People Can Change

     As I'm nearing the end of Laurie Halse Anderson's book Speak, I definitely notice that the main character, Melinda has changed from the start. I've mentioned in the past that Speak is a book for teenagers who feel out of place, and outcast, but now I see that it's also about teenagers that are willing to come out of that. Teenagers who are willing to actually give an effort to try to fix what's wrong in their lives. Melinda definitely demonstrates this in the way that she was trying to look out for Rachel/Rachelle even after contributing to making her life miserable.

     Melinda meets Rachel/Rachelle in the library and I find it to be very brave of her to do that. She 

was afraid to speak up for herself for so long and he got enough courage to talk to her after months, and about a really sensitive topic. Rachel wasn't understanding at all of what Melinda had to tell her, and she said Melinda was "a liar" and "disgusting" and "jealous" of her. I honestly think she should have just thought about what she said about Andy to her, but Rachel didn't listen because she didnt want to hear anything bad about him. Things like Rachel trusting Andy over Melinda might also be a contributing factor to why Melinda doesn't even want to talk to anyone in the first place. It was totally rude of her to leave and accuse Melinda of being so horrible because of what she said about Andy, when she knew Melinda for so much longer.

     In conclusion, Melind did change very much from the beginning to the nearing end of freshman year. While she might not feel amazing about it, she overcame the fear of having no one to understand what really happened on that night. She might not have convinced Rachel that she was telling the truth, but telling her what happened is a definite start of something. Melinda relates to teenagers this way, because sometimes, just telling someone what your problem is makes it slightly better. Even if they take it the wrong way, or if they don't understand. Sometimes, just talking to something other than stuffed animals and brick walls can make the biggest problem seem almost solvable.

What's On The Inside Is What Counts

     Being a teenager is sometimes described as being an important time in someone's life. It's not perfect - but weird enough to make things interesting. There are so many different things someone can feel, and those feelings can go as soon as they come. My book, Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson is a valuable one because being teenage isn't portrayed as a teenage dream or anything. It's described from the perspective of a high school Freshman, Melinda. Melinda isn't like most people at her school, she's different, she's quiet. She's outcast. Speak is valuable because it speaks deeply to teenagers like Melinda, teenagers that don't want to show the “real them” in fear of acceptance.

     Melinda went through a lot during the summer before 9th grade. She went to a party one night, and left with no friends, no one to talk to, and a horrible reputation. Over a course of days, Melinda goes through having potatoes thrown at her, having her hair pulled, getting kicked (literally) in the back, and being excluded from her - and just about all - friend groups. I know many teens can relate to the feeling of not having a place, and it can cause feelings of not even being wanted around. In one chapter, Melinda suggests that her parents would be divorced already if it weren't for her being born. She thinks of herself as a waste of space. However, as time goes on, Melinda seems to get used to her social invisibility. At one part she says, “I heard her talking about it in algebra. I knew I wouldn't get an invitation.” This also goes to show that being completely on your own isn't as solemn as it might seem. While she is lonely, and friendless, Melinda seems to find ways to occupy herself and make the most of this new life she has.

     Ultimately, this story connects to life because - in my opinion - teens do tend to feel a lot like Melinda. They feel alone, outcast, and painfully afraid to say what they're really thinking. Also like Melinda, teenagers  can feel neglected, or lonely even in crowded rooms. Melinda's story ties to teens in many unspeakable ways. Speak is definitely a book for teens that feel outcast, or lonely, and teens that feel like they can't speak their minds.