Speak

Bibliography

Anderson, Laurie Halse, and Mandy Siegfried. 2004. Speak. New York: Random House/Listening Library.ISBN 9781400089987

Plot Summary

A traumatic event at a summer party changes Melinda Sordino’s life forever.  She begins high school without any friends or sense of purpose, so she isolates herself and rarely speaks to anyone. As Melinda struggles to complete a semester-long art project, she comes to terms with what happened to her and eventually finds her voice. In this dark, yet inspiring story, Laurie Halse Anderson weaves a mysterious and inspiring tale about finding inner strength among the pressures of high school.

Critical Analysis

In Anderson’s debut novel, she brilliantly captures the struggles of dealing with trauma and the insecurities of adolescence.  As Melinda begins her freshman year of high school, she desperately tries to forget about being raped at a summer party. Feeling alone, Melinda closes herself off from the people around her, she worries that no one will understand or believe her. The more Melinda isolates herself, the less she is able to "speak."

Speak is written in first-person narrative, so readers are able to connect with Melinda and see the world through her eyes. At the beginning of the story, Melinda describes how all of her friends have stopped talking to her after she called the cops to the party. Over the course of the school year, Melinda recalls the events of that night and ultimately comes to terms with what happened. Anderson creates mystery and excitement in the story by slowly releasing the details about Melinda’s traumatic event.

 Although the subject matter is dark, Anderson flawlessly integrates humor into the story with Melinda’s sarcastic view of teenage life. Readers will relate to Melinda’s struggle with friends, parents, teachers, and school. Her references to the coach/teacher dubbed “Mr. Neck” will resonate with readers that have had comparable teachers. Melinda’s observations of her parents, and their seemingly unhappy marriage, will also feel familiar to some readers. Although the character Andy Evans is rather unsavory, Anderson does not bog down the story with moral judgments or stereotypes. Melinda is comforted by her unconventional art teacher, Mr. Freeman, and fellow student, David Petrakis. As Melinda struggles to find her voice, she transitions from a desperate and broken character into one that is more empowered and confident .

Anderson does a fine job of describing Syracuse, New York and Melinda’s surroundings, yet she does not get caught up in the details. Readers from various parts of the world are able to visualize and relate to the story because it has an “any town” feel. Anderson’s use of dialogue is relevant and universal. Readers now and in the future will relate to the characters because the story is not associated with any specific time period. 

About the Audiobook

Speak is an engrossing story and the audiobook version will keep listeners interested until the very end. Mandy Siegfried does an exceptional job narrating the fairly short (5 hour) story. The sincerity and emotion in Siegfried’s voice provides a credible portrayal of Melinda. Listeners are able to visualize Melinda’s fear, sadness, and insecurities in Siegfried’s performance.

Awards

¬  Michael L. Printz Award:  Honor Book, 2000

¬  Golden Kite Award, 2000

¬  Los Angeles Time Book Prize: Finalist, 1999

Reviews

Booklist, 1999: “In her YA fiction debut, Anderson perfectly captures the harsh conformity of high-school cliques and one teen's struggle to find acceptance from her peers.”

Kirkus Reviews, 1999: “The plot is gripping and the characters are powerfully drawn, but it is its raw and unvarnished look at the dynamics of the high school experience that makes this a novel that will be hard for readers to forget.”

The ALAN Review, Winter 2000: “The wonderfully descriptive language, along with the suspense, capture and propel the reader through this tale.”

Connections

*Discuss post-traumatic stress disorder. Pass out a list of non-fiction books about rape and post-traumatic stress disorder. Include information for rape hotlines. Some book titles include:

·        Frequently Asked Questions About Date Rape by Tamra Orr

·        Recovering From Rape by Linda E. Ledray

·        Real Girl/Real World: Tools for Finding Your True Self by Heather M. Gray

·        Post-Traumatic Stress by Carrie Fredericks

*Ask students to draw a tree that is representative of their life and/or the way they feel.

*Ask students to write a brief summary of the book and what advice they would give to Melinda.