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Speak

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Submitted By syr980105
Words 1121
Pages 5
Name: Shelly (Yiru) Shi
Year: 10th
Title: Speak
Author: Laurie Halse Anderson

The book, “Speak” by Laurie Hales Anderson is about Melinda has a deep secret in her heart which she was raped by a boy named Andy. It is too shameful and secretive for her to talk. I have a friend who was raped by her half brother, but she chose to talk to the Elders eventually.
There is an old saying in Chinese that “you should turn on the light in your heart by yourself. Thus nobody can save you except you at the first time”. I feel for her because as for me sometimes when I feel that something’s are hard for other people to understand I tend not to talk about because nobody can understand. For Melinda, sex is one of the most important things in a woman’s life. Nobody wanted to ask her what happened at first time when her best friend Rachel or her mom saw her weird behavior, but also her fear and struggling in her deep heart. She needs somebody to push her, to help her in a gentle way, like Mr. Freeman did.
Even though, I didn’t meet any of these things in my life, it doesn’t mean it won’t happen in somewhere else in the whole world. Before I read the book, I thought if someone doesn’t want to talk, it just because they are introverted by nature. I always adopt a nonchalant attitude towards things of no personal interest (which is a Chinese old saying). But I realize that there would be lots of people that we need to focus on. Maybe they are sadness ladies, upset students or even autistic people. “ I have survived. I am here. Confused, screwed up, but there. So, how can I find my way? Is there a chain saw of the soul, an ax I can take to my memories or fears? I dig my finger into the dirt and squeeze. A small, clean part of me waits to warm and burst through the surface. Some quiet Melinda girl I haven’t seen in months. That is the seed I will care for.” This shows how

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