Laurie Metcalf

In the novel Speak, Laurie Halse Anderson uses creative techniques to share the story of Melinda Sordino. The author uses symbolism and foreshadowing to relay the Melinda’s feelings and thoughts throughout the book. Symbolism is visible throughout the story. It is not obvious at first, but it is there. When Melinda chooses a tree to draw the whole year in art, it symbolizes that Melinda is the tree. The fact that she “can’t bring it to life” shows her depression and sadness. In one section of the

Speak was written by Laurie Halse Anderson and published in 1999. It is written from the point of view of Melinda, a high school freshmen whose world got turned upside down after a traumatic summer event. The story follows Melinda through 9th grade as she deals with depression, PTSD, and social exclusion and learns about standing up for herself. The theme of Speak is to stand up for yourself. This is clear because if Melinda had stood up for herself the first time, she wouldn’t have been raped and

Don’t take what you have for granted as disaster can strike at any moment. In “Fever 1793” by Laurie Halse Anderson, Matilda lives with her Mom and Grandpa in their cafe. She doesn’t like her mom because she compares Matilda to her as a kid. When the Yellow Fever strikes, it throws everyone's life in jeopardy. As the fever gets worse, people start panicking and flee the city. Everyone around Matilda are nowhere to be found. Therefore, nothing should ever be taken for granted. As everything around

Throughout Speak, names are given in certain instances to reflect on one's character. We see a whole bunch of names, good and bad given to people that affect Melinda in some way. In Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson, names are powerful. For example, Mr. Freeman’s name represents who he is as a character. Melinda's english teacher has crazy hair, so crazy the students call her “hairwoman” (20). However towards the end of the story hair woman gets a sleek new hairdo and Melinda hopes it's a sign

Fever 1793 is a historical fiction novel written by Laurie Halse Anderson. It takes place in Philadelphia, when the yellow fever epidemic of 1793 hit. Mattie’s family gets separated from each other, and some never come back from the illness. As a result, Mattie is left with hardships that would change her way of life. By using character development and the story’s epilogue, Laurie Halse Anderson tells the theme that hardships can actually help people’s personality and actions. When her family

The main character of “Speak” is a freshman girl named Melinda Sordino, who attends Merryweather High School in Syracuse, New York. Before going into high school, Melinda and her friends all went to a party over the summer. Just like any high school party, there was drinking, smoking and boys. Being given attention by any high school boy when you’re a freshman is like a dream come true, except not to Melinda. At the party Melinda got pulled aside and taken away by Andy Evans, a senior. While they

We all have to face the positives and the negatives in life, what you make of it will shape you to who you are meant to be. In the book Speak written by Laurie Halse Anderson, Melinda Sordino, the protagonist of the book, is a 14 year old girl who gets severely depressed and loses the ability to “speak” after she got sexually harassed at a party. Melinda is also an outcast in her school because of people’s misunderstanding of her, but many of her great qualities made her survive through all the pain

All different sentences have different purpose and lessons. In Speak, you get introduced to a new character with a certain perspective on the world. Melinda begins her freshman year scared and negative, she thinks, “It is easier not to say anything. Shut your lip, can it. All that crap you hear on TV about communication and expressing feelings is lie. Nobody really wants to hear what you have to say” (Melinda 9). This quote represents her belief on silence. It foreshadows most of her behavior we

What would you do if the person you care the most about was suffering from depression? In Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson, the narrator, Melinda Sordino, suffers from depression and insecurity after being molested by a senior, Andy Evans. Over time, her emotions change positively. In her art class, she was assigned trees as her project to express emotion. In this novel, trees speak for her because they represent her life, growth, and her refusal to speak. Trees represent her life because they aren’t

Speaking out is a tough task for many people that have dealt with horrible, traumatic situations. In the novel Speak, by Laurie Halse Anderson, the main character, Melinda, is one of those people who lost their voice. To be able to understand another person’s emotions, feelings, and situations is very difficult to do, especially because of how our society has formed and became a very judgmental place. Melinda Sordino starts her freshman year at Merryweather High School in Syracuse, New York, to