Laurie Halse Anderson Character Analysis

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Trees are a beautiful part of nature. They stand tall no matter what tries to knock them down. They have different variations, carvings, and branches. Trees also give other creatures homes and help different things in nature. In Laurie Halse Anderson’s Speak, the main character, Melinda, is used to show that trees relate to people emotionally and physically. There are no two trees identical, neither are people. For example, on page 153, Anderson says, “This looks like a tree, but it is an average, ordinary, everyday, boring tree. Breathe life into it. 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.’” In this …show more content…
For instance, in the text states, “I almost tell them right then and there. Tears flood my eyes. They've noticed I've been trying to draw. They notice. I try to swallow the snowballs in my throat” (Anderson 72). In other words, these are both sad and happy tears. Melinda is happy that her parents noticed her interest in drawing but sad that she can’t come out and express her true feelings to them. Melinda feels helpless because she can’t control her surroundings. The author makes this comparison because Melinda is relating to the tree. She can’t control her surroundings, and neither can trees. Melinda didn’t choose what challenges faced her, and when Melinda fails at defeating them, she feels helpless. Once Melinda has faced with the same problem again, she stood strong and fought back. This clearly suggests that Melinda’s courage and her perseverance keeps her standing tall, even when she feels hopeless. In Laurie Halse Anderson’s Speak, the main character, Melinda, is used to show that trees relate to people emotionally and physically. From the main points discussed, the reader can make the connection that people and trees have similar properties to humans. Some properties include uniquity, personal growth, and helplessness. Melinda shows these descriptions thought out the story and learns a lot from these traits. Melinda realizes that she is stronger than she really thinks and can conquer
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