Speak
Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson, published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR) on October 22, 1999, is a poignant exploration of the challenges faced by a high school student. In this first edition, readers follow Melinda, a freshman at Merryweather High, who becomes an outcast after calling the police on a summer party. As she grapples with her isolation and the trauma of a violent encounter, her journey unfolds through her art class, where she begins to confront her past and find her voice.
This novel delves into themes of social dynamics and the impact of sexual abuse on young adults. Melinda’s struggle to reclaim her narrative and assert herself resonates with many teenagers navigating similar experiences. Through her artistic expression, she gradually confronts the events that led to her silence, ultimately leading to a powerful act of resistance. With 208 pages, this edition presents a compelling story that highlights the importance of self-advocacy and the complexities of adolescence.
Official synopsis Publisher
The first ten lies they tell you in high school.
“Speak up for yourself–we want to know what you have to say.” From the first moment of her freshman year at Merryweather High, Melinda knows this is a big fat lie, part of the nonsense of high school. She is friendless, outcast, because she busted an end-of-summer party by calling the cops, so now nobody will talk to her, let alone listen to her. As time passes, she becomes increasingly isolated and practically stops talking altogether. Only her art class offers any solace, and it is through her work on an art project that she is finally able to face what really happened at that terrible party: she was raped by an upperclassman, a guy who still attends Merryweather and is still a threat to her. Her healing process has just begun when she has another violent encounter with him. But this time Melinda fights back, refuses to be silent, and thereby achieves a measure of vindication. In Laurie Halse Anderson’s powerful novel, an utterly believable heroine with a bitterly ironic voice delivers a blow to the hypocritical world of high school. She speaks for many a disenfranchised teenager while demonstrating the importance of speaking up for oneself.
Speak was a 1999 National Book Award Finalist for Young People’s Literature.
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