58 ratings (4.72 avg)
2 reviews

Mikayla Johnson

Add friend

Mikayla’s Bookshelves

to-read‎ (52)

currently-reading‎ (1)

read‎ (56)

Stats | More…

Mikayla is Currently Reading

Mikayla Johnson rated a book it was amazing

Speak

by Laurie Halse Anderson (Goodreads Author)

bookshelves: currently-reading

Reading for the 2nd time

read in February 2012

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Mikayla Johnson said: " The main character of Speak is Melinda Sordino. A traumatized 13 year old loner who refuses to talk with anyone. Her solitude and complete and utter self alienation draws you in to where you become intimate with her. As you read more into the story y The main character of Speak is Melinda Sordino. A traumatized 13 year old loner who refuses to talk with anyone. Her solitude and complete and utter self alienation draws you in to where you become intimate with her. As you read more into the story you wish that you could help her, be her only friend and save her from the evil, cruel people that just add to her depression. This story is written in Melinda’s point of view (1st person), all of her thoughts are your thoughts too. She begins 9th grade at Merry weather High School with a sarcastic humor and a self loathing attitude. “IT happened. There is no avoiding it, no forgetting. No running away, or flying, or burying, or hiding” (Anderson, 83). You wonder why she is always talking about her ex friends and how they hadn’t talked to her since the party, she also talks about “IT” and how he hurt her. You don’t find out until later that the party was filled with underage drinking, and Melinda was the one who called the cops. No one really knows what happened to her that night, until she shares it with the reader, she is trusting you with her secret as well. Thirteen year old Melinda had been raped by Andy Evans otherwise known as “IT”. This book is her struggle to overcome her silence and survive.
“Make it bend - trees are flexible, so they don't snap. Scar it, give it a twisted branch - perfect trees don't exist. Nothing is perfect. Flaws are interesting. Be the tree” (Anderson, 168). Melinda is failing every class except one, art. At the beginning of the first semester her teacher Mr. Freeman makes everyone draw a paper out of a bowl. “Tree” her’s reads. She must become the tree, carving one into clay or painting it will not cut it in this class. The theme in this is that all year Melinda struggles with depression, she wants to speak but doesn’t have anyone to listen to her. “Become the tree”, she is scarred, hurt, and twisted. She is flawed and imperfect which makes a tree the perfect representation of herself. The tree and Melinda share all of those qualities but a tree can be cut down, it can be given a chance to start over again with the swing of an axe. While Melinda could be given the chance to start over by just speaking up. “It's easier not to say anything. Shut your trap, button your lip, can it. “All that crap you hear on TV about communication and expressing feelings is a lie. Nobody really wants to hear what you have to say” (Anderson 153). Only someone truly alone, and deprived of love would ever feel this way. Speak is about speaking up, it shows you how awful secrets can be. They will tear your conscience to shreds. Just like they did to Melinda. For a year, she avoided “IT” until he came after her again, it wasn’t until that point, her breaking point that she had told anyone about what happened on the August night. Holding in your fear, and your emotions will only make it grow larger, kind of like a disease you don’t treat. At the end of the story Melinda receives an A on her drawing and plants her own seeds in her backyard. “I crouch by the trunk, my fingers stroking the bark, seeking a Braille code, a clue, a message on how to come back to life after my long under snow dormancy. I have survived. I am here. Confused, screwed up, but here.” (Anderson 189). ...more "

Mar 03, 2012 05:29PM · see review