Speak

Authors Note- When I was writing my essay I had a
hard time coming up with a conclusion, because at
the end of the book the main character feels happier
then she had at the beginning of the book. Since my
essay is about how depressing and sad this book is
I had to think of just the right conclusion.

 “I know that my head isn’t screwed on straight. I want to leave,transfer, warp myself into another galaxy....there is a beast in my gut, I can hear it scraping away at my ribs.” (page 231 )
While reading the book Speak  by Laurie Halse Anderson, I was instantly transformed into the another world filled with depression, pain, and loneliness. It was a world that the main character , Melinda, has to live in every day, surrounded by people who hate her and every second reminded of the worst thing that happened to her.

  
When Melinda goes into a deep depression she shuts out all of the people in her life.  She feels like no one understands what she’s going through and that she’s alone. When I was reading about Melinda’s depressed life it would make me feel sad, and I would be anxiously waiting for her to let people back into her life, or open up to one person. Although throughout the book Melinda finds a way to put humor into everything you can tell by the way that she writes, that she’s is deeply depressed.

            
Besides being depressed, Melinda would also feel an overwhelming sense of loneliness. With all of her friends hating her, her depression pushing people away, and parents close to divorce there was no one for Melinda to talk to. When she tried to reach out to her old friends they only push her away. Throughout the entire book she constantly gets bullied which increases her loneliness and depression.

           
However even worse than the depression, and loneliness in Melinda’s life was the pain that she felt every day. It was the pain from not only what happened to her, but the pain from losing her friends and family, and thinking that no one would ever love her. I can’t imagine being in that much pain, and feeling the depression and loneliness that she felt.  This story really makes you feel lucky for all the friends and family that you are surrounded with.

            
 Some people felt lucky to be themselves, while some felt overwhelmed and sad from this story. However almost everyone can learn from Melinda’s life that’s involved so much suffering. Although Melinda eventually learned to speak and get her loved ones back, being raped and sexually abused will stay with her for the rest of her life, as will the depressing, lonely, and painful parts of her world.