essay about the book speak

Home — Essay Samples — Sociology — Speak — Reflection On The Novel Speak By Laurie Halse Anderson

Reflection on The Novel Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

• Categories: Book Review Novel Speak

About this sample

Words: 1113 |

Published: Oct 2, 2020

Words: 1113 | Pages: 2 | 6 min read

Works Cited

• Anderson, L. H. (1999). Speak. Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
• Gleitzman, N. (2004). Laurie Halse Anderson: Speaking in tongues. The ALAN Review, 31(1), 27-33.
• Holland, P. (2001). "Talk" and other four-letter words: Censorship and young adult literature. Children's Literature in Education, 32(1), 17-32.
• Huff, K. (2004). Representations of the silenced female voice in Laurie Halse Anderson's Speak. Children's Literature in Education, 35(1), 21-41.
• Kwasny, M. J. (2004). "Who am I?": The journey toward self-discovery in Laurie Halse Anderson's Speak. The ALAN Review, 32(3), 22-28.
• Lent, R. (2005). Silence and self-expression: The double bind in Laurie Halse Anderson's Speak. Children's Literature Association Quarterly, 30(2), 118-134.
• Mallard, A. (2006). Laurie Halse Anderson's Speak and the problematics of writing the rapist. Children's Literature Association Quarterly, 31(4), 315-333.
• Mathieu, J. (2015). Performing resistance: Strategies of survival and resistance in Laurie Halse Anderson's Speak and Louise O'Neill's Asking For It. Children's Literature Association Quarterly, 40(2), 169-186.
• Pendergast, S. (2011). Gender, sexuality, and silence in Laurie Halse Anderson's Speak. Children's Literature in Education, 42(2), 149-161.
• Ryczek, A. (2017). Choosing not to speak: A postmodern analysis of Laurie Halse Anderson's Speak. The ALAN Review, 45(3), 40-47.

Cite this Essay

Let us write you an essay from scratch

• 450+ experts on 30 subjects ready to help
• Custom essay delivered in as few as 3 hours

Get high-quality help

Prof. Kifaru

Verified writer

• Expert in: Literature Sociology

+ 120 experts online

By clicking “Check Writers’ Offers”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy . We’ll occasionally send you promo and account related email

No need to pay just yet!

Related Essays

3 pages / 1368 words

1 pages / 507 words

3 pages / 1434 words

2 pages / 1084 words

Remember! This is just a sample.

You can get your custom paper by one of our expert writers.

121 writers online

Still can’t find what you need?

Browse our vast selection of original essay samples, each expertly formatted and styled

Related Essays on Speak

Don DeLillo's novel White Noise confronts the primal fear of death much in the way his own characters do-- by nullifying or minimizing this otherwise terrifying human phenomenon. What is referred to as "white noise" in the novel [...]

Quick! What is the First Amendment in the Bill of Rights? What is America known for? It’s freedom of speech. We did not travel across another continent just to continue to be silenced! It should be remembered that speaking up [...]

Speak, an award-winning novel, by Laurie Halse Anderson told the story of a young girl, Melinda, who was raped the summer before her high school freshman year by a classmate at a party. She did not fully understand what had [...]

Instagram has become one of the most popular social media platforms in the world, and for good reason. It has surpassed other social networks like Facebook, Twitter, and Snapchat by adopting new and distinctive features. [...]

Are friendships with real meaning needed? Should social media be distracting me from doing my homework? Do I really need to interact with my family all the time? These are all questions no one would choose to ask. Social media [...]

Social media creates a dopamine-driven feedback loop to condition young adults to stay online, stripping them of important social skills and further keeping them on social media, leading them to feel socially isolated. Annotated [...]

Related Topics

By clicking “Send”, you agree to our Terms of service and Privacy statement . We will occasionally send you account related emails.

Where do you want us to send this sample?

By clicking “Continue”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy.

Be careful. This essay is not unique

This essay was donated by a student and is likely to have been used and submitted before

Download this Sample

Free samples may contain mistakes and not unique parts

Sorry, we could not paraphrase this essay. Our professional writers can rewrite it and get you a unique paper.

Please check your inbox.

We can write you a custom essay that will follow your exact instructions and meet the deadlines. Let's fix your grades together!

Get Your Personalized Essay in 3 Hours or Less!

We use cookies to personalyze your web-site experience. By continuing we’ll assume you board with our cookie policy .

• Instructions Followed To The Letter
• Deadlines Met At Every Stage
• Unique And Plagiarism Free

The Book “Speak” by Laurie Halse Anderson

In Speak , the author, Laurie Halse Anderson, illustrates the idea that people can recover after trauma and become stronger. The writer utilizes the first-person point of view to show the path protagonist goes through to her transformation. The first-person point of view is the type of narrative in which events are described from the narrator’s point of view using the pronouns “I,” “we,” “me,” “us.” Throughout the book, readers can see the theme of a traumatic event’s consequences, the experiences associated with it, and recovery from it.

The book is structured like a diary of the main character Melinda Sordino, who survived violence by a classmate, and at the same time, became an outcast in school. Readers have access to all her thoughts and feelings, introspection, and attempts to find a way out and speak about the problem. The narrator states, “I want to confess everything, hand over the guilt and mistake and anger to someone else. There is a beast in my gut, I can hear it scraping away at the inside of my ribs. Even if I dump the memory, it will stay with me, staining me.” (Anderson, 1999, p. 38). Readers understand that Melinda feels dirty, a terrible event haunts her, and at the same moment, she feels guilty, like most victims of violence, although she did nothing.

Feelings of anger and guilt depress Melinda, most clearly manifesting in the fact that she hardly speaks. After some time, the young girl feels a desire to free herself: “A small, clean part of me waits to warm and burst through the surface” (Anderson, 1999, p. 122). An example of her recovery from injury is the bold statement, “It wasn’t my fault. And I’m not going to let it kill me. I can grow” (Anderson, 1999, p. 128). When readers see this courage, after all the experience, they understand what transformation Melinda goes through. The main character can recover, although it took a lot of braveness and time. Thus, it is clear that the author’s use of the first-person point of view helped illustrate the idea that changes and healing are possible after trauma.

Anderson, L. H. (1999). Speak . Farrar, Straus and Giroux.

Cite this paper

• Chicago (N-B)
• Chicago (A-D)

StudyCorgi. (2022, August 20). The Book “Speak” by Laurie Halse Anderson. https://studycorgi.com/the-book-speak-by-laurie-halse-anderson/

"The Book “Speak” by Laurie Halse Anderson." StudyCorgi , 20 Aug. 2022, studycorgi.com/the-book-speak-by-laurie-halse-anderson/.

StudyCorgi . (2022) 'The Book “Speak” by Laurie Halse Anderson'. 20 August.

1. StudyCorgi . "The Book “Speak” by Laurie Halse Anderson." August 20, 2022. https://studycorgi.com/the-book-speak-by-laurie-halse-anderson/.

Bibliography

StudyCorgi . "The Book “Speak” by Laurie Halse Anderson." August 20, 2022. https://studycorgi.com/the-book-speak-by-laurie-halse-anderson/.

StudyCorgi . 2022. "The Book “Speak” by Laurie Halse Anderson." August 20, 2022. https://studycorgi.com/the-book-speak-by-laurie-halse-anderson/.

This paper, “The Book “Speak” by Laurie Halse Anderson”, was written and voluntary submitted to our free essay database by a straight-A student. Please ensure you properly reference the paper if you're using it to write your assignment.

Before publication, the StudyCorgi editorial team proofread and checked the paper to make sure it meets the highest standards in terms of grammar, punctuation, style, fact accuracy, copyright issues, and inclusive language. Last updated: August 20, 2022 .

If you are the author of this paper and no longer wish to have it published on StudyCorgi, request the removal . Please use the “ Donate your paper ” form to submit an essay.

Laurie Halse Anderson

Ask litcharts ai: the answer to your questions.

Coming of Age

Like many novels with high school settings, Speak is deeply focused on ideas of growing up and coming of age. What makes this book’s exploration of that subject particularly poignant and pointed, however, is that Melinda has already experienced a major milestone of adulthood—losing her virginity—before the novel begins. The fact that this event occurred as the result of rape, however, has derailed Mel’s maturation, and for much of the book she clings to any…

Communication versus Silence

Given that the name of the book is Speak , it is unsurprising that communication versus silence is a critical theme within the book. Silence sits at the narrative’s core: Melinda has not told anyone about her rape at the hands of popular senior Andy Evans the previous summer, and has morphed from a happy, popular student to a traumatized outcast as a result. Throughout the book, Melinda finds it harder and harder to speak…

Appearance versus Reality

Much of Melinda’s cynicism within Speak springs from what she views as a fundamental disconnect between appearance and reality. She has experienced a deeply traumatic rape, yet her parents view her as a disappointment, her teachers view her as a problem, and her classmates view her as a freak. Because she is deeply perceptive and sensitive, Mel notices gaps between appearance and reality everywhere she goes. She sees the cracks in the façade of her…

Family and Friendship

Like any student in high school, Melinda’s life revolves around family and friends. Unlike most high schoolers, however, Melinda is completely alienated from both groups. Her parents are neglectful and distant, and she feels completely unable to tell them about her recent trauma. Her friends, meanwhile, have all abandoned her, believing that she maliciously called the cops on a party when in fact she was only trying to report the fact that Andy Evans had…

Isolation, Loneliness, and Depression

Because Speak takes place within Melinda’s mind, author Laurie Halse Anderson is able to vividly and achingly portray the effects of isolation and loneliness upon human consciousness. Throughout the book, Mel struggles to emerge from a cloud of depression and apathy that surrounds her, yet continually finds herself rejected and alone. Mel’s attitude towards her isolation is conflicted. On one hand, she believes that she has chosen it, pushing away all those close to her…

Memory and Trauma

Melinda begins Speak burdened by memory and trauma: she has been raped and relives the experience every day, yet is unable to speak to anyone about it. As for her happier memories, the rape and the events that followed it have stained them. When she remembers her friends, she realizes that they have since abandoned her. When she remembers her childhood, she feels pity and nostalgia for how innocent and carefree she used to be.

86 pages • 2 hours read

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Part 1, Chapters 1-21

Part 2, Chapters 22-44

Part 3, Chapters 45-63

Part 4, Chapters 64-89

Character Analysis

Symbols & Motifs

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

Summary and Study Guide

Speak is a young-adult realistic fiction novel by Laurie Halse Anderson, first published in 1999. It follows the plight of a teenager, Melinda , who was raped at age 13 and struggles to put her life back together and find her voice . Anderson has written several young adult novels, all of which address pressing issues for teens honestly and empathetically. She was honored with the Margaret A. Edwards award for her important and relevant contributions to the young adult genre . Speak was a National Book Award finalist, a Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year, and an Edgar Allan Poe Award finalist, among many other awards and nominations. Anderson continues to receive letters from readers about how Speak has impacted their lives and helped them through difficult times and similar experiences, and she speaks to as many youths as possible about her book. At the novel's end, Anderson includes resources for survivors of sexual assault, which serves as one last reminder of her desire to help those who feel voiceless be heard.

This guide utilizes the 2011 publication of the novel.

Get access to this full Study Guide and much more!

• 7,550+ In-Depth Study Guides
• 4,900+ Quick-Read Plot Summaries
• Downloadable PDFs

Content Warning: This novel deals with topics such as sexual assault of a minor, child abuse, and verbal abuse.

Plot Summary

The SuperSummary difference

• 8x more resources than SparkNotes and CliffsNotes combined
• Study Guides you won ' t find anywhere else
• 100+ new titles every month

Speak is divided into four parts, each one being a marking period for the school year. It starts as school and the first marking period begin, and it is Melinda’s first year of high school. She attends Merryweather High School and starts her first day with nobody to talk to or sit with. Melinda is insecure and shy, as anyone would be in a new place; she also has a secret that she keeps deep within herself: She was raped at a summer party that she attended with her then-best friend, Rachel , by a senior named Andy Evans . The shock and terror from the experience clouded Melinda’s mind at the time, but she was able to call the police. In a moment of panic, she left the house before they arrived and never told anyone her story. On top of this, she has not spoken about the rape to any of her old friends or her parents. Instead, she keeps it to herself, which eats away at her self-esteem and ability to enjoy her life.

Melinda has several teachers with unique personalities: Mr. Neck is the social studies teacher who always seems to be angry and is eventually revealed to be racist; Ms. Keen is the biology teacher who makes biology fun for Melinda; Hairwoman is the old English teacher who gives out tough assignments but whose class Melinda still enjoys; Melinda’s Spanish teacher refuses to speak English, which creates several humorous moments; Mr. Freeman is the art teacher and the teacher who influences Melinda the most throughout the novel. At the beginning of the year, Mr. Freeman announces a year-long project in which students will pick the name of a random object out of a broken globe and spend the year trying to turn that object into vibrant, living art. Melinda picks the word “tree,” and trees become symbols for her and her personal growth out and above her trauma.

Melinda’s home life is not much more welcoming than her school life. Her mother is always stressed and working, and her father often seems on edge. Melinda does not speak to her parents at all, remaining totally silent for several months. She often hears them arguing at top volume. Melinda often has trouble completing her homework at home, as she is often a victim of verbal abuse. At school, Melinda steals several late passes and discovers an abandoned closet, which she makes her new hiding place, decorating it with a Maya Angelou poster and eventually her art creations.

Melinda becomes friends with a new girl named Heather . Heather is desperate to fit into the school cliques. Melinda does not care about that but needs a friend, so she spends much of her time with Heather anyway. It slowly becomes clear that Heather is only using Melinda until she becomes popular; she does not defend Melinda when people talk poorly about her. Heather finds a clan of girls to hang out with called the Marthas. They help with school fundraisers, volunteer outside school, coordinate outfits, and expect perfection. Heather asks Melinda to help her with her first Martha project, and Melinda agrees. She creates posters for a fundraiser, but the Marthas hate them, and Heather blames Melinda. Meanwhile, Melinda continues to have difficulty speaking, communicating largely in nods and hand gestures.

During the second marking period (autumn), Melinda has a breakthrough in her artwork when she takes the old turkey bones from Thanksgiving dinner and pieces them back together. She adds a Barbie doll head and some twigs for legs and decides that the piece is meant to represent her. Mr. Freeman tells her she is onto something.

Christmas arrives, and Melinda puts up the tree alone. She and her parents sleep in on Christmas day, hand out presents in silence, and then go their separate ways. Melinda wishes she could tell her parents what happened over the summer and why she cannot speak. In biology class, Melinda faints when she has to dissect a dead frog, and it reminds her of how she felt when she was assaulted.

Melinda decides to name Andy Evans “IT.” Until now, she did not call him anything and does not reveal the events that took place until the end of the third marking period. Melinda starts skipping school and thinks more seriously about telling someone what happened to her. Melinda develops a crush on her classmate and lab partner, David Petrakis , who is outspoken and confident and seems not to care about her reputation.

Melinda’s parents and principal hold a meeting with a guidance counselor and determine that Melinda will have an in-school suspension. She must also abide by strict rules and attend all of her classes. Andy Evans begins harassing and taunting Melinda in school, causing her to relive her abuse. In art class, Melinda looks at Picasso’s cubism paintings and feels inspired to create a tree drawing made of tiny, cracked lines. Mr. Freeman approves and advises her to stop thinking about trees when she draws and to think about her emotions instead.

Melinda’s struggle to become an artist unfolds alongside her healing process after being traumatized, thus illustrating the novel’s theme, The Importance of Art as a Form of Self-Expression and Healing . Melinda attends all her classes for a week and is rewarded with new clothes. At the store, she stares at herself in the mirror and does not recognize who she sees; she is changed by her traumatic experience, developing the theme How Personality and Perception Change as a Result of Trauma . At the end of the third marking period, Melinda describes the rape in detail.

As the world begins to thaw outside Melinda’s window, she does too. She slowly starts to speak again and resolves to nurture herself like a seed and grow into who she was before being assaulted. Melinda also starts talking to one of her former friends again. To Melinda’s chagrin, Rachel begins dating Andy, and Melinda realizes she has to tell Rachel about him. In social studies class, Melinda stands up for her right to remain silent when Mr. Neck demands that she deliver her report to the class. She cites the suffragette movement and its fight for freedom. Afterward, David criticizes her, reminding her that suffragettes fought for the right to speak, not to be silent. Melinda considers this carefully.

When Melinda stays home sick from school one day, she watches talk shows and calls her experience “rape” for the first time. Melinda’s relationship with her parents also slowly begins to soften again; she speaks a short phrase to her father, and they spend a relaxing afternoon eating pizza together. Ivy is in Melinda’s art class, and they bond over their struggles to represent their objects. Ivy reveals that she has heard rumors about Andy, which eventually inspires Melinda to write a warning on the bathroom stall, telling other girls to stay away from him.

Days later, Ivy shows Melinda that many other girls have added to the message, writing similar warnings and documenting their experiences. Melinda feels elated to know that she has done something to help. Melinda also finally stands up to Heather. Melinda works up the courage to tell Rachel what happened to her, but Rachel accuses her of lying out of jealousy. It is not until prom that Rachel finally realizes Andy’s true character and dumps him.

In the novel’s final moments, Melinda is attacked in her hideaway closet by Andy. When she screams for help and threatens him with broken glass, he backs off, and the girls on the lacrosse team rescue her. In art class, Melinda finishes her tree illustration. It is not perfect, but she now realizes that is exactly how it should be. She understands what happened to her and that it was not her fault; in the end, she resolves to be a survivor and grow from it. Melinda’s journey is one of Finding One’s Voice After It Has Been Lost .

Don't Miss Out!

Access Study Guide Now

Related Titles

By Laurie Halse Anderson

Laurie Halse Anderson

The Impossible Knife of Memory

Wintergirls

Featured Collections

View Collection

Mental Illness

National Book Awards Winners & Finalists

New York Times Best Sellers

Sexual Harassment & Violence

Buy from other retailers

What's .css-1msjh1x{font-style:italic;} speak about.

“Speak up for yourself–we want to know what you have to say.” From the first moment of her freshman year at Merryweather High, Melinda knows this is a big fat lie, part of the nonsense of high school. She is friendless, outcast, because she busted an end-of-summer party by calling the cops, so now nobody will talk to her, let alone listen to her. As time passes, she becomes increasingly isolated and practically stops talking altogether. Only her art class offers any solace, and it is through her work on an art project that she is finally able to face what really happened at that terrible party: she was raped by an upperclassman, a guy who still attends Merryweather and is still a threat to her. Her healing process has just begun when she has another violent encounter with him. But this time Melinda fights back, refuses to be silent, and thereby achieves a measure of vindication. A timeless novel about consent and finding the courage to speak up for yourself, the twentieth anniversary edition of the classic novel that has spoken to so many young adults now includes a new introduction by acclaimed writer, host, speaker, and cultural commentator Ashley C. Ford as well as an afterword by New York Times-bestselling author of All American Boys and Long Way Down, Jason Reynolds. This edition will also feature an updated Q&A, resource list, and essay and poem from Laurie Halse Anderson.Praise for Speak “In a stunning first novel, Anderson uses keen observations and vivid imagery to pull readers into the head of an isolated teenager. . . . Will leave readers touched and inspired.”–Publishers Weekly, starred review”An uncannily funny book even as it plumbs the darkness, Speak will hold readers from first word to last.”–The Horn Book, starred reviewPraise for Speak: The Graphic Novel: “[Emily Carroll] should be recognized as one of the best graphic storytellers out there.”–Kate Beaton, author of Hark! A Vagrant”What a talent. What a voice.”–Mark Siegel, author of Sailor Twain, or The Mermaid in the Hudson”Carroll knows how to capture uncomfortable emotions–guilt, regret, possessiveness, envy–and transform them into hair-raising narratives.”–New York Times Book Review Accolades for Speak New York Times BestsellerPublishers Weekly BestsellerMichael L. Printz Honor BookNational Book Award FinalistEdgar Allan Poe Award FinalistLos Angeles Times Book Prize FinalistALA Top Ten Best Book for Young AdultsALA Quick PickPublishers Weekly Best Book of the YearBooklist Top Ten First NovelBCCB Blue Ribbon BookSchool Library Journal Best Book of the Year

What Kind of Book is Speak

Primarily about, book lists that include speak.

The Creative Behind the Book

Laurie Halse Anderson is a New York Times bestselling author known for tackling tough subjects with humor and sensitivity. Her work has earned numerous ALA and state awards. Two of her books, Chains and Speak, were National Book Award finalists. Chains also received the 2009 Scott O’Dell Award for Historical Fiction, and Laurie was chosen for the 2009 Margaret A. Edwards Award. Mother of four and wife of one, Laurie lives in Pennsylvania, where she likes to watch the snow fall as she writes. You can follow her adventures on Twitter @HalseAnderson, or visit her at MadWomanintheForest.com.

What Has Laurie Halse Anderson Said About This Book

Nothing yet! Let Laurie Halse Anderson know that you want to hear from them about their book.

More Books by Laurie Halse Anderson

Other Books You Might Enjoy If You Liked Speak

Book Details

Contribute to this page.

This page is starting to look fantastic!

Just the barebones.

• Help Center
• Gift a Book Club
• Beautiful Collections
• Schedule Demo

Book Platform

• Find a Book
• Reading App
• Community Editors

Authors & Illustrators

• Get Your Book Reviewed
• Submit Original Work

Follow Bookroo

by Laurie Halse Anderson

Speak speak, the book vs. speak, the movie, about the movie.

Speak the film was produced independently and released in 2004. Film production occured over a period of only 21 days in Columbus, Ohio. Anderson visited the set during filiming and appears in one scene as a lunchlady serving potatos. The film stars Kristen Stewart as Melinda, Eric Lively as Andy Evans , Allison Siko as Heather , and Hallee Hirsh as Rachel .The movie's tagline was "The Truth Will Change Everything."

Top 10 Differences Between the Book and the Movie

1) The movie takes place in the Midwest, not in Syracuse, New York.

2) The mascot only changes once in the movie, from Trojan to Hornet.

3) Melinda meets Heather on the school bus in the movie, not in the cafeteria.

4) In the movie, Melinda is raped in Andy's car, not outside of the party.

5) When Melinda is struck by mashed potatos in the movie, it is portrayed as purposeful, instead of accidental.

6) Mr. Neck and David Petrakis only argue once in the film, and David does not hire a lawyer

7) In the film Melinda cuts class only once and goes straight to the hospital.

8)Melinda does not send Rachel a warning note in the film. Instead, she only approaches her in person.

9) Andy does not attempt to rape Melinda a second time in the film. He just physically assaults her.

10) In the film, Melinda's final confession is to her mother, not to Mr. Freeman .

Laurie Halse Anderson on The Film

"The movie is very faithful to the book, but obviously, some things had to be cut. If they had filmed the whole book, it would have been a twelve-hour movie."

"I was on the set for a couple days, with my oldest daughter, Stephanie. It was a very moving, fun experience for both of us. The cast and crew were sweet, though I found that whenever Mr. Neck walked in the room, my stomach started to hurt."

"One unknown actress gave a stunning, if brief, performance in her role as The Lunch Lady Who Puts Mashed Potatoes on the Plate. Yes, folks, that was me."

"I love the movie. A lot. Jessica did a fantastic job. She had a budget of one million dollars....one camera, and three weeks to make the movie...The air conditioning in the building had to be turned off because the noise messed up the sound recording. A record-breaking thunderstorm opened up holes in the school's roof--over the room that held all the electrical boxes--and they lost power for a day. I have no idea how Jessica pulled it off, but she did."

Speak Questions and Answers

The Question and Answer section for Speak is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.

What aspect of The Scarlet Letter does Hairwoman seem obsessed with?

Hairwoman is obsessed with the symbolism in The Scarlet Letter.

How is Mr. Freeman keeping track of grades in his art class?

Mr. Frreman doesn't give grades, but rather, evaluates his students' work and paints his evaluations in a list on the wall.

what problems are people having with mr.freemans assignment? what advice does he give to help them? from pages 20-26

Mr. Freeman's assignment is rather abstract. He wants students to pick an object that metaphorically speaks to the person who views it. I think Mr. Freeman tells them to listen to themselves.

Study Guide for Speak

Speak study guide contains a biography of Laurie Halse Anderson, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

• About Speak
• Speak Summary
• Character List

Essays for Speak

Speak essays are academic essays for citation. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson.

• The Power of Words: A Speak Analysis
• From Wishbones to Wings: The Symbolism of Birds in "Speak"
• The Factors That Helped Melinda Recover
• Sexual Assault in Speak

Lesson Plan for Speak

• About the Author
• Study Objectives
• Common Core Standards
• Introduction to Speak
• Relationship to Other Books
• Bringing in Technology
• Notes to the Teacher
• Related Links
• Speak Bibliography

Wikipedia Entries for Speak

• Introduction
• Literature and film
• Organizations