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Braun Reading Fair
4
Reading Fair Project
Mckenna Braun
About Author
Speak was written by Laurie Halse Anderson.
About
Author
About the Author
Author
Laurie Halse Anderson is a young adult fiction author. She typically writes first person point of view novels on sexual assault. Laurie currently lives in Philadelphia. She is a New York Times best-selling author.Laurie was nominated for Swedens Astrid Lindgren Memorial Reward, seven times. She heavily speaks for the diversity needed in publishing.
Works
Works
Laurie has written books such as, Shout and Chains. Her books speak and chains were finalists in the National Book Awards. She had her book, Speak, turned into a movie and actually played in it as a cafeteria lady.
Characters
Characters
Andy Evans
Rachel Bruin
Melinda Sordino
Andy Evans was the reason for this novel. He is Rachel's boyfriend. This character is static. From the beginning and end of the novel Andy has treated Melinda horribly. He would taunt her and get in her way and ruin her day. Andy is a flat character. They gave no information in the novel on his past or why he did what he did. The book is not very descriptive on how he looks.
Rachel is very social and often has a friend with her and talking to her. This character is dynamic. After she figures out what her boyfriend did, she is furious with him and ignores him. She refuses to talk to him and spreads what he did around the school. Rachel is also a flat character. The novel never really shows any of her past or anything about her other than when she was at the party with Melinda.
Melinda Sordino is the quiet main character in the story. Melinda is a dynamic character.The novel shows how she acted the year before. She was very fun and outgoing until the party. She isolates herself and is mocked at school. This character is also round. She often has flashbacks from when she was a child and when she was at the party.
Plot
Plot
Title- Speak
Author- Lauri Halse Anderson
Illustrator- None
Publisher- SPEAK
Copyright Date- 1999
Setting
Setting
The most important setting took place at school. She is often in the hallways, or in her teachers'classroom. This story is told in the present. Melinda explains what she is thinking and going through the moment it happens. The school is in a small town in New York. She is often hanging out in a secret janitor's closet where she goes to get away from school.
Beginning of the Novel
Beginning
In the novel, Speak, Melinda Sordino is trying to make her way through her first year in high school. Last year she busted a summer party by calling the cops. Now, everyone at school and even strangers, hate her. She used to hang out with a group of "popular" girls in 8th grade, Rachel being one of them. Rachel taunted Melinda throughout the whole year, angry with her for calling the cops at a party. She did not know what actually went down.
Middle of the Novel
Middle
Melinda was raped at the party by Andy Evans which Melinda also refers to as "IT". She discovers a small room inside of a janitor's closet and decides that would be her safe space at school. She is struggling in school and always goes back to her closet to relax and skips class. Months have passed and things aren't getting better. She sits alone at lunch and is not able to make or keep any friends.
End of the Novel
End
Melinda wants to tell someone, anyone what happened at the party. She didn't like that everyone hated her and didn't even know what actually happened. She decides to tell Rachel, IT's girlfriend. She finds her in study hall and slides her a note. Rachel thinks Melinda is just jealous that she is going out with him and storms out of the room. Eventually, Rachel confronts IT. IT follows Melinda into the closet and attacks her. She eventually escapes the closet and is taken to the hospital where she told her mother what happened last summer.
Theme
Theme
The theme of this novel is to always tell someone what you are feeling. At the end of the novel Melinda told Rachel what her boyfriend did to her at the party. Later, Rachel confronted him and she was forced to tell her mother. She has been dying to tell someone since it happened. When she finally told Rachel and felt relieved. In the end, Melinda felt better that she finally told someone and she finally got to forgot about it.