Speak

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Being a girl in high school can be very hard, especially when you are the one to call the cops during a party during the summer before your freshman year. Melinda knows exactly how this feels. One summer day Melinda decides that she is going to go to a party with one of her friends, a high schooler party. At this party a cooler upperclassman begins paying her some attention. However, when this boy goes too far Melinda does not know how to stop him. After being raped by this boy, Melinda does the only thing that she can think of, she calls the police. However, as the police are showing up Melinda has second thoughts about telling them what has happened. After she has called the police, many people alienate her, and as for those who don't Melinda alienates them. Not knowing how to cope with what has been done to her Melinda begins to withdraw, her grades drop, she has no friends, her parents are exasperated with her. She thinks that there is some light at the end of the tunnel when a new girl befriends her, but Melinda ends up alienating her as well. For an outlet Melinda jumps in with both feet into art. She loves doing art and she finds her place. At the end of the story the boy who raped her, who Melinda refers to as the "beast" tries to attack her again, but this time she fights back and other students witness the attack. With some others on her side Melinda now reveals what has happened to her and she begins the road to recovery after making up with her friend, Rachael. 

This story has many applications for high school students and it can open up a great deal of discussion about various topics. These topics include rape, being the victim of rape, how to deal with being raped, and how to help your friend who may be in this situation. This book deals with a lot of topics that would be inappropriate for students in lower grade levels, so I think that this book would be most appropriate for high school age students. 

Citation

Anderson, L. H. (1999). Speak. Harrisburg, VA: RR Donnelley & Sons Co.