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Question:

lala18
lala18
Student
High School - 12th Grade

In Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson, what is the real reason Melinda calls the police during the summer party before her ninth grade year?

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Posted by lala18 on Thursday September 24, 2009 at 7:58 AM and tagged with character, reference, speak.

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  1. scarletpimpernel Teacher
    High School - 12th Grade

    eNotes Editor

    While the reader does not know this from the beginning of the novel, Melinda calls the police because she is in shock after being raped by "It" (Andy).  Of course, her friends and most of the school's student population simply see her as a snitch--a weak freshman who got older students in serious trouble.

    Anderson's choice to withhold the real reason for Melinda's phone call and her resulting silence not only builds suspense, but it also contributes to the realistic characterization of someone who has experienced such a traumatic event. Such a person often cannot speak or advocate for herself, and so others make unwarranted and painful assumptions about the victim.

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    Posted by scarletpimpernel on Thursday September 24, 2009 at 12:17 PM