Summary Of Speak By Laurie Halse Anderson

Speak, written by Laurie Halse Anderson, is a literary handbook that youth can read to learn about the struggle with coping from trauma inflicted by being sexually assaulted. When a person experiences this type of trauma it can be frightening to blindly live through the after affects. During certain phases of life people tend to rely on different interpersonal relationships as a way to cope with major life events. The process of coming forward after being assaulted, can be an intimidating part of the incident due to the amount of added stress it can bestow on an already stressed out victim. Speak allows the reader to learn about the process of coping with being raped as well as the effects on interpersonal relationships and what to expect when

When a young person is sexually assaulted, they often do not understand what has happened and will not come forward immediately. Often their feelings and thoughts are internalized which can help to create more trauma due to not coping in a way that will promote healing. The vicious cycle of isolation is prominent in Melinda’s coping strategy. When Melinda isolates herself from her peers by hiding in the janitor’s closet, the rejection she feels from her peers is being negatively reinforced; therefore, encouraging Melinda to continue isolating herself. Isolation is not always productive because it allows for rumination which can be damaging to a youth’s self-esteem and confidence. 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

For instance, she allows her feelings of being abandon by Heather to assist her resistance of being taken advantage of. Also, out of concern for her former best friend, Rachel, she tells her about what her boyfriend did at the party. Slowly she begins the process of acceptance and coming forward. The reader will be able to bear witness to the strength she found within herself to overcome the obstacles she faced; not wanting to be used by her peers and not wanting her attacker to strike again, but fearing how people would react to the truth. The novel portrays how the process of coming forward can be excruciating and that it will likely get worse before it gets better. When the attacker finds out that the victim spoke up they will likely use scare tactics as a way to frighten them, such as, when Andy confronted Melinda in the janitor’s closet. This dose of reality is important for rape victims to encounter before experiencing it first-hand because if it was not expected it can deter them from continuing to speak up. Along with intimidating aspects of coming forward, Anderson also shows the reader that moving on is a possibility and that if the victim is persistent it will get better when people see the