examples of sensory detail which make the novel move enjoyable. The combination of figurative language and descriptive imagery in the novel makes it both able to be understood easily and enjoyable for

The novel is divided into four marking periods which follow a high school schedule. In the first marking period of the novel, Melinda is very depressed and derogatory towards herself. She speaks to almost no one and has a negative outlook on life. She even states, “There is no point in looking for my ex-friends” (3). Melinda has no ambition to go and talk to her old friends, or explain her side of the story for what occurs the summer prior to the school year. Throughout the story, the author foreshadows and hints that something tragic happens to Melinda at a party she attends in the summer. It is eventually revealed that Melinda is raped and that is why she called the police to the scene, and in the eyes of her friends crashes the party. However, her friends have no idea that she is raped and just believe she felt scared and called the police. In the first marking period, Melinda begins to open up to a teacher named Mr. Freeman. Mr. Freeman is Melinda’s art teacher. He gives his students a project in which his students must create a work of art that has emotion. Melinda is assigned with constructing a tree that expressions a certain emotion. Through her art project she is able to express herself and begins to open up to people. “I take out a page of notebook paper and a pen and doodle a