SPEAK Essays - Fiction, Literature, Films, Speak, Melinda Sordino

SPEAK by Laurie Halse Anderson ANTICIPATION GUIDE Before reading Speak, read and respond to the statements below. Think about each statement carefully before writing agree, disagree, or unsure in the Before column. When we finish reading Speak, we will revisit these statements and you will write agree, disagree, or unsure in the After column. |Before |Statements |After | | |1. The pressures of fitting in at high school are greater | | | |than any other point in one's life. | | | |2. Students who are depressed are simply afraid to deal with| | | |their real or perceived problems. | | | |3. There is a difference between being quiet and being | | | |withdrawn. | | | |4. Students should not tell teachers about their personal | | | |problems, no matter how serious. | | | |5. A girl who dresses provocatively deserves any negative | | | |attention she gets. | | | |6. Girls are more likely than guys to say they have been | | | |sexually harassed. | | | |7. Whatever happens at a party should stay at the party. | | | |8. If someone is drunk or high, she or he is not responsible| | | |for her or his actions. | | | |9. Parents simply don't understand the problems teenagers go| | | |through. | | | |10. People who are quiet have something to hide. | | Compare your Before column to your After column. Have any of your opinions changed? If so, which ones and what made you change your opinion? If not, why do you think your opinions stayed the same? Book Structure: No numbered chapters. Four Marking Periods: First Marking Period - pages 2-46 Second Marking Period - pages 47-92 Third Marking Period - pages 93-137 Fourth Marking Period - pages 138-198 Plot Overview: Melinda Sordino is a freshman in high school (grade 9). She attended an end-of-summer party where she experienced a traumatic event, and called the cops. The cops busted the party, so everyone is mad at Melinda. Her old friends won't talk to her, and people who only know of her think she is a snitch. No one knows the real reason Melinda called the police. Melinda now has no friends and is not close to her parents - she feels completely alone. She starts skipping school and speaking very little. She is basically mute, except when she absolutely has to speak. Speak is about how Melinda struggles through her first year of high school and how she learns to cope with what has happened to her. Themes: Adolescence Growth Communication Depression Point of View: First person narrator from Melinda's perspective Characters: Protagonist: Melinda Sordino Antagonist: Andy Evans Setting: Place: Merryweather High School in Syracuse, New York Time: occurs over the course of a full school year Conflicts: Character versus Character(s) Character versus Self Character versus Circumstances Character versus Society First Marking Period Questions: 1. If something is ironic it is happening in a way that is opposite to what is expected. Think about how Melinda (and perhaps many other students) think about high school. Why do you think the name Merryweather High might be an ironic name for a high school? 2. On page 4, Melinda lists the groups (cliques) at Merryweather High school. Each group has its own special interests and characteristics that are different from the other groups. Why do you think members of different social groups often insult each other? 3. After she lists the social groups of Merryweather High, Melinda puts herself in a category she calls "Outcast." What does it mean to be an outcast? Look up the meaning in a dictionary, or infer the meaning from the text. 4. Think about how Melinda feels in Art class. Why is Mr. Freeman an appropriate name for the Art teacher? 5. On pages 5 and 6, Melinda list the "First ten lies they tell you in high school." Write out one lie you agree with and one lie you disagree with. Explain why you agree or disagree with each lie. 6. Is Heather a good friend for Melinda? Explain why you think she is or isn't. First Marking Period Journal Response Write a journal response about your reaction to the first section of Speak. You may use one of the prompts provided, or you may choose to write about something else that moved you. Try to fill all of the lines with your thoughts. Prompts: . Think back to your