In the novel Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson, Melinda Sordino struggles while trying to recover from a summer experience which is changing her life completely. During school, she is given an assignment to study a tree in art for the whole year, and be able to draw it perfectly by the end of the year. What Melinda is thinking while enjoying a high school party, is that nothing can ruin the moment in which she wants to hold onto forever. She, now, would be entering high school with a boyfriend, a guy who she thinks is an angel, the tan king that would protect her at any moment. But, what she gets is a drunk senior who is just looking for a one night stand. Andy Evans, (the tan king), takes advantage that Melinda is drunk, and he rapes her. After being raped, Melinda flees the scene indoors to find a telephone to call 911. The phone is ringing, but as the emergency operator answers, Melinda cannot find any breath to speak. The police arrive at the party only to find many underage drinkers. Everyone is thinking that Melinda is ratting out the alcohol at the party. During the course of the year, Melinda draws her tree. While her social and self-conscience values drop, her art gets worse. But, as they get better, her art gets better.
“I am outcast.” This is what Melinda begins thinking about herself during the start of the school year. All of her old friends don’t talk to her. This is when she is assigned a tree to study and create in art for the remaining of the school year. Melinda begins her tree drawing thinking she knows how to draw a tree. Mr. Freeman, the art teacher, says that Melinda’s tree drawing has “no feeling.” “Your tree needs to have more feeling, it needs to express attitude.” Melinda hates school at this point and has found an old abandoned janitors closet where she escapes to when life comes at her very violently. Her tree still is expressing that depressed emotion but does not speak out to her viewers like Mr. Freeman expects.
Along with hard...