Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

Speak: Found Poetry Found poetry is the rearrangement of words or phrases taken randomly from other sources (example: clipped newspaper headlines, bits of advertising copy, excerpts from novels, and so forth) in a manner that gives the rearranged words a completely new meaning.

How to Create Found Poetry Skim through Speak and highlight any phrases related to your theme. Look for strong images and interesting combinations of words and phrases Choose about 5-7 phrases Look for these words and phrases in different texts and cut them out Place the words or phrases on an 8 ½ by 11 sheet In pairs or individually come up with a poem working only with the strips they have chosen. Arrange the words and phrases so that they say something about your theme Decide on the best arrangement and paste them to your sheet Place the finished poem in your writing portfolio

Theme Theme: the meaning or purpose of a piece of writing. It is a universal statement the author wants to convey about life or society. The theme should present a new awareness of life something that will make a difference in our lives How an author reveals theme: Theme may be revealed through a character’s thoughts and actions. The theme may be related to how the character has changed throughout the story. The theme may be what character has learned by the end of the story. The theme may be revealed in how the story ends, especially who and what is rewarded or punished. An author will sometimes give clues as to the theme by carefully planned patterns of imagery and symbolism. An author may simply tell the reader. Beauty and The Beast : Themes “Love conquers all” and “Good wins over evil” are developed through the actions of both the female character and the beast and by what happens at the end of the story when the beast is returned to his true form after the female shows her love.

Speak: Themes Strength of Character Melinda nearly loses her strength of character as she shuts down emotionally, psychologically, and verbally. She cannot speak about what is an unspeakable emotional trauma Melinda learns from her experiences throughout the school year that she has to dig deep within herself to find the power to go on and confidence to believe in herself again.

Speak: Themes 4. Strength of Character (cont’d) She must find the strength to mature so as to deal with the profound issues that crop up at her young age of thirteen. It’s not just that she felt isolated among the many clans that existed in her school and it’s not just her parents who don’t understand her or her problems. It’s that she was raped and her rapist continues to torment her and get away with it. She needs to find a maturity beyond her years to accept what’s happened to her and find a way to move on. She is actually one of the lucky ones, because she finds her way back to some semblance of normality. Many others never recover from this type of trauma.

Speak: Themes The Importance of healthy interpersonal communication Speaking out—standing up for yourself Communication with friends Communicating with family The importance of addressing problems “…The book would have been a sham if Melinda couldn't find the strength to open up her mouth… and find that voice. She claimed it, claimed herself as worthy and strong enough to fight back. She screamed the house down and saved herself, scarred, bloody, and alive.” Laurie Halse Anderson

Speak: Themes The role of silence and emotional survival Melinda believed that her problems would eventually disappear Her friends abandoned her and avoided contact She instead went into an emotional depression In this case, silence was not an appropriate way to deal with her problem “There are a lot kids out there in Melinda’s position—struggling with depression and teetering on the edge of disaster—but people don’t pay attention unless they do something drastic. This makes me so angry…” Laurie Halse Anderson

Speak: Themes The struggle to find acceptance from peers Melinda’s friends abandoned her as soon as her loyalty to the group was called into question at the party Melinda’s role as an outsider allowed her to view the high school cliques from a different perspective Melinda’s views helps the reader understand the high school experience “Adolescence is the period of perpetual doubt; cast out from childhood, unsure which door to the adult world one should choose. That's the attraction and power of cliques/clans. When you don't know who you are, your clan provides an identity. When you don't have a clan, you're sunk.” Laurie Halse Anderson

Speak: Theme The importance of belonging to a peer group. The theme reminds us how we torture each other in the name of belonging. The clans are metaphors for the terrible need to belong and be accepted the group. We all must fear being alone so much that anyone who is different is ostracized. Melinda could find no way to conform after the summer party and she must hide inside herself to survive. She sincerely would like to be one of the conformists, but it is in being a non-conformist that makes her a stronger, better person.

Speak: Themes The importance of belonging to a peer group. (cont’d) The novel shows how important it is not to be different, and not to stand out in high school We realize that, for the most part, we are powerless to change it until we find away to convince people that they don’t need the acceptance of a group and that they are fine just as they are. This a huge task that no one seems to know how to deal with in our modern society. It seems that in order to survive the high school experience teens must find a way to conform and at the same time, grow up relatively unscathed (unhurt) by the concept of the group dynamic (peer pressure).

Speak: Themes 5. Growing Up Even though most high school students never suffer the trauma Melinda did, they do experience at one time or another what Melinda calls the One Big Hazing Activity: they all seek to belong, to be accepted in some way or another. No one wants to be so outcast that they are rejected by all groups. For those who do not “fit in” growing up is really difficult and high school is sheer torture. Melinda says that if you survive high school, they let you become an adult. She just hopes it’s worth it. Melinda believes that for some kids, the high school years can be a very painful and unnecessarily harsh experience.