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Long-Term Tragedy In Speak

343 Words2 Pages
In Speak, the author uses conflict to each the reader that tragic events have long-term tragedies. The author teaches the reader that tragic events have long-term tragedies when Melinda states,“I am Outcast”. Melinda was raped at a party and when she called the police, she was in so much shock, she couldn't say anything. By the time the police got there, everyone knew she called them. At the beginning of school started Melinda lost all of her friends and everyone hated her, and she also developed depression because of what happened to her. She could not tell anyone what happened to her; she was scared. The theme for this story is don’t blame the victim, it’s never the victims fault. We can’t blame the victim for the perpetrator’s fault. Teenagers
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But no one knows why she called the police because she keeps the rape secret from everyone. She is constantly getting ignored and she is constantly scared and nervous so she needs to find a place to hide and keep all of her problems locked

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On a seemingly emotional high after attending a high school party as a rising freshman, Melinda’s world got turned upside down when she was taken advantage of by a popular senior jock. Along with the pain of the trauma itself, Melinda was reminded of her terrible ordeal each time she came in contact with Andy: “I want to throw up and I can smell him and I run and he remembers and he knows. He whispers in my ear” (Anderson 86). When Andy encroached on her sanctuary in the art room and destroyed her work, Melinda shut down and locked herself in her closet, where she “stuffed [her] mouth with old fabric and screamed until there were no sounds left under [her] skin” (Anderson 162). While interactions with others could incite her anxiety and feelings of depression, continued encounters with her rapist further aggravated Melinda.

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and she didn’t talk to anyone. Melinda has been trying to overcome her trauma since the start of her freshman year but she hasn't been able to find the courage to overcome it until the end of the year. The book Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson is about a girl named Melinda that had a traumatic experience at a party during the summer because of this Melinda has a hard time making friends going into the 9th grade. Melinda is also conflicted about her individuality and questions if she can trust anyone with being herself.

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Melinda also exhibits self-loathing tendencies by avoiding mirrors and by engaging in negative self-talk. This aspect of the novel will allow for the reader to relate to how Melinda is dealing with the situation, but also to self-identify how they are dealing with their situation differently. The decline in Melinda’s functioning is quite extensive; she stops engaging in conversation and her hygiene, school work and attendance plummet. Here, the reader is shown how extensive the effects trauma can have in someone’s life and allows them to learn about it in a private setting without the pressure of speaking about what has happened to them

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Melinda avoids talking about her assault as she is struggling with feelings of guilt, shame and fear, fear of being judged or not believed if she tells someone about what happened to her. Melinda is haunted by the memory of her rape which contributes to her decision to keep her assault a secret. Therefore,with Melindas

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Drunk, dazed and violated she called the police on the huge party she was at. She soon developed a case of post traumatic stress disorder. Melinda became closed off and stopped talking. She never told anyone about her rape. All of her old friends rejected her after the call to the police.

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