Summary Of Speak By Laurie Halse Anderson

Authors often hide important motifs within the characters and plot of a novel. This enables them to give the plot a deeper meaning than what is seen on the surface. In Speak, Laurie Halse Anderson uses the seasons to represent Melinda’s changing emotional state. Her emotional issues are first introduced in the autumn, when Melinda is beginning to close herself off. Her troubles increase and her emotional state deteriorates throughout the winter. A significant change can be seen in spring, when Melinda finally sees potential in herself and decides to speak up. Anderson represents Melinda’s emotional state in the novel by changing the way she acts and responds in relation to the seasons. Melinda’s emotional state begins to decline throughout

Melinda has quickly reached an all-time low in her self-esteem in Marking Period 2, representing the long and harsh winters of the setting in Syracuse, New York. Melinda has almost reached a state of depression at this point in the novel. Her unhappiness can be shown through her attitude and word choice when she says, “It is getting harder to talk. My throat is always sore, my lips raw… I want to leave, transfer, warp myself to another galaxy… Even if I dump the memory, it will stay with me, staining me” (Anderson 50-51). It is evident that Melinda’s emotional state in this quote reflects the silence and sadness of winter. Like hibernation in winter, Melinda now spends most of her time hiding in her closet. This is similar to the way green grass and trees are hidden under a layer of snow. She has buried herself so deep in her troubles, and she thinks this winter will never end. Melinda constantly uses the cold weather and snow as an excuse to hide away and ignore her problems, which connects her attitude to the characteristics of

In the 3rd and 4th Marking Periods, Melinda seems relieved that she has made it through winter and she starts to see potential in herself in the spring. She even makes the decision to share the story of her rape with the reader as a way to move on from the traumatic experience. A change in Melinda’s attitude is obvious when she declares, “I am here. Confused, screwed up, but here. A small, clean part of me waits to warm and burst through the surface. Some quiet Melindagirl I haven’t seen in months. This is the seed I will care for” (Anderson 188-189). In this quote, Melinda can be compared to a blooming flower, ready to escape the cold and move toward warmer weather. She creates a new beginning for herself by chopping off and raking out the bad memories. She also comes out of her burrow hole and steps into spring growth and sunshine. She accepts what has happened and is ready to embrace a new start. Spring is commonly the season of rebirth and growth, similar to how Melinda is growing and blossoming like a spring flower in Marking Period