Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

Speak was written by Laurie Halse Anderson in 1999. Melinda Sordino enters ninth grade an outcast after calling the cops at an end-of-summer party. But no one knows what really happened to Melinda that night; no one knows she was raped.

 
   Laurie Halse Anderson has written a true coming of age story. Melinda represents many different teenagers entering high school; outcasts, teenagers with family problems, and even victims of rape. Anderson has made every element of the book impactful. She has shown the effects of rape on a person without going into too much detail on the actual events.

   Speak is a perfect example of a contemporary fiction novel. Even though it was written in 1999, it could have happened yesterday.

For Teachers: 

   Teachers should note that this book has been challenged in a school district before. It does contain difficult material and should be treated as such. Teachers should be prepared to address situations of sexual violence both in the classroom and on an individual basis. The ideal setting for this book would be in a ninth grade classroom. There are various aspects for students to glean from Speak, and the following activities could help: 

• Sexual Violence: Discuss what sexual violence is, when to say 'no', and what 'no' means. 
• Fight or Flight: The body reacts to difficult situations in different ways. Discuss fight or flight with your students - not just relating to sexual violence. This could also be a good topic for an essay. 
• Vocabulary word suggestions: obscene, abstinence, auditorium, indoctrination, inconspicuous, desperation, interrogation, degrading, discrimination, spastic, conjugate, immigration, sympathetic, intolerant, xenophobic, eloquent, obligation, subjectivity, potential, incompetence, conundrum, symbolism, consequence, reputation, inefficient, tenacious, suffragettes, self-incrimination, delinquency, maladjusted, indentured. 
• Discussion questions: How did Melinda use art to help her come to terms with what happened? Why did she choose to keep the rape to herself instead of telling her parents or the authorities? What does Melinda's room say about her? How does communication between Melinda and her parents break down? Melinda is an outcast, what does it mean to be an outcast, and what are some suggestions for reducing the number of cliques/clans? Are we sometimes different people by ourselves and with others, why is this? 

My Thoughts: 

   While the themes and situations in Speak were admittedly difficult to read, I really enjoyed this book. I think it provided a closer-to-accurate depiction of what high school is really like than most contemporary novels I have read. There is so much potential in this book. Teenagers in various situations can glean different things from Speak and it can help them through their situations. This is a book I would highly recommend as required reading for a ninth grade classroom. 

Additional Resources: 

An important number to have on hand would be your state or county's sexual violence hotline. 

A school system in Vermont has created a pamphlet for teachers who decide to use this book in their curriculum. This pamphlet has great resources and information on sexual violence. Click HERE to view the information. 

Reference: 

Anderson, L. H. (1999). Speak. New York, NY: Farrar Straus Giroux.