Marwa

Journal Entry 1: 

As I end the first marked section of the novel and begin the second marked section. The suspension along with the attention grabbing of the novel both come in play together as the book continues throughout the first marked section. It draws my attention to continue reading to find out more about Melinda as she is struggling in high school as an outcast.  The effect the novel has on me would be it depresses me. The novel depresses me because it hurts to read about a teenager, in this case Melinda going through high school in an extremely difficult position and practically tormented by her peers. An event that happens to Melinda causing the depression would be when Melinda gets cafeteria food intentionally thrown at her by a student, causing her to storm out of the cafeteria into the girl’s bathroom to remove it. Another reason for why the novel has a depressing effect on me would be the fact that Melinda is incapable of standing up for herself, expressing how she feels, and what she has been through. An additional reason would be that none of Melinda’s peers are taking the kind ability to be an individual and to show sympathy, kindness, and compassion towards Melinda and her difficult time.  Besides the effect the novel has on me, the book is very fascinating to be looking from the outside in and to read about the many different situations people around us can be facing. The book is also motivating that someone can easily benefit another individual’s life by being open minded and supportive towards one another. Speak so far is a very interesting novel and I will definitely continue reading because I am very fascinated by how well the book started and how much better it will hopefully end.  




Journal Entry 2:

The second marked section of the book consists of the same effect on me from the first marked section. The novel still continues to be a depressing due to the fact that Melinda is an outsider and does not engage in much with her peers. Melinda does attempt by drawing attention to herself and her suffering by cutting herself.  As the book continues Melinda does gain an acquaintance but the acquaintance tends to rant and request more help from Melinda than delivered/returned back to Melinda. The novel reveals that Melinda has an unrevealed secret that has to do with Andy Evans, which is mentally obliterating her. Melinda has a tendency of vomiting, fainting, or having a panic attack anytime the thought of Andy Evans emerge in her mind leaving us with the fact that Andy must of scar Melinda in some sort of way. Melinda’s parent concisely verbally and mentally abuse Melinda.  For example Melinda’s mother had walked in on Melinda cutting herself, instead of solving such a horrifying situation. She had simply told Melinda she did not have time to deal with such actions. Another situation would be when Melinda’s parent had shout at Melinda for not doing well in her schooling but did not have the concerned mind set to discover why she had been doing so terrible in school. There was a moment in the novel where Melinda’s lab partner David had stood up to a teacher causing Melinda to think of him as a hero to her because she wishes that she could stand up to what she believes in like David, making a motivational scene towards the hope that Melinda can learn from David to take a stand to what she believes in like him. As well as creating the effect the novel has on me to be a bit more uplifting. 




Journal Entry 3:

Just completed reading the third section of the novel where it is getting a bit intense. Melinda’s unrevealed secret from the second section had just been exposed to the readers. She had been raped by Andy Evans at an end of the summer party.  Melinda was so traumatized that she thought the best choice for her at that moment in such a horrifying situation was to call the police causing many teenage minors to be arrested or charged and Melinda to be hated leading to the reasoning for her high school issues. Melinda starts to think to herself that maybe she should put effort into talking to someone about her issues. Melinda than finally decides to express herself and everything that has happen to her to Mr.Freeman, while he was driving her to the mall. She tells Mr.freeman that she does not feel anything as she plasters her hand to her mouth only proving she isn't capable of talking about her personal life just yet. The next scene is Melinda relaxing on her house rooftop, only to have flash backs of the night she got raped by Andy Evans at the end of the summer party, replay in her head causing a depressing mood. The next scene is Melinda makes the effort to try wearing different clothing from her usual kind to change her image and herself of esteem. That situation is common with teenagers, teenagers have this mentality that changed their image can create a how new feeling to ones soul but I believe that a helpful way to really feel relieved is to have someone that can listen and if there is a chance, discuss the situations.  Hopefully in the fourth section, Melinda will have the courage to express how she really feels and is going through.




Journal Entry 4: Final Recap

In the novel Speak, Is a story written about Melinda Sordino and how the summer before her freshman year of high school considerably changed her life, Melinda Sordino meets Andy Evans at a senior party, they started to get overly close to one another just when outside the woods, Andy aggressively rapes her. Melinda rushes back into the house to calls 911, but has no clue what to say and dashes home. The police trace the call; arriving at the house breaking up the party, causing many teenagers to get arrested. Melinda does not tell anyone what happened to her neither anyone asks her what happen.

She starts freshman year at Merryweather High School as an outcast since all her old friends left her due to the night of the party, she remains silent and begins to dive into depression. Melinda is befriended by Heather, a new girl, who clings to Melinda only to end up leaving her for "the Martha’s" Melinda’s ex best friend’s new group. As Melinda's depression increases, she begins to skip school, withdrawing from her parents and other authority figures, who recognize and determine her silence as resource of getting attention. Melinda slowly befriends her lab partner, David Petrakis, who begins to deeply encourage her to speak up for herself.

When Melinda decided to tell the truth about what happened at the party, Andy attacks her in the abandoned janitor's closet, which is Melinda's sanctuary. Realizing the truth, the students no longer treat Melinda as an outcast but instead sort of hero. Melinda decides to tell her story to her art teacher, Mr. Freeman. Before she knows it the truth finally sets her free. Her best friend, who was dating Andy, broke up with him on prom night realizing the damage he has done. As Melinda was going on, her disguise used to make her present in her own depressing world, soon started becoming a break apart as she slowly got closer to "Speak".