There comes a time in every person’s life when one changes from being a youthful adolescent to a responsible young adult. These changes are not only physical or present in one’s appearance; one must change mentally as well in order to be considered truly grown-up. In the novel Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson, fourteen-year-old Melinda Sordino experiences these changes throughout her life at Merryweather High. From the first day of school, Melinda is outcast because she called the police at a party over the summer. She does not know how to fix this problem and lives every day in humiliation. As the story progresses, she goes through numerous trials, including facing the monster that raped her and getting her best friend back. Toward the final…show more content… When the story begins, Melinda is naïve and immature because she gives her teachers nicknames, thinks that speaking up for herself won’t change anything, and refuses to follow her parents’ orders, ignoring their argument by listening to loud music. She faces numerous challenges throughout the novel, facing constant harassment from her peers for calling the police at the party, becomes frightened when she sees Andy, and feels rejected and alone because of issues in her friendships. As the last few chapters draw near, Melinda eventually displays signs of maturity when she acknowledges the fact that she was raped, speaks out and becomes more open to discuss her experience at the party, and learns to face her fears by fighting back against Andy. By reading about Melinda’s personal journey from an innocent youth to a young adult in Speak, one is able to see how different each person’s experience to adulthood is different. It shows people that it is normal to experience hardship when they are growing up, and that it is through those difficult times that one is able to learn and blossom into a mature individual. The novel also truly speaks to those who are going through similar experiences as Melinda, and can help people to understand that it’s better to
