Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
Bibliographic
Information:
Anderson, L.H. (1999). Speak. New York, NY: Square Fish. ISBN 9780312674397
Summary:
Entering high
school is like entering the unknown. In the case of Melinda Sordino, her
freshman year is already off to a horrific start even before the first bell
rings. The kids at her school have already started to show their disgust for
her. They treat her as an outcast. Will Melinda ever fit back in? Even after
she decides to speak.
Critical Analysis:
Laurie Halse
Anderson has an amazing way of making extremely difficult situations seem
tangible even to young adults. In her first novel, Anderson moves her readers
with her words, her patience, and her accounts of what it is like to be a
freshman teen girl that is the victim of a horrible act. The organization of
her novel makes the reader feel as if you are in or are back in high school.
Slowly and
sometimes almost painfully drawn out, Anderson provides the reader with
snippets of the horrific night’s account by dropping pieces recalled by
Melinda. For example, Melinda finally leads the reader to her attacker by
referring to him as IT as she encounters him in the school hallways. It is not until about two-thirds of the way
through the novel that the reader eventually finds out what happened to Melinda
one summer night. Anderson has beautiful crafted this story and keeps the
reader’s attention all the way through. It is no wonder that Anderson’s work
was a Printz Award Honor Book, a National Book Award Finalist, and the winner
of eight state book awards.
Not only does
Anderson explore what it is like to be the victim of sexual assault, she also
shares the daily struggles of a young high school girl in trouble. As it so
often does, this trouble goes unidentified by her peers, teachers, and even her
parents. Librarians and teachers should be cautioned that this novel has been
frequently challenged for its sexual content being called “soft porn.”
Creative Activity:
Artful Feeling
Melinda, under
the guidance of her art teacher – Mr. Freeman, begins to find freedom and her
voice through her art. Melinda’s yearlong art challenge is the tree. Find
another symbol or object that represents this novel and represent it in art.
How has creating this piece helped you more deeply understand Anderson’s novel?
First Amendment
Rights
Laurie Halse
Anderson’s novel, Speak has been
challenged yearly since its publication. Why do you think this book frequently
makes its way to the list of challenged books? Do you feel it should be banned?
Why or why not? What good comes of allowing challenging books to remain on our
classroom, our library, and our personal shelves?
There is
discussion about First Amendment rights in Mr. Neck’s class when he shuts several
students down for their opinion. What are your thoughts and opinions on how Mr.
Neck handled David in his class? Was this fair? How would his actions hold up
against the First Amendment? Where do challenged and banned books fall with the
First Amendment?
Related Resources:
Just
Listen by Sarah Dessen
Dessen, S. (2008). Just listen. New York, NY: Penguin Young Readers. ISBN
9780142410974
- - Dessen’s
novel Just Listen also explores the
story of a young girl who has been a victim of sexual assault. Thankfully for
her, she finds sanctuary in a friend. Consider how this is like and different
than Melinda’s experience in Speak. Readers
who enjoyed and connected well with Melinda will connect with Annabel Greene in
Just Listen.
Thirteen
Reasons Why by Jay Asher
Asher, J. (2011). Thirteen reasons why. New York, NY: Penguin Young Readers. ISBN 9781595141880
- - Told
from the point of view of a young girl, Hannah Baker, who has taken her life,
readers learn first hand about the cruelty we can do to one another. Thirteen Reasons Why explores the
cruelty and struggle Hannah endure before ending it all. Melinda in Speak often contemplated her life and
endured many mean acts at the hands of her classmates. Readers of Speak can connect with Thirteen Reasons Why.
Help Guide in Collaboration with Harvard
Health – Teenager’s Guide to Depression
- - Help
Guide offers various articles on topics concerning young adults and how parents
can support their teens. This page is specifically a guide for teenagers who
are suffering from depression. This site is “not a substitute for professional
diagnosis and treatment.”
Child Mind Institute – How to Help Your
Depressed Teenager
- - Child
Mind Institute provides information for adults and parents in an effort to help
support their depressed teenager. The site also contains a list of common signs
that indicate a child may be depressed. This site is geared towards offering
information for parents and is “not a substitute for professional diagnosis and
treatment.” Melinda’s parents in Speak would
have benefited from recognizing the signs.
Published Reviews:
Publishers Weekly remarks Speak, “will leave readers touched and inspired.”
Publishers
Weekly. (1999). Speak. Retrieved from http://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-374-37152-4
Nancy Matson
from CNN.com Reviews calls Speak a “dead-on portrayal.”
Matson, N. (1999).
Speak. Retrieved from http://www.cnn.com/books/reviews/9911/29/speak/
Additional References
Staino, R. (2010). Anderson’s speak under
attack, again. School Library Journal. Retrieved
from
This is a beautiful piece of literature that is
worth sharing. The novel explores why we all need to learn to speak, and just
as importantly, learn to listen.
~ Mandy
*book cover image borrowed from www.barnesandnoble.com*
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