Letter From The Fringe

In “The Yellow Wallpaper” the main character is constantly being told what she is and is not able to do such as “But he said I wasn’t able to go, nor able to stand it after I got there;… (Gilman)” This is an excellent example of her feeling oppressed, because her husband feels that he knows her capabilities better than she does. Another example of this is “’What is it little girl?’ he said. ‘Don’t go walking about like that—you’ll get cold.’ (Gilman)” This is an example of John thinking that her condition is so bad, she has to be treated like a child, constantly telling her what and what not to do. In “The Story of an Hour” the shows she has felt depressed with “There would be no one to live for during those coming years; she would live for herself. (Chopin)” After receiving news that her husband passed away in a train accident, she felt as if the burden of doing things for her husband was lifted, and that she could do the things she wants to do.

In “What Sally Said,” Esperanza is forced to confront just how brutal a girl’s own father can be.“He never hits me hard. She said her mama rubs lard on all the places where it hurts.” She doesn’t think he is in the wrong she thinks that he is just worried that she will make poor decisions like his sister did. “A girl who comes in with her pretty face all beaten and black can’t be falling off the stairs,” Sally is abused by her father, but she still lies for him.“He just went crazy, he just forgot he was her father between the buckle and the belt,” He saw Sally talking to a boy and just went

In the book called Spilled Milk, it talks about a little girl her name is Brooke. She lives in New York with her dad, mom, bother, and sisters. Brooke has kept a secret. The secret was that she had been sexually abused by her father, from a young child to about the age of sixteen. The act of being sexually abused by her father is terrible. Brooke also, took more abuse in the effort to stop her father from abusing her siblings. All her life she knew something was off about her dad and didn’t understand why until she realized she was being abused. Brooke’s mother read Brooke’s journal about the problems that her and her siblings were having. She made a promise to Brooke to try to help.

She was a shy girl, stayed at home, did the same activities daily and didn’t want to be in that town. In paragraph 1 she says over a year I have sat stooped around the hose, to the store and church feeling dirty and edible.

Laurie also gets punished when he lies about Charles. At the meeting, Laurie's mother is ready to meet Charles mother, but she can’t seem to find her so she goes to the teacher. The teacher starts talking about Laurie. The teacher says, “We had a little trouble adjusting, the first week or so,” “but now he’s a fine little helper. With occasional lapses of course.” “Laurie usually adjusts very quickly,” I said.This quote shows that the theme is very accurate because the teacher is saying how Laurie wasn’t being a very good kid when they started school, but then the mother says that Laurie isn’t a bad kid. This is showing that the mother is starting to understand that Laurie is being influenced by Charles, but she may also thinking that there might not be a Charles. Earlier in the story, Laurie tells them how now Charles is being a helper which can cause some trouble later on. There is another part in the book where it happens very similarly. “You must have our hands full in that kindergarten, with Charles.” “Charles?” “We don’t have any Charles in the kindergarten.” This quote relates to theme because they are both the teacher and the mother figuring out that Laurie had lied about Charles. That there is no Charles in the kindergarten. This not only makes Laurie get punished but it also makes the mother feel embarrassed by asking and because she even asked the

As she grows she discovers more of what she is capable of. Now she realizes that even though she is going crazy, she is still alive. Above all, she does not want to hide anymore and is not afraid to come out of her shell of guilt. “I don’t want to hang out in my hidey-hole anymore…. I don’t feel like hiding anymore” (p.191-192). She comments about not wanting to go back to her closet because she is not afraid of what might happen to her. In the same way she says that she, in no matter what condition, is still alive and breathing. “I have survived… Confused, screwed up but still here” (p.188). She is happy that she survived and that it does not matter if she is frustrated, she still has to stay for the ones who love her. In order which she has to take care of the old Melinda she was and let go of the Melinda she was after the party. After this realization she understood that she is not perfect but she can grow to love those

When students are bullied, they are encouraged to speak up about it to a teacher or some other adult; however, many do not, because they may think their cases are not important enough to be told, because no one will believe their stories, or because they are embarrassed by what happened. As these cases turn from simple bullying to a more severe event, this inability to speak up only increases. Laurie Halse Anderson shows this effect with being raped, as well as the emotional damage that goes with it. Through Melinda’s experiences in Speak, Laurie Halse Anderson’s writing reflects the time in which it was written, her views on teens and the adolescent years, and her early life.

She wants the audience to feel as innocent as she did in the beginning, as shameful and disgusted in the middle, and as nostalgic in the end of her article. In the beginning, she creates the image of what she looks like, “… [b]ell bottom jeans and blue peasant blouses and striped knit shirts that clung to my breasts, ” (Wilkinson). By doing so, readers can vividly imagine what she looks like and feel more attached and involved in the story she is creating. In the middle she takes us through all the times she was sexually abused and by using imagery, she makes the reader feel as beaten down and scared as she was. For example, she creates an image of the church where her first sexual assault occurred, “At the entrance to the church was a small vestibule with two white doors. Behind the doors was a dangling rope attached to the church bell,” (Wilkinson). She goes on to build the tension with her words like “groped,” “accident,” “hiding,” and “secret,” (Wilkinson). These make the reader more and more uncomfortable as she describes her experiences, which was the point, to make the reader feel some semblance of what she did. In the end, she describes her older and present self, looking through old pictures: “ Sometimes in old photographs, I see glimpses of that young woman. Corners of my mouth turned down. Staring into the camera with empty eyes where joy should

In the beginning of the book, that she explained her experience and life, which she was struggling because she showed her emotions

One example is Sophie 's resistance when it comes to her therapy. Resistance can be demonstrated through several ways such as showing up late or canceling sessions, wasting time during therapy, or avoiding certain topics. Sophie 's resistance appears mostly in the form of avoidance. This is seen early on when Sophie explains that she is thin because she likes feeling as though she can slip away. When Paul asks her what she means by this, she immediately attempts to change the subject. " I have a test I need to study for and a dentist appointment tomorrow." When Paul pushes a little more on the issue, she is straight forward and tells him that she doesn 't want to talk about it. There are also several instances during their sessions where Sophie displays avoidance through omissions, or absences of thoughts and feelings. For example, she never addresses the sexual abuse issue directly, but instead beats around the bush when Paul attempts to discuss it with her.

She allows herself to believe all she is told. She also allows herself to believe that being treated as she is is going to make her better, when in fact it is only making her worse. Her being sent up in a room, like a penitentiary will add loneliness to her illness. Her being told not to write or not to go and see family and friends, again, adds to her loneliness. She is separated from society. Therefore, she feels as though she is alone in society. She gives into the fact that the male-dominated society would rather her alone, than be with lots of women and cause chaos. She gives into everything the world wants instead of listening to her inner self. She ignores herself, causing her to act out in madness. When one does not listen to one's inner self, he or she is then turning away from his or her conscience. It's like the "devil and angel" episode that has been seen in numerous cartoons. If the person listens to the little devil, it will end up being the wrong decision. It the person listens to the little angel, it will be the right decision. The narrator listens to almost neither. She allows what is happening to happen and does nothing but sit back. This would cause anger inside anyone.

(2) She generally concealed her emotion, even when she talked about her experience of abuse and rape. While, she sometimes behaved dramatically and occasionally produced short-lived angry outbursts.

839) Due to the trauma of being raped by her father's murderer Sally at that time began to have trust issues with most adults. In her mind it was her father who was providing not only for her physical needs, but her emotional needs as well. After his murder she did not feel the same sense of nurturing or safety with her mother.

A trait that stands out in the book is the symptom of bodily memories. In Melinda’s case, during a frog dissection in her science class, she remembers the opening up and even says, “She doesn’t say a word. She is already dead. A scream starts in my gut – I can feel the cut, smell the dirt, feel the leaves in my hair.” (81). One of the other symptoms that Melinda has is self-harm. The first time that this is shown in the book, Melinda says this, “I open up a paper clip and scratch it across the inside of my left wrist. Pitiful. If a suicide attempt is a cry for help, then what is this? A whimper, a peep?” (87). Melinda also has a hard time talking to her parents about the rape to which she says, “How can I talk to them about that night? How can I start?” (72). Some victims recover from such a traumatic experience, while others don’t and live a lifetime of depression and must undergo intense therapy. In Melinda’s case, she finds redemption by talking to her parents and the guidance counselor, and putting her faith into her teachers, friends, and her art project at school. Because rape can affect anybody anywhere, everyone should be aware of the circumstances, and how to deal with it.

Although a light read, her experience is heart-breaking as she is abused at home, institutionalized, and instead of being treated for her depression, doctor’s attempt to “feminize” her with eye shadow and lipstick. She is the type of advocate that makes noise in a silence because she tells a tale that would otherwise be unknown.