Laurie Halse Anderson delivers a painfully realistic story which speaks, if not screams, to her readers. She surprisingly allows the main character to say a mouthful with very little dialogue throughout the entire book. The reader is taken deep into the thoughts and feelings of the main character, and is easily lost in this abyss. This happens to such a drastic extent, that the reader finds it surprising to encounter dialogue by her. The author has accomplished an enormous amount of expression with very little dialogue. It is impressive that so much can be expressed this way. A line to be greatly appreciated is expressed when Melinda witnesses a fellow classmate silently protest against one of the teachers' opinion, "I have never heard a more eloquent silence." The entire story is showered with very descriptive content, which allows the reader to visualize every aspect of Melinda's depression and fear. Anderson describes Melinda's situation as a sickness that cannot be seen when Melinda, comparing herself to the people at the hospital she finds refuge in, expresses that there is "nothing wrong with me. These are really sick people, sick that you can see." The author takes us deep into the main character's mind through this sentence. Melinda feels there is nothing wrong with her, when in fact, the reader is clearly witnessing that there is.
The contents of this book may easily be used to make teenagers aware of the dangers of keeping such dark secrets to themselves. It may also help teenagers who may have gone through a similar situation become aware of the fact that their loved ones are in fact there to listen to what needs to be said. This story is a strong one, yet it is presented in an easy to follow manner. It is well written and carries with it an infinite amount of emotion and symbolism. It is a wonderful book which, if students' parents are open to it, can be used in a high school classroom in order to make teenagers aware of at least one of the dangers of the world.
Anderson, Laurie Halse. 1999. Speak. Douglas & McIntyre, Ltd. ISBN 0-374-37152-0.
