I would recommend speak to anybody, boy or girl, from middle school to high school. The characters ordeals were based on andersons own experiences. What are some characteristics of melinda sordino in speak. Speak kept me on the edge of my seat throughout the whole book. I enjoy meeting and talking to people who share my passion for playing in the dirt. Its appearance in the first chapter indicates to the reader that this will be the. Before school started melinda was at a party and she was drunk.
Melinda french gates generally travels from and can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other. While melindas smart and savvy interior narrative slowly reveals the searing pain of that 911 night, it also nails the highschool experience cold. Study guide for the novel speak by laurie halse anderson. The theme of appearance versus reality in speak from litcharts. Her transition from middle school to high school is complicated by a misunderstanding which sends shockwaves throughout her existence. Get an answer for what is a physical description of the character melinda in speak. Melinda sordino suffers through her freshman year at merryweather high school in silence. Speak is set in syracuse, new york, in the specific neighborhood and schoolmerryweather high schoolof melinda sordino in the present day. Melinda doesnt want anyone to have to go through the things she did.
Melinda mel sordino is the main character and narrator of laurie halse anderson s 1999 novel speak. This is the only point in the book in which there is a complete disregard for grammar rules. Melinda developed an early interest in computers while taking an advanced math class at the ursuline academy, a catholic school for girls. She does this because although she doesnt want to speak out to anyone, she does want people to know that andy is a bad person. She is friendless, outcast, because she busted an endofsummer party by calling the cops, so now nobody will talk to her, let alone listen to her.
Unable to verbalize what happened, melinda nearly stops speaking altogether, expressing her voice through the art she produces for mr. Wounded, silent melinda ditches class, steals passes from teachers, and deliberately cuts herself. She ends the book understanding that, although she cannot fix the gap. I can speak on a wide range of topics and we will send you a complete list of my topics after you submit your request. I believe this song should go at the scene that andy evans is leaning over mel in the lunch room and not even talking to her. Well, perhaps we can come up to a conclusion if we follow the personality traits of melinda gates, the most powerful and possibly the most humble woman of the world. She was raped in the woods that night by an older boy, andy evans. Much of melinda s cynicism within speak springs from what she views as a fundamental disconnect between appearance and reality. Melinda epler is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics.
In speak, why does everyone hate melinda melindas secret in speak. Why do you think melinda responds in this fashion to andys appearance. The books overall gritty realism and melindas hardwon metamorphosis will leave readers touched and inspired. Shes riding the bus to her first day of high school. Melinda dreams about the point where she is raped by the senior. Another symptom is the recollection of distressing dreams of the event. A barbie also symbolizes childhood and appearances, two more objects of melinda s obsession. Hire melinda marcus to speak at events professional. She used to be very social, outgoing, and loved until one night at a party. Speak by laurie halse anderson about the book speak up for yourself we want to know what you have to say. Much of melindas cynicism within speak springs from what she views as a fundamental disconnect between appearance. Book summary over the summer, she and her friends went to a party and melinda ended up calling the police, causing her friends and everyone at the party to socially reject her.
Speak is an enduring novel that has a significant place in ya fictions history, and anderson herself has been a champion of ya lit, as well as a champion of those who advocate on behalf of ya readers. A barbie also symbolizes childhood and appearances, two more objects of melindas obsession. She ends the book understanding that, although she cannot fix the gap between appearances and reality, she can act as a. 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. She is 15 years old and is beginning her freshman year at merryweather high school. Melinda starts her freshman year at merryweather high with no friends and a terrible secret. At the party there was drinking and drugs but the worst part was when melinda got raped by andy evans. After calling the cops to a house party when a senior rapes her, freshman year doesnt go smoothly. Melinda writes on the bathroom wall, guys to stay away from. In the book speak by laurie halse anderson, melinda was raped and she didnt tell anyone. Transacting silence in laurie halse andersons speak elaine j. Her old friends wont talk to her, much less sit with her on the bus.
A woman of 52 years of age and a mother of 3, melinda is fit and healthier than most of the 30 years old. Another difference is in the movie, rachel is the person that slaps melinda when she catches her on the phone. Speak study guide contains a biography of laurie halse anderson. Melinda sordino is the modern day version of this tale. 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. The theme of appearance versus reality in speak from. Similarities and differences between book speak and the. Book melinda marcus to speak about business at corporate events, businesses, tradeshows or conferences, commencement speeches, motivational speaking, as well as other keynote speaker functions. Lastly, hawthorne tells us not to be deceived by appearances. Melinda once again gives a vivid description of her lips by saying, i push my ragged mouth against the mirror.
Melinda sordino is the main character of the book speak. Ever since melinda was raped, she begins wearing baggy clothes and her appearance reflects her inner turmoil. What are the tyrannies you swallow day by day and attempt to make your own, until you. Accurate descriptions of the minutiae of high school will appeal to any teen who has felt like an outsider, and when melinda is finally able to speak, readers will rejoice in her triumphs. Her last name, sordino, is an italian word that can be translated as deaf.
Much of melindas cynicism within speak springs from what she views. Character list and analysis melinda sordino melinda, a high school freshman, is the protagonist in laurie halse andersons speak. Melinda is very perceptive and bright, but her vision is sometimes clouded by her suffering. After what had happened she called the cops and a lot of people got arrested for under aged drinking and taking drugs. The nonverbal communication of melinda in laurie halse. Melinda french gates speakers bureau and booking agent info.
A thousand bleeding, crusted lips push back anderson, 125. Freemans art class, which will be the silver lining in the cloud that is her school life. She is friendless, outcast, because she busted an endofsummer party by. She also does poorly in school, and doesnt socialize very easily with other students. An uncannily funny book even as it plumbs the darkness, speak will hold readers from first word to last. Dear melinda, when i look at you, i see a diamond in the rough.
The main theme of the book rape and its effect on those who experience it. Another example is when she receives crayons and a drawing book from her parents as a christmas gift, she thinks back the time where she returned home, and could not find her parents aftermath of the rape. The symbol that best represents our main character, melinda, is trees. Through the physical appearance of melinda, anderson shows many signals that. The novel begins on melindas first day in high school. The author of speak, laurie halse anderson, positions the main character melinda very clearly towards communication in the beginning of the book with the. Melinda french gates is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics. In melindas section, we talk about how the pressure melinda is under reveals some. You have such light and creativity in you, but it is covered in the darkness that you use a shield. After accidentally busting an end of summer party due to an unnamed incident, melinda is ostracized by her peers because she will not say why she called the police. What is a physical description of the character melinda in speak. Speak, published in 1999, is a young adult novel by laurie halse anderson that tells the story of high school freshman melinda sordino. An example of a character in the book is melinda sordino. Speak up for yourselfwe want to know what you have to say.
Like melinda, the main character in the story, laurie halse anderson grew up in syracuse, new york. She pushes her books to the floor and knocks the green nail polish on. If youd like me to speak at your event, please fill out the form below. There was drinking and drugs at the party, but this isnt the reason melinda decided to crash the party. Also known as it or andy beast to melinda, andy is the primary antagonist in speak. Throughout the book, there is a plot, and so far, it seems that the plot is mainly speaking up for what happened to you, and not keeping it silent. Melinda epler speakers bureau and booking agent info. One difference is that in the movie, melinda meets heather on the bus. In this quote, melinda is forthright about her belief in the benefit of. Its fifteen years since laurie halse andersons young adult novel speak was first published. Melinda is the protagonist in the novel speak by laurie halse anderson. Melinda mel sordino is the main character and narrator of laurie halse andersons 1999 novel speak.
The character of melinda sordino in speak from litcharts the. In this book speak, what are some characteristics of melinda. Nobody at school will talk to melinda, including rachel bruin, whos been her best friend forever. Melindas only friend is heather, a new student, who tries to get melinda involved in her schemes to gain popularity. From the time she was young, she enjoyed typing and pounding away on her fathers typewriter while he would read or write poetry. The theme of appearance versus reality in speak from litcharts the creators of sparknotes. Weve watched melinda struggle to say no throughout the book, so this.
Melinda epler generally travels from san francisco, ca, usa and can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other. Melinda marcus booking agent for speaking engagements. In the book speak, one of the biggest conflicts is when melinda was at a summer party. If melinda was to speak up about being raped, all of the bad guys would gain an understanding as to why melinda has done what shes done and is acting as she is. Get everything you need to know about appearance versus reality in speak. In honor of this anniversary, and in conjunction with april being sexual assault awareness. Similarities and differences between book speak and the scarlet letter. What is a physical description of the character melinda in. Since shes also the narrator, everything we learn about the other characters is filtered through her. This book was very sad to read because so many people were rude to others, i dont like when books are like that. The barbie doll head clearly symbolizes melinda herselfits taped mouth demonstrating her silence, and its turkey bone prison demonstrating how dead, alone, and victimized she feels. Television reporter accidentally shows naked husband.
I need quotes that are evidence of that physical description and find homework help for other speak questions. In laurie halse andersons book, speak, she uses an assortment of symbolism throughout the book. The first physical description of melinda emphasizes her lips, which are in. Melinda sordino, the main character in speak, loses all her friends when. In the book, speak by laurie halse anderson, a young girl, melinda, who used to be a popular girl is now an outcast. Get an answer for what major incident happened to melinda in speak. From the first moment of her freshman year at merryweather high, melinda knows that this is a big fat lie, part of the nonsense of high school.
Melinda, a high school freshman, is the protagonist in laurie halse andersons speak. Between the book and movie speak, there are many differences between the two. Ivy used to be a plain jane along with melinda, nicole, and rachel. The summer before starting high school, she was raped by a senior student, andy evans. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. I can tell that your mind is a place full of deep thoughts and questions, and i want to encourage you to let those inquisitions out and to free your mind.
1285 14 98 22 324 1407 365 812 224 337 789 649 1321 1108 1306 182 758 1126 883 43 766 1497 1104 530 1461 760 371 1291 245 204 1298 965 578 704 328 1344 953 1397 447 1429 1385 1153 216 1275