Characters:
- Melinda – Main Character
- Rachel/Rachelle – Ex-BFF; Foreign-exchange friend
- Ivy – Ex-Friend, Art Class Companion
- Mr. Neck – History & ISS Teacher
- Mr. Freeman – Art Teacher
- David – Lab partner
- Heather – New friend, Ex-friend and “Martha”
- Brendan Keller (Basketball Pole) – Melinda helps him with foul shots
- Andy Evans (IT) – Rapist
Theme(s): Friendship,
Rape, Pain, Suffering, Growth
Summary: Melinda is
a freshman at Merryweather High School. She doesn't speak but has vivid thoughts and imagination. She doesn't have any friends because of a summer party. Her old friends, Ivy, Nicole and
Rachel/Rachelle have found new cliques. Melinda
does not mention what occurred at the party but that the cops were called. Everyone hates her. Her only escape is her
closet and Mr. Freeman’s art class. Melinda later reveals that she was raped by
a senior, Andy Evans. This is why
everyone hates her because she called the cops for help. This is why she does not speak, failing her
classes and introverted.
As she finds her niche, art class, she becomes more
confident. Melinda even gave a women suffrage
speech. Melinda finds out her ex-friend Rachel/Rachelle is dating Andy. She tells Rachel/Rachelle what Andy did. Rachel thinks it’s jealously. Andy confronts
her on the last day of school and tries to rape Melinda again in her
closet. This time she fights and gets a
piece of glass to his throat. Thankfully, the lacrosse team hears them and
bangs on the door. At the end, she is
vindicated and confides her story to Mr. Freeman.
My Response: I think
Speak is intended for young women; aging from 13-18 year old. One of the
strengthens of the book is to empowering rape or abuse victims to speak about
their experiences. Once Melinda saw Rachel/Rachelle
as a victim, she decided to share her experience.
