Speak -summer reading notes – Flashcards
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Page 3 #1 "I have seven new notebooks, a skirt I hate, and a stomachache."
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Extended Knowledge: Anderson establishes the setting, mood, and character's feelings about her first day of high school in her second hook sentence. The "stomachache" propels the reader into wanting to find out about why the unknown character feels restless.
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Page 3 #2 "Where to sit?"
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Background Knowledge, Character development and Extended Knowledge: Already, the reader gets a sense of how unsure of herself and conscience of what others think the main character is. She describes the system of categories one is classified in from every, otherwise insignificant, action they take.
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Page 3 #3 "-I have to make eye contact with one of my friends, if any of them have decided to talk to me yet."
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Character development: We know that something other than the beginning of high school is haunting our main character. We do not know the reason for the scorn she receives from her friends, although she is only asking for meager "eye contact", which is another hook into wanting to read more.
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Page 4 #1 "I am Outcast."
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Character development and Language Analysis: After describing how everything in her accord compared to her other classmates is wrong, Melinda labels herself "Outcast." The use of a capital "o" shows that is is official and everyone knows it. Without the use of a definite article, she is no longer an outcast, but the reincarnation of the word.
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Page 4 #2 "Our clan, the Plain Janes, has splintered-"
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Background Knowledge: Whatever Melinda has done has affected her whole group of friends, causing them to separate and leave her alone to deal with a high school world without belonging to a group, from which we have now understood is her version of torture.
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Page 4 #3 "The kids behind me laugh so loud I know they're laughing about me."
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Background Knowledge: The whole school knows of something bad, or shameful, our main character has done, although as readers we still do not know of what it consists of. We are furthering dragging into the story.
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Page 5 #1 "I am dying to tell what really happened."
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Character development: Melinda has not told anyone her version of her exploits, even her closest friend, Rachel, who has gone down the road of bullying in order to get herself higher along the hierarchy of Freshmen in her new group.
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Page 5 #2 "Mr. Neck: "Sit."
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Language Analysis: As Anderson's interviewers called it, the author's dialogue is "dead-on". The way she presents it is different from the grammatically acclaimed style of quotes and punctuation, but her method is closer to how teenagers communicate online now-a-days. Last of all, we already know that the main character is having trouble with her emotions and others, therefore, since the book is written from her perspective, she is unable to associate one's feelings with their speech, creating short sentences devoid of expression, just like she feels.
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Page 5 #3 "THE FIRST TEN LIES THEY TELL YOU IN HIGH SCHOOL"
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Character development: So far, everything our still anonymous main character describes is somber. We are starting to sense that even though she does not notice, she may be in a depressed state, finding nothing good or happy to focus on.
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Page 6 #1 "Only 699 days and 7 class periods until graduation."
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Character development: For Melinda to already be counting the days of school she has left, even if it is just her first, is a very bad sign.
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Page 7 #1 "He remembers me fondly. 'I got my eye on you. Front row.''
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Extended Knowledge: Not only is the whole school of students "out to get her" as she is making us understand, but so are the teachers.
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Page 7 #2 "There is no way of telling what the acceptable fashion will be."
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Character development: Again, this is a reminder of the bus incident showing how insecure our main character is. Since she has no friends to talk to about the latest trends and fashions needed to know in order to fit in, she is further shown as Outcast.
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Page 7 #3 "friendly face or an inconspicuous corner."
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Character development: Melinda already knows that nobody will want to sit with her, although not consequently, thus her search for a separate corner at the same time as a friend.
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Page 8 #1 "Thwap! A lump of potatoes and gravy hits me square in the center of my chest."
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Extended Knowledge: Once again, this is an example of her being bullied by the whole school for something unknown she did.
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Page 9 *** #1 "All that crap you hear on TV about communication and expressing your feelings is a lie. Nobody really wants to hear what you have to say."
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Decently BIG PART ************************************ Extended Knowledge: From the beginning to the end of the novel Speak, Melinda Sordino's view about expressing herself changes dramatically; She starts off her school year believing that nobody cares about another's problems, too self centered to help, but as she nears the end of her Freshmen days, after finally speaking up and sharing her dark secret to Rachel, no matter how much her ex-friend did not care to believe her, Melinda finally finds out that opening up helps her find the light which she lost while drowning in her own sea of silence.
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Page 10 #1 "Welcome to the only class that will teach you how to survive. "
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Extended Knowledge: The first sentence ushered by the art's teacher, Mr. Freeman, sends a clear message for later on in Melinda's path into accepting what happened to her; art was on of the reasons of her survival.
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Page 10 #2 "Where you can touch that part of you that you've never dared look at before."
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Extended Knowledge: This is again a sentence that the reader will further understand in the future of the book when Mr. Freeman helps Melinda speak up through her artwork.
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Page 12 #1 "My stomach flutters. Can he really let us do this? It sounds like too much fun."
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Character development: For the first time in the 12 starting pages of the novel does Melinda describe something as "fun", and is excited to start. Art, even if she started at the instant, is already helping her.
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Page 13 #1 "-makes it much easier to ignore her."
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Character development: Although Melinda has not resorted to ditching classes just yet, she has resorted to ignoring her teachers. Big sign that something is wrong with her, as it seems she did not do that before her big incident.
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Page 14 #1 "We communicate with notes,"
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Further Knowledge: Melinda is unwell mentally, suffering from depression, and her mother is never home to take care of her, not even knowing about her daughter's case.
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Page 14 #2 "What else is there to say?"
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Character Development: Melinda has nobody to talk to and is going through a depression all alone. She believes there is nothing to tell her parents, which is a sign that she has not yet accepted what happened to her.
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Page 15 #1 "By the time Dad unlocks the front door, everything looks the way he wants to see it, and I have vanished."
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Further Knowledge: Neither of her parents ever see their child, and as she puts it, even want to.
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Page 16 #1 "But then Mom would get involved, and Dad would measure the walls and they would argue about pain color."
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Background Knowledge: Melinda's parents rarely see each other, due to their different work schedules, and it seems that when they do, it is to fight. Our main character's life so far is worth her depression: She has no friends, except a girl named Heather who sits with her during lunch; her ex-friends ignore or bully her; the teachers are not the softest in her direction; and the rest of the school, who are complete strangers, hate her.
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Page 17 #1 "I can't stop biting my lips."
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Character development: To the list of unhealthy traits Melinda possesses, the readers can now add "self harm". Our main character, who has still not been named, mutilates her lips, which is a reflection upon her inner torment.
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Page 18 #1 "Gym should be illegal."
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Character development: So far, none of Melinda's classes pleases her except art. She finds no interests in academics nor sports.
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Page 19 #1 "Nicole can do anything that involves a ball and a whistle."
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Character development: There are some people who can find a list of good in an otherwise unworthy person, but cannot find a single satisfactory one for themselves; Melinda is that type of person. She believes that everybody is better than her in everything and there is nothing she can do about it. This mindset further pushes her into her depression.
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Page 20 #1 "I think about running out so she can't pull the Evil eye on me again, but Hairwoman, my English teacher, is patrolling the hall and I forgot to go to her class."
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Character development: Melinda started off her Freshmen year ignoring her teachers, then decided to not do her homework and now, after only two weeks and a few days into the year, Melinda is skipping classes. The secret she is holding back onto is consuming her life; she needs to come to terms with it and open up to someone. Once she has done that, the school, who believes a different version from the truth, will understand why she did as she did, and there will be no more incidents like the bathroom one with "Rachelle". For the first time, she and her ex-best friend, are alone together, but instead of taking the time and making up for their lost friendship, Rachel keeps up her bullying faze.
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Page 21 *** #1 "I want to grab her by the neck and shake her and scream at her to stop treating me like dirt. She didn't even bother to find out the truth- what kind of friend is that?"
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Decently BIG PART ************************************ Character Development: Rachel Melinda has not yet uncovered the truth about her dark secret, but later on we realize that this is an important passage for Rachel. During the end of summer party, Melinda was sexually abused by Andy Evans, a senior in her high school, while alone in the woods. After the traumatic event, Melinda went to see Rachel, who saw she was not in her usual state, but did not probe to find out why. When she called the cops on the party afterwards, her best friend took the rest of the school's side and believed Melinda had done so just to bring order to the illegal party, as the minors were drinking alcohol. This explains why "she didn't even bother to find out the truth"; Rachel both felt betrayed by her friend who refused to tell her what happened and by her act of ushering the police. If Melinda had told her from the start, she probably would have taken her side since then.
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Page 22 #1 "I need a new friend. I need a friend, period."
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Character Development: After Rachel and her exchange student friend blow Melinda off in the bathroom, our main character is determined to find a "disposable" companion in order to not "feel and look so stupid". He encounter left her angry and is pulling her back up from her deep half aware state.
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Page 22 #2 "As we ride home on Heather's bus, she tries to bully me into joining a club."
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Character Development: Heather Since the first day of school, Melinda and Heather have become convenient friends; Melinda uses her to fill in for her old friends and dim down some of her loneliness, while Heather, at first, is for the same reasons. Heather from Ohio is new and knows only our main character who confines and expects nothing of her "accessory". But already, we know that she is going to use her friend too, from the phrase "she tries to bully me".
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Page 22 #3 "She wants us to join five clubs, one for every day of the week."
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Further Knowledge: Heather is an extremely driven person who desperately wants to make actual friends too, thus her intense schedule of clubs to meet new people.
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Page 24 #1 "Mel?"
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Character Development: This is the first time we hear parts of Melinda's name being said. She wants to keep her identity as secret as possible in order to have a low profile because everyone at school knows her by name, and she will be further bullied if more associate it with her physic.
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Page 24 *********** #2 "I used to be like Heather. Have I changed that much in two months? She is happy, driven, aerobically fit."
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Background Knowledge: ********* Before her sexual assault, Melinda had a normal life with a good character, but afterwards, both came to a downfall, and only now does she realize.
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Page 25 #1 "I try to choke out a 'thank you' but can't say anything."
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Character Development: Melinda's state is worsening. She barley says anything, having nobody to talk, and now that she is obliged to, she finds herself mute.
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Page 25 #2 "I haven't stumbled into a classroom; it is an old janitor's closet,"
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Further Knowledge: Melinda has found her safe spot. This is where she is able to hid from her past and the rest of the world.
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Page 26 #1 "I steal a pad of late passes from Hairwoman's desk."
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Further Knowledge: Links in to how she skips class without getting caught.
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Page 27 #1 "Sordino?" she asks. "You're Melinda Sordino? - Aren't you the one who called the cops at Kyle Rodgers's party at the end of the summer?""
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Background Knowledge: On page 27, we learn for the first time our main character's full name to have this passage be about bullying. She kept her identity down because the whole school knows the name of the person who "called the cops at Kyle Rodgers's party" but not the face. Melinda dark secret, or the school's version of it, is out. the readers finally discover why our main character is being chastised by everyone, although we know it to not be the whole story, since she wants to tell someone "what really happened."
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Page 28-29 #2 + #1 "I can't believe you did that. *******." "The girl behind me jams her knees into my back. They are as sharp as her fingernails."
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Further Knowledge: Physically and verbally harassed.
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Page 28 #3 "For a minute she looks like she'll defend me. No, no, she won't."
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Character development: Heather Heather wants to become a popular, or at least someone with friends, not to be ignored, and by defending Outcast, she will interfere with her Plan, and never reach her goals, therefore she prefers seeing someone else hurt, than make it be her.
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Page 30 #1 "mayhem."
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Questions: Mayhem: violent or damaging disorder; chaos.
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Page 30 #2 "I've been painting watercolors of trees that have been hit by lightning. I try to paint them so they are nearly dead, but not totally."
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Character development: Melinda is exploring her soul, as Mr. Freeman instructed her to, and starting to express her inner chaos in a way unique to herself.
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Page 31 #1 "'-they had patrons who understood the need to pay for basic things such as paper and paint...' - He'll rant for the rest of the period."
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Character development: Mr. Freeman Mr. Freeman is the nice art teacher who helps Melinda explore her emotions through her creativity. He proves to her that he is an honest man who she can confine in thanks to his trust in his students when he rants on about his personal, and professional, life, even if it could get him into trouble.
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Page 32 #1 "I go to Heather's house."
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Further Knowledge: Melinda has been invited to a friends house, even if she does not consider her as close, Heather is still trying to be friendly.
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Page 34 #2 "You are so negative and you never try anything, you just mope around."
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Character development: Heather and Melinda As readers, we are starting to sense that Heather's and Melinda's "friendship" is bringing out the worst of the two; Heather is becoming mean, as well as more and more obsessed with popularity and the Right People, whereas Melinda is getting better and better at acting out fake emotions, and hiding from her true self.
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Page 35 #1 "First, we'll work our way into a good group."
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Further Knowledge: Later, we will realize that this is the start of Melinda's manipulation at the hands of her so called "friend" Heather.
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Page 35-36 #2-#1 "Dad: [Bangs table, silverware jumps] 'Cut the crap. She knows what's up. - You get those grades up or your name is mud.'"
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Character development: Parents Readers can have divided opinions about Melinda's parents because our main character does too. At first, they were presented as not caring and never around, but now that all the family is present at dinner, they become very interested in their child, or more so her grades. The mother is eerily quiet and smooth, using her calm Death Voice to try reasoning with her daughter. The father on the other hand is more intense and loud in his opinions. Neither of these two methods seem to work with Melinda who is more in need of someone to confined in and explain her mental downfall, opposing of her being threatened to do better.
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Page 36 #3 "Deprived of Victim, Mom and Dad holler at each other."
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Character development: Parents Not happily married. Constant intense arguments.
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Page 37 #1 "I have a lab partner, David Petrakis."
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Character development: David Introduction to David.
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Page 38 #1 "Toolz eye kan youz."
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Language analysis: Melinda is translating Algebra into words which do not make sense in order to portray her confusion towards the subject.
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Page 38-39 #2 + #1 "Ask him why algebra and he launches into a thousand and one stories why algebra...Mr. Stetman seems like a nice guy."
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Character development: the Teachers Over all, Melinda's teachers seem like good people who are all trying to help her out in some distant way: The maths teacher tries to get her involved in class and the English teacher lets her write down all her feelings in a book she swore to never read. Mr. Freeman, the arts teacher, is still reaching out the furthest for his student.
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Page 40 #1 "The night is dangerous, parents required- tall ghosts in khakis and down jackets floating behind the children."
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Background Knowledge: Melinda sees her old self in the innocent children and suggests that what happened to her was caused by a tall man "in khakis and down jackets", although her parents were not there to protect her.
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Page 40 #2 "Last year, our clan all dressed up as witches."
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Background Knowledge: This is a premonition that was given last year about how her clan friends would all become "witches", or doers of evil, in her direction the following year.
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Page 41 #1 "I would be lucky to get an invitation to my own funeral, with my reputation."
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Language analysis: First sarcastic phrase in the book because she is feeling bitter sweet about her flashback.
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Page 42 #1 "They call me Me-no-linda for the rest of the period. This is how terrorists get strted, this kind of harmless fun. I wonder if it's too late to transfer to German."
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Language analysis: Once again, Melinda is harassed by her classmates and the teachers do nothing about it. Her reflection about German is ironic because she believes that the people in her spanish class are meaner than those in German, which is a nationality known for not having the nicest people in the past (WW2).
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Page 42 #2 "When I went to that party, I was abducted by aliens."
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Character development: Melinda is refusing to face her dark truth, preferring to make up any other type of event that happened, even the silliest and most unlikely, in order to run away from the past.
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Page 43 #3 "They favor plaid...with matching sweaters...named after fruit, like apricot and russet apple."
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Language analysis: Simile because "like" is used in the sentence.
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Page 45 #1 "Emily: 'Who was that girl?' Heather: 'She's a friend.' Siobhan: 'She's creepy. What's wrong with her lips? It looks like she's got a disease or something.'"
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Character Analysis: Heather Heather is exploiting her "friend's" loneliness in order to gain popularity and a secure place in the Marthas group. Since she herself does not care for Melinda, she does not protect her abusive comments.
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Page 45-46 #2 "I see IT in the hallway... IT is my nightmare and I can't wake up. IT sees me. IT smiles and winks."
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Character Analysis: Andy Evans Andy Evans is not one of the main focuses of the book as one might expect, as he is the reason for Melinda's state of mind. Instead, he is a flat character, only coming up at sporadic moments to be described as IT, a cold hearted monster that petrifies Melinda and torments her at each event.
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Page 46 #1 "MY REPORT CARD:"
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Further Knowledge: Compared to her previous grades, the ones Melinda gets for first semester are a disaster, her only A in art.
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Page 50 #1 "It is getting harder to talk. My throat is always soar, lips raw."
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Character development: Melinda has finally become mute. As she has no friends or family members who converse with her, she finds no need in doing in, and in moments where she does have to speak, she finds the she cannot.
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Page 51 #1 "My closet is a good thing, a quiet place that helps me hold these thoughts inside my head where no one can hear them."
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Further Knowledge: Needs a place to be alone. Her place to be herself and think.
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Page 52 #1 "Heather: 'This is the best! I know exactly what I'm gong to do.'"
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Character development: Heather Extremely driven.
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Page 56-57 #1 "David:...'As a citizen, and as a student, I am protesting the tome of this lesson as racist, intolerant, and xenophobic.' ...Mr. Neck:...'Sit down or you're going to the principal.' David stares at Mr. Neck, looks at the flag for a minute, then picks up his books and walks out of the room. He says a million things without saying a word.... I have never heard such an eloquent silence."
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Character development: David Petrakis Summary: David is a clever student who always does well in class, gaining straight As and perfect records, but as Mr. Neck approaches the subject of immigration, stepping past the the line set by the law, David becomes the "Brave Kid" and defends the government. From Melinda's point of view: He impresses her. She wants to be like him and makes "a note to study David Petrakis" in order to fulfill her goal.
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Page 58 #1 "I want to suggest that we have something else for dinner... but I know she wouldn't take it the right way."
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Character development: Melinda cannot even talk to her mother about what they can eat for supper in fear of her reaction, therefore how can she ever aboard a deeper subject, like how she got sexually assaulted?
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Page 61 #1 "Mr. Freeman: 'You are on fire, Melinda, I can see it in your eyes. You are caught up in the meaning, in the subjectivity of the effect of commercialism on this holiday.'"
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Further Knowledge: Mr. Freeman shows to Melinda that he can relate to her suffering through her artwork and that she is not obligated to tell him everything, he will know from what she makes. He also offers her the first compliment we have heard for her behalf from the beginning of the novel, which encourages our young character. Melinda also, is finally inspired to do something, which is a big step from her "I don't care about anything" phase she went through.
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Page 64 #1 "I place a piece of tape over Barbie's mouth. ... Mr. Freeman: 'This has meaning. Pain.'"
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Character development: Freeman: Melinda does a self representation of how she feels, with a stitched mouth, unable to speak, and Mr. Freeman gets his hypotheses proven; Melinda Sordino has a dark secret, but cannot stop from holding back. Melinda: She finally confesses to herself that she wants to speak to somebody, and that person my be her arts teacher because it is to him she shows her creation, knowing he is the only one who could understand.
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Page 64 #2 "Me: 'Do you have any twigs?'"
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Character development: First time since she became mute that Melinda is able to articulate a full sentence without stuttering. She is improving around the person who cares about her.
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Page 64 #3 "{Ivy} She tries again... 'Good job Mel.'"
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Further information: This is the first time that one of Melinda's old friends talks to her, not to mention for it to be a compliment. Art class is a great event for Melinda to come to terms with herself and others, and start afresh.
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Page 65 #1 "Hypothalamuses "hypothalamii?)"
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Language analysis: hypothalamus: The hypothalamus is a portion of the brain beneath the thalamus. It may be helpful to divide this structure into four quadrants and recognize each portion is responsible for a different metabolic function. The last quadrant controls reproductive drive. "Lesson 6: Hypothalamus." Lesson 6: Hypothalamus. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Aug. 2015. Melinda described the Back Row as "hypothalamuses" because of their filtered attention on anything related to "reproduction", thus triggering "the last quadrant" that "controls reproductive drive" in a portion of their brains.
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Page 66 #1 "David: 'You're not supposed to do that!...You'll lose points!"
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Character analysis: David This is the first clear time we hear an account of David's protectiveness in Melinda's direction. He wants to help her, and not only in Biology class. As readers, thought, we are not sure if he has attempted any other ways of showing it to Melinda because she is the narrator of the story and already very confused about her feelings for all, including David.
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Page 56 #1 "I show the little plantseed to Ms. Keen. She gives me extra credit...Biology is so cool."
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Character development: Teachers Most of Melinda's teachers are trying to help her in as much as they can, even though she might not realize it. Ms. Keen for example did not take points off for Melinda's daydreaming experience in class, leading to her not following the instructions until David came along to help her, because she was able to get back on track by the end of the lesson and find a biology related mutant, for which she gave Melinda extra credit.
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Page 67 #2 "David Petrakis is fighting back about the freedom-to-speak thing. I get to class on time."
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Character development: Melinda is scared by Mr. Neck and uses that as an excuse for not being late to class, even though the readers can infer her real argument is thanks to David who is setting a good example for her.
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Page 68 #1 "I a teacher stared murder at me for forty-eight minutes, I'd turn into a puddle of melted Jell-O. David stares back... David Petrakis is my hero."
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Character development: David fights with the aid of his parents and lawyer to sue the school and Mr. Neck for "everything from incompetence to civil rights violations", and earns hate from his teacher for it. Everything David does awes Melinda, from his stand against people older and more powerful than him, to his intelligence and dedication, and his power to hold the bullies at bay. For her "David Petrakis is my hero."
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Page 68 #2 "I wait for another lecture from my guidance counselor,"
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Further Knowledge: First mention of a guidance counselor. Suggests the school has noticed Melinda's downfall in character and is trying to help her, although unsuccessfully.
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Page 69 #1 "I let Heather talk me into going to the Winter Assembly. She hates sitting alone almost as much as I do."
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Character development: Heather Heather is starting small, exploiting Melinda's loneliness into doing things for her that her "friend" does not necessarily want to do.
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Page 69 #2 "Heather give me my christmas present early... This means I'll have to get her something."
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Character development: Melinda is not playing her part in the friendship role either. Heather tries to bring the two together at first, but as it seems that Melinda shares nothing with her and is constantly distant, she stops trying and reverts to using her to get into the Marthas group. This relationship between the two brings out the worst in both of them.
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Page 71 #1 "I call Heather, but she's out Christmas shopping. What would heather do if she were here and the hosue didn't feel like Christmas?"
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Character development: Even though both know their friendship is falling apart, Melinda tries to salvage what is left of it, even though Heather is not.
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Page 72 #1 #2 #3 "I almost tell them right then and there. Tears flood my eyes. They noticed I've been trying to draw...This isn't going to be easy." "They wait with unsure smiles. The snowball grows larger." "Dad looks at his watch. Mom stuffs the wrapping paper into a garbage bag."
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Character development: parents Melinda is fervent to tell her parents what happened to her, although as readers we still do not know the truth, but as time ticks on, our main character's throat tightens with an imaginary "snowball" and her parents grow impatient. All it took for their daughter to want to tell them the truth was the slightest amount of attention and care, which meant a lot to her. Their response to her dramatic reaction was negative though, emphasizing their lack of common knowledge in traumatic experiences. Through the parents, Laurie Anderson is explaining that parents need to be educated about sexual abuse just as much as children, in order for them to positively reinforce and help their child get though it with the right techniques.
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Page 74 #1 "I taste my blood. IT's face suddenly pops up in my mind. All the anger whistles out of me like I', a popped balloon. Dad is really pissed when he sees how many calendars I bled on. He mentions a need for professional help."
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Character development: Everything Melinda does and has become is linked back to Andy Evans, and while Melinda was getting angry at her father for another reason than that, she was quickly brought back on "track" into her depression, where there is no room for anger because that might lead to speaking up, which she is not ready to do.
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Page 75 #1 "Ms. Connors: 'Meet me back here during activity period. You are Going Places with That Arm.'"
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Character development: Ms. Connors Ms. Connors, the girl's basketball coach, instantly sees potential in Melinda and is enthusiastic about entering her into the team, although after a look at her grades, cannot because of her to-be-star's 1.7 GPA average.
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Page 76 #1 "I like the sensation of succeeding brilliantly at something."
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Character development: Ms. Connor's eagerness at Melinda's talent brings out a certain joy in our main character which she has rarely felt before.
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Page 77 #1 "I have already ruined six linoleum blocks. I can see it in my head: a strong old oak tree with a wide scarred trunk and thousands of leaves reaching to the sun."
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Language analysis and character development: This is a premonition of how Melinda will turn out to be by the end of the book, made stronger and wiser from her traumatic experience, always reaching up. But currently, she is still in her dark depression, not at that stage yet, although she is trying to get there.
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Page 77 #2 "Principal Principal stormed in yesterday, smelling pleasure.:
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Character development: Principal Principal Principal Principal is not portrayed as malevolent character, but more as one who does not know how to handle teenagers, nor does he realize what they are going through. This makes him constantly angry and puzzled.
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Page 80 #1 "'I knew you wouldn't mind, Mel' Me: 'What?' Heather: 'I knew you wouldn't mind helping.'"
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Character development: Heather Heather is manipulating Melinda's loneliness to make her do things for her in the name of their "friendship" and is taking all the credit for it.
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Page 81 #1 "Our frog lies on her back. Waiting for a prince to come and princessify her with a smooch? I stand over her with my knife.... My throat closes off. It is hard to breathe. I put out my hand to steady myself against the table. David pins her frogger hands to the dissection tray. He spreads her froggy legs and pins her froggy feet. I have to slice open her belly. She doesn't say a word. She is already dead. A scream starts in my gut- I can feel the cut, smell the dirt, leaves in my hair."
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BIG PART ********************************** Melinda sees herself in the frog, personifying the animal into a helpless human girl, small and fragile. She portrays their innocence, linking back to her belief that Andy Evans was going to kiss her and become her boyfriend, instead of sexually assault her. This thought leads to the phrase from Andy's perspective "I stand over her with my knife." Melinda gets a panic attack remembering the fatal scene, loosing her final straw when David, being a boy as well, "spreads her froggy legs and pins her froggy feet" preparing for the first incision while the frog is silent, already dead. Before fainting, Melinda gets a flashback of the actual event, not from the frogs perspective, but her own.
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Page 82 #1 "Maybe I should wait until David Petrakis is a doctor, let him do it."
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Character development: Shows her deep trust in David, the only student who treats her decently out of the whole school.
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Page 85 #1 "'The Best Lost Homework Excuse Ever' in five hundred words. WE had one night. No one was late."
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Character development: hairwoman Hairwoman, Melinda's English teacher, changes her classes to go according to her student's tastes in order to keep them working, which works.
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Page 85 #2 "I work on Heather's posters for two weeks...I draw posters of basketball players shooting cans through a hoop. They demonstrate very good form."
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Character development: Melinda has found something that she likes doing, even if not voluntarily, because Heather manipulated her into doing her work. She is finally dedicated back to something, which is a huge step from the "I don't care about anything" attitude depression made her sink into. Also, basketball has become one of her interests, even if she does not practice it.
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Page 86 #1 "She asks me to hang the posters for her. I actually don't mind. It's nice having kids see me doing something good."
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Character development: Melinda feels good about herself and is proud of the new conversation starter people will use when talking behind her back. She has contributed a good piece of work to the community. Background knowledge: Melinda started getting back into the community after thinking back upon the fatal night of her incident and confessing to herself what happened is the truth.
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Page 86 #2 "IT whispers to me. 'Freshmeat.' That's what IT whispers."
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Character development: Andy Evans Torments Melinda, constantly brings back harassing memories and cuts off her previous joy she felt.
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Page 87 #1 "I draw little windowcracks of blood, etching line after line until it stops hurting. It looks like I arm-wrestled a rosebush."
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Character development: In an attempt for her parents to pay attention to her and tell her the simple phrase "talk to me about it when your ready", instead of having them demand answers to the wrong questions, like "What is wrong with you?" and "Do you think this is cute?"
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Page 89 #1 "Emily:...You're posters are ridiculous- my little brother could have done a better job...You've turned this project into a joke.'"
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Character development: Heather First off, Heather lied. She said that the posters Melinda did were not going to be given at her credit, but they were, and she paid for it. Secondly, Heather lets them bully her around because she still naively wants to be part of her group. In the system of hierarchy that contaminates Merryweather High, Heather is still above Melinda, who is Outcast, the lowest of the low, and passes on the Martha's awful treatment to her by not standing up for her posters and hard work.
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Page 90 #1 "They are talking about IT. Andy. Andy Evans."
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Character development: Each time she gives away a new fact about her rape, she is in a way liberated later.
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Page 90 #2 "Emily: 'Fact- he's gorgeous. Fact- he's rich. FAct- he's just the itsiest bit dangerous and he called me last night.'"
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Character development: Girls in general (in SPEAK) The girls in the book are all attracted to looks and background. All they see is a handsome senior who is wealthy. They are also appealed to danger, even though they do not know the reality of how much peril one is in his presence.
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Page 91 #1 "he twirls my polytail in his fingers. Emily's eyes narrow."
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Character development: Andy Evans Andy Evans is making Melinda even more enemies by creating jealously between the Martha group and her. He is also constantly tormenting her.
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Page 92 #1 "He slices the canvas with my chisel,"
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Further knowledge: Mr. Freeman's depression affects Melinda in her art; during his dark moment she is unable to sculpt any trees, all of them turning into dead woods.
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Page 95 #1 "I am allergic to hornets. One sting and my skin bubbles with hives and my throat closes up."
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Character development: Allergic to the actually hornets, and to the "stinging" comments said behind her back by the human hornet embodiments.
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Page 92 #2 "MY REPORT CARD"
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Character development: Melinda's grades are on a steep decline, her only good notes staying biology and art. Biology: thanks to David Petrakis, Lab Partner Art: thanks to Mr. Freeman
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Page 96 #1 "Another nod. Mom: 'You'll need boots. It's a long walk,'"
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Character development: Parents Melinda's mother is ignorant of her daughter's condition and careless about her physical state eg nails, blood bitten lips, cutting. If it is a coincident or not, Melinda's sub-conscience pushed her to find a way to spend time with her mother, even if it is the short ride to school. Her mother, though, having such care for her child, pushes her back constantly, this being just another drop in the ocean.
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Page 97 #1 "And wolfsmiles, showing oh granny what big teeth you have."
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Character development: Andy Evans Andy is being described more and more inhumanly, this time turning into a wolf pretending to be and innocent other, just like in "The Little Red Riding Hood".
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Page 98 #1 "Slush,...yellow snow."
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Language analysis: Symbolism Melinda is described as "yellow snow" because she has the potential to be beautiful and present in a positive way, but instead is constantly trudged on and has started melting from the pressure, negatively present at school and in her personal life.
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Page 99 #1 "I should probably tell someone, just tell someone. Get it over with. Let it out, blurt it out."
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Character development: In some ways, Melinda is getting better because unlike at the beginning of the story where she said "All that crap you hear on TV about communication and expressing feelings is a lie," she now believes that if she gets it out, things will get better for her, which is the truth.
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Page 100 #1 "We have to figure out what he was really trying to say,"
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Language analysis: Nathaniel is like Melinda in the way that both express themselves in hidden messages; Nathaniel through symbolism in his characters and Melinda by the way she does not speak, self harms and ditches school.
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Page 101 #1 "Me with an S maybe, S for silent, for stupid, for scared. S for silly. For shame."
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Character analysis: Melinda is now self harming physically and mentally. She believes herself insignificant and useless.
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Page 102 #1 "'Hawthorne's symbolism is just like multiplication - once you figure it out, it's as clear as day,'"
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Character development: Hairwoman Hairwoman is stuck in one idea of thinking, unable to bend to see literature from another perspective even if it is a valid reason to.
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Page 102 #2 "That's what you get for speaking up."
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Character development: Melinda is constantly discouraged from speaking up. Whenever she builds up the courage to express herself, an unseen force pushes her back down.
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Page 104 #1 "Some teachers rumorwhisper he's having a breakdown. I think he's the sanest person I know."
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Question: I do not know what she means by this. How is he sane?
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Page 104 #2 "The cafeteria is a giant sound stage where hey film daily segments of Teenage Humiliation Rituals."
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Language analysis: Premonition - something bad is going to happen to her
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Page 104 #3 "I am not listening too closely as Heather ahems her way to what is on her mind."
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Character development: Melinda does not treat Heather like a real friend, using her only to fill out her loneliness.
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Page 105 #1 "Me: 'You mean we're not friends anymore?'"
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Character development: Heather As I said before, their friendship relation brings out the worst in both girls, especially Heather who has decided to finally split the link between them while Melinda closely analysis valentine hearts on the walls.
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Page 105 #2 "Heather: 'You don't like anything. You are the most depressed person I've ever met, and excuse me for saying this, but you are no fun to be around and I think you need professional help.'"
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Character development: Heather If hurting Melinda by severing their relation is not enough, Heather adds on a layer by deeply insulting her previous friend.
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Page 105 #3 "But now I am desperate to be her pal, her buddy, to giggle with her, to gossip with her."
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Character development: Melinda has finally developed the growth mindset, but a little too late. Before, in her fixed way of thinking, she was too concentrated on her old friends, especially Rachel, even though she did not admit it to herself, and did not try hard enough with Heather, who, after all, stayed by her side the whole school year until now (February).
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Page 107 #1 "'They'll make you break out.'"
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Question: What does "break out" mean? Answer: It means she will get acne.
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Page 108 #1 "I notice envelopes taped to some locker but don't really think about it until I find on on mine. It says "Melinda". It has to be a joke. Someone put it there to make me look stupid."
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Character development: Instead of getting her hopes up that her life is not as bad as it seems, her first reaction is to be skeptical. This shows just how insecure she is and what she expects from others.
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Page 108 #2 "Maybe David Petrakis My Lab Partner."
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Character development: Melinda is starting to get over her fear of boys thanks to David who is the only student who treats her decently at school.
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Page 110 #1 "David smiles. He draws a branch under he feet and slides the notebook back to me."
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Character development: David Proof that he is nice to Melinda.
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Page 110 #2 "I bend down to find what dropped from the card. It was the friendship necklace I had given Heather in a fit of insanity around Christmas."
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Character development: Heather has given her last blow, which took our poor main character completely by surprise, by giving back her friendship necklace on Valentine's Day, which is supposed to be for lovers and friends.
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Page 110 #3 "I stumble down the hall,...till I find my very own door and slip inside...where I can sink my teeth into the soft white skin of my wrist and cry like the baby I am."
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Character development: Heather We do not know if Heather understands the impacts of her actions, especially on frail Melinda, who is now far down the road of self harm, physically showing how she is on the inside.
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Page 111 #1 "Maybe I can learn some pre-med stuff for David."
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Character development: Melinda wants to return David's kindness in her direction with whatever she has, which in this case is information.
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Page 111 #2 "The maternity ward is dangerous because people there are happy."
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Character development: Happy = talkative = not Melinda's silent type
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Page 113 #1 "I put the gown back. There is nothing wrong with me. These are really sick people, sick that you can see."
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Further Knowledge: Not all those who are sick show it. Melinda is the perfect example for this: she is mentally ill from depression and self harm, both extremely dangerous to her health physically and mentally because they can lead to suicide.
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Page 114 #1 "'Why won't you say anything?'...'I don't know why she's doing this to us.'"
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Further Knowledge and Character development: CD Melinda's parents want to know what is happening to their daughter, but are asking the wrong questions. They also do not know how to act out to help their depressed child. FK Laurie Halse Anderson is portraying the message that both children and parents should be educated about sexual assaults so they know how to help the victim.
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Page 114 #2 "Mother: 'She's jerking us around to get attention.'"
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Character development: Melinda is NOT deliberately trying to get her parent's attention, she just wants them to see her as she is without her telling them. They are too caught up in superficial things, like her grades, that they do not care about how she is fairing mentally.
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Page 115 #1 "Mother responds with unladylike language. Father suggests that the guidance counselor visit that hot, scare underground world... Maybe she understands why I keep it zipped.'
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Character development: This is not the type of audience to whom Melinda wants to share her dark secrets. As readers, we understand her, as does now the Principle and insulted Guidance Counselor.
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Page 116 #1 "do they choose to be so dense?...I have no friends. I have nothing. I say nothing. I am nothing."
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Character development: Melinda needs stability and patient listeners who want to hear her story, not these people who "choose to be so dense".
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Page 117 #1 "asylum."
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Question: Asylum: an inviolable refuge, as formerly for criminals and debtors; sanctuary Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com, n.d. Web. 27 Aug. 2015.
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Page 119 #1 "'Now you're getting somewhere,' he says. He gives me a thumbs-up.'"
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Character development: Mr. Freeman Mr. Freeman is always helping Melinda in which ever way he can. This time, it is by pushing her to see things a different way and adding in a good pinch of positive encouragement to the lot.
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Page 122 #1 "'I don't know what I'm supposed to feel.'" My fingers fly up and cover my mouth. What am I doing?"
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Character development: Melinda is starting to open up as Mr. Freeman is helping her crack her shell.
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Page 123 ********************************************** "'Melinda,' Mr. Freeman says... 'You're a good kid. I think you have a lot to say. I'd like to hear it."
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decently BIG PART************************************* Mr. Freeman is the ONLY person in the whole book who tells, not asks, Melinda that she can talk to him openly. He does not want to push her on WHY she is the way she is, but he wants to HELP.
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Page 124 #1 "Am I in there somewhere?"
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Character development: Melinda knows she has lost her elder self, but has no recollection of how to find it.
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Page 125 #1 "They {feelings} are chewing me alive like an infestation of thoughts, shame, mistakes."
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Character development: She needs to find a way of getting rid of them - speaking up.
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Page 126 #1 "A teenage plant. This is a bad time to be a rose or a zinnia or a marigold, because people attack with scissors and cut off what's pretty...If the rose is picked, the plant grows another one."
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Language analysis: Symbolism: Melinda is describing herself as the rose, having been attacked and "cut off what's pretty". Premonition: explains that even when damaged, a plant, just like herself, can learn to grow back, stronger even
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Page 127 #1 "Maybe I should start talking to Them."
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Character development: Melinda and her parents have separated so much that she now describes them as strangers, people she could go meet one day.
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Page 127 #2 "But what if I say the wrong thing?"
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Character development: Who is she expected to talk to if not her "parents" and "friends"?
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Page 128 #1 "They could knit goat-hair blankets for shorn sheep."
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Further Knowledge: The Marthas are made to seem like nice girls from good families, but in the end, all they do is for show as is brings no good for anyone except their reputation.
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Page 129 #1 "She looks wistful."
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Character development: Melinda likes her English teacher because she makes her topics relevant to her students, but at the same time, Melinda feels a certain type of pity for her.
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Page 131 # "David: 'Come on, Mel. You gotta come with us! My dad told me to bring anyone I wanted. We can give you a ride home after if you want. It'll be fun!"
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Character development: David finally opens up to Melinda about his care in her direction, especially by telling her that out of everyone, he choose her to invite after the party.
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Page 131*********************************************** #2 "Melinda One: 'Get a life...He wasn't going to try anything...' Melinda Two: 'The world is a dangerous place. You don't know what would have happened.'"
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decently BIG PART************************************* Melinda's conflicting feelings are portraying perfectly in this passage, showing her as having two different personalities that break her life apart and never let her have any quality time. She is character to understand, especially at this point where, as readers, we still do not understand what happened to her, but as her secret is reviled, we understand her quick refusal at spending any time, even if it is not completely alone, with boys.
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Page 133 #1 "People say that winter lasts forever, but it's because they obsess over the thermometer."
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Language analysis: Symbolism - shows that if you dwell too much on the negative, it will consume you and you will not be able to pull yourself out of it easily.
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Page 135 #1 "I'm not really here, I'm definitely back at Rachel's, crimping my hair and gluing on fake nails, and he smells like beer and mean and he hurts me hurts me hurts me and gets up and zips his jeans and smiles."
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BIG PART********************************************* We finally know what happened to Melinda and understand why she acts the way she does around Andy Evans.
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Page 136 #1 "I stood in the middle of a drunken crown and I called 911 because I needed help."
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Further knowledge: Now we understand why the other's at school oppress Melinda.
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Page 136 #2 "There is blood on the snow. I bit my lip clear through. It needs stitches."
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Character development: The memory is so painful she doesn't know how to handle it and takes out the pain on herself physically.
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Page 145 #1 "Ivy moves so I can sit next to her and hands me the sketch-book."
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Character development: Ivy Compared to Melinda and Heather's forced friendship, M. and Ivy's comes naturally, blossoming from their same interest in art. Since Ivy was not at the party, she has nothing to blame Melinda for, and tries to help her later on.
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Page 146 #1 "'It's fine the way it is,'"
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Character development: Melinda needs to learn how to coop with her mistakes and grow from them (tree). She needs to accept herself the way she is.
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Page 153********************************************** #1 "Make it bend- trees are flexible, so they don't snap. Scar it, give it a twisted branch- perfect trees don't exist. Nothing is perfect. Flaws are interesting. Be the tree."
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decently BIG PART************************************* "Be the tree" is the biggest hint to what the tree symbolizes throughout the novel SPEAK; It is a way of showing Melinda though her different stages of mind ("Confused Period...Spaz Period... Dead Period") and how she grows stronger from each, although scared and with a "twisted branch". She learns that "flaws are interesting", and, in her case, there are a lot that make her stand out from the ordinary.
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Page 155 #1 "I ask David Petrakis for advice."
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Character development: Even after the incident of David asker Melinda over after the game, she still considers him as a friend and source of help.
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Page 159 #1 "You can't speak up for your right to be silent. That's letting the bad guys win."
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Character development: We do not know how much David knows about the reason of Melinda's behavior, but we think he has a decent idea and is trying to help her get through it. If he knows it or not, he is right about Melinda letting the "bad guys win", for Andy Evans is still on the loose. In his own way, he is asking her to tell him about what changed her.
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Page 161 #1 "She pouts and Andy leaps off the table, ripping my paper, scattering bits of chalk."
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Summary: Rachel is dating Andy. Andy is just playing along so he can get what he wants from her later. He is still tormenting Melinda, and her ex friend does nothing to help.
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Page 164********************************************** #1 "If my life were a TV show, what would it be? ... My Summer Vacation: A Drunken Party, Lies, and Rape. Was I raped? Oprah: 'Let's explore that. You said n o. He covered your mouth with his hand. You were thirteen years old'... Sally Jessy: 'I want this boy held responsible...It was not your fault'... Jerry:...'Speak up, Melinda, I can't hear you!'"
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decently BIG PART************************************* We now understand why Melinda has stayed silent for so long; this is because she does not know if what happened to her qualifies for rape. As she explores what happened to her from a second hand experience, making it less painful for her to think about, she finally comes to the conclusion that, yes, he forced her to do something she was against.
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Page 168 #1 "Me: 'Can you buy some seeds? Flower seeds?'"
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Character development: After opening up to herself about what happened the night of the party, Melinda is liberated in some mental way from her dark state and restarts activities she used to like.
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Page 172 #1 "Hairwoman got a buzz cut...And she got new glasses... Has she fallen in love?Did she get a divorce? Move out of her parents' basement?"
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Character development: Hairwoman has changed her appearance and Melinda hopes it symbolizes change for the better.
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Pages 174 & 175 #1 & #1 "'Remember what you said about Andy Evans being big trouble?" "I hold the cap in my teeth. GUYS TO STAY AWAY FROM: The first entry is the Beast himself: ANDY EVANS."
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Character development: Ivy Ivy suspects something happened to Melinda and has correctly associated it with Andy Evans. By letting Melinda express a part of her fear to the whole high school girls, she is helping her get through her difficult phase.
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Page 178 #1 "Me: 'You have to decorate the whole thing? By Saturday night?'... Heather: '...But I know we can do it."
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Character development: Heather This is the final straw; Heather shows her true foolhardy nature, which is "self-centered and cold", when she comes prying at Melinda's door for help when the last time they spoke, she told her to never even imagine thinking of her again.
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Page 179 "Me: 'No.'
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Character development: Melinda has finally grown strong enough from her past experiences with Heather's manipulative tricks to save herself from the last. She has finally learnt her lesson from the Suffragette Project.
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Page 183 #1 "I DIDN'T CALL THE COPS TO BREAK UP THE PARTY, I write. I CALLED - I put the pencil down. I pick it up again - THEM BECAUSE SOME GUY RAPED ME."
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Character devlepment: Melinda has finally told someone about what happened to her and the person to whom she opens up says a lot about her own personality; she honors her past friendship with Rachel, no matter what happened this year, by helping her not fall into the same trap with Andy Evans that she had found herself in.
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Page 186 #1 "What's the name of that drug they give perverts so they can't get it up? ...He should get it every morning in her orange juice. I went out with him to the movies - he tried to get his hands down my pants during the PREVIEWS!!"
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Further Knowledge: Melinda discovers that she was not Andy's only victim, and certainly not the first to keep quiet. Lily showed her this in order to compel her to speak up, not only for herself, but all those other girls out there.
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Page 187 #1 "'By cutting off the damage, you make it possible for the tree to grown again. You watch - by the end of summer, this tree will be the strongest on the block.'"
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Language analysis: symbolizes Melinda
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Page 190 #1 "I ride like I have wings. I am not tired. I don't think I'll ever have to sleep again."
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Character development: Melinda has liberated herself from the immense burden of secrets that left her heavy with depression. Now that she is free, she is getting better.
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Page 191 #1 "While they danced, he was grinding against her and she backed off. The song ended and she swore at him."
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Character development: Rachel Even if she did not believe Melinda's story, she was on her guards about Andy during Prom, and was correct to do so. Over all, Melinda saved her friend.
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Page 193 #1 "Andy Beast: '...Rachel blew me off at the prom, giving me some ... story about how I raped you. You know that's a lie.'"
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highlighted
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Page 194 #1 "Beast: 'You're not going to scream. You didn't scream before.'"
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Character development: Andy Evans Described as an animal. He wants his revenge on Melinda for ruining his school life, and probably personal.
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Page 194 #2 "'NNNOOO!!!'"
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Character development: After saying standing up for herself against Heather, and succeeding, Melinda has worked up the mental courage to fight Andy Evans, the Beast who has control her life for a year.
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Page 196 #1 ...
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Highlighted
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Page 197 #1 "I practice birds"
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Character development: Melinda has inspired other lives. She has helped so many people including herself: Rachel: Rachel is no longer lost with Andy - she know's what is out there and what she can expect from "trouble with a big T". Like all teenagers, Rachel has been drifting around, trying to find her place and personality, and has finally accepted that it is with Melinda. Heather: Heather realizes, we hope, that what she has done (manipulation) is wrong, and can change for the better now. Andy Evans: Andy did not realize, like a lot of men no a days, if you read the author's interviews, that rape is unacceptable. He, too, can, or will be forcefully, change to be a better person. Mr. Freeman: Although we know he is already out of his depression, he can learn from his student the value of speaking up for his teacher rights. Nicole: Not everything is about honor and self pride - helping out someone is just as rewarding sometimes. Other victims: She has given them a voice and inspired them to speak up too.
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Page 198 #1 ...
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Highlighted
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EXTRA!!! Connecting knowledges from different summer readings
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Mindset & Speak
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Parents: FIXED
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They have one idea of their daughter, which is her last year doing well in school academically and socially, but they cannot get past the idea that she is not the same after her sexual abuse, which they know nothing of because of their ignorance in her mental direction -- care that she is self harming because they believe it is for attention.
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David Petrakis: GROWTH
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Believes that through effort and time, one can succeed at anything: example -- parents and lawyer trying to sue Mr. Neck for going against the government's laws
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Heather from Ohio: Growth Mindset
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Wants to take part in a club for every day of the week, already knows about her future and what she has to do to get there, and is generally outgoing and determined
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Melinda Sordino: Friendship relations: FIXED
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Melinda believes that her past relationships with her friends are in the past and will never be the same again. Around Heather, though, she changes mindsets from fixed, where she believed that they could never be camarades, to growth, when she tried to tie links back between the two, which Heather cut each time.
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Melinda Sordino: Academically: GROWTH
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Melinda's in-class behavior drastically deteriorated throughout the book, until she finally started confessing, both to herself and her ex-best friend Rachel what really happened to her at the party. Then, she started working again, attending classes, and occasionally , as for spanish, s turning in her homework on time.
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Melinda Sordino: Judgment of others: FIXED
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Melinda labels her classmates as either dumb and odd, like "Rachelle", or incredibly smart, like David Petrikis
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Relationships: NONE Business: NONE
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none
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Teaching: FIXED
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When Melinda is asked to coach a basketball player, she refuses because of her belief that she will not be able to succeed and because of her depression which is forcing her to act with the "I do not care about anything" label
