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The Symbolism Of Trees In Speak By Laurie Halse Anderson

524 Words3 Pages

Trees have been used throughout the years to symbolize many different things. A popular one is that trees represent life overall. This meaning has been around for many years and goes across many different cultures. However, trees have had many other meanings. In Laurie Halse Anderson’s Speak, she uses trees to represent different life traits that the main character, Melinda, learns throughout the book. One life trait represented by trees in the book is resiliences. For example, Mr. Freeman tells Melinda to “Make it bend—trees are flexible, so they don’t snap” (Anderson 153). Basically, Mr. Freeman is saying that trees have to be able to adapt in hard times or they will snap in half and die. The author includes this quote to emphasize Melinda is struggling to overcome a tragic event that has happen to her. She is almost not able to keep herself from breaking in two. As one can see Melinda, like trees, has to be resilient to problems in her life in order to survive. …show more content…

For instance, in the text it states, “this looks like a tree, but it is an average, ordinary, everyday, boring tree. […] Scar it, give it a twisted branch—perfect trees don’t exist. Nothing is perfect. Flaws are interesting” (Anderson 153). In other words, the text is saying that no tree is perfect. They all are unique in their own way and that is what makes them fascinating. From this a person can infer that the tree relates to Melinda. She believes that there is something wrong with her and she is the reason why no-one likes her. To sum up, Melinda is in a desperate need to be able to accept herself with the scars of the past because they make her who she

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