What are some quotes that describe Melinda's character in Speak?
There are quite lots of quotes in the novel that show Melinda to be a young high school student whose life is dominated by silence and pain. Melinda is incredibly unhappy and, ostracised, decides never to speak in public.
"My throat squeezes shut, as if two hands of black fingernails are clamped on my windpipe."
Melinda spends ample time discussing (only with us, the readers) exactly why she chooses to do this.
It is easier not to say anything, . . . Nobody really wants to hear what you have to say.
In accordance with this low self esteem level, Melinda lives in solitude and isolation both at school and home. I find it incredibly ironic that, despite her "inability" to speak, Melinda has a good knack for determining the personalities of others. Melinda reveals this to the readers through her inner monologue . Most quotes revealing her character come from this monologue. ...
Unlock This Answer Now
Start your 48-hour free trial and get ahead in class. Boost your grades with access to expert answers and top-tier study guides. Thousands of students are already mastering their assignments—don't miss out. Cancel anytime.
Already a member? Log in here.
There are quite a few quotes showing Melinda to be serious, intelligent, humorous, and cynical.
Sometimes I think high school is one long hazing activity: if you are tough enough to survive this, they'll let you become an adult. I hope it's worth it.
Melinda is certainly a misunderstood young lady. Her pain increases as she is forced to keep a secret as to why she called 911 at a party that got lots of her classmates in trouble. These classmates do not know Melinda was raped and, therefore, consider the phone call to be a betrayal. This crux of the story reveals even more about the bravery and pain of Melinda's character.
It's getting harder to talk. My throat is always sore, my lips raw. When I wake up in the morning, my jaws are clenched so tight I have a headache.
It is such a shame that someone with such eloquent thoughts chooses to keep them to herself! Luckily, Melinda ultimately triumphs through the vindication of helping others through sharing her own experience.
Can you provide an example of diction reflecting Melinda's character in Speak?
If we are examining "diction" as speech that is reflective of upon word choice, then it seems to me that we would be looking for examples of how Melinda's diction, or choice of words, is reflective of her characterization. I tend to think that the best example of this would be found in the Fourth Marking Period. It makes sense because it is at this point where her ability to "speak" is most evident. The fact that she uses short and abrupt sentences to speak is a part of her diction. Melinda's diction is in such a manner because her ability to speak has only been recently established. Part of her diction is explored through her writing. Examine two such instances: “Andy Evans...is not what he pretends to be. I heard he attacked a ninth grader” and "No one should be forced to give speeches. I choose to stay silent.” In both examples of diction, there is a directness in speech. Little in way of descriptors is used in both. There is an emphasis on declarative sentence formation. Melinda's diction and word choice reflects an emergence to speech, one in which declaration is in its own act importance. Substantiation of thought is not evident in speech patterns yet as her own fumbling towards speaking is not at that point. The best example of how Melinda's diction is reflective of this emergence to speech would have to be with the confrontation with Andy. In her statement, "I said No," there is a defiance, a declaration that has been merged with the sense of the absolute nature of reality. With the use of only three words, Melinda's diction reflects an ability to speak and a refusal to be silent any longer. Throughout the closing section of the work, this emergence to power through speech has been evident and culminates at this point. When she closes the work with her line to Mr. Freeman of " Let me tell you about it,” we find that her speech/ diction has advanced because her own psychological state has evolved. Through this, Anderson's construction of Melinda's diction shows that word choice and verbal patterns of recognition evolve as our own condition of psychological being in the world evolves.