Student Question
Would you recommend Laurie Halse Anderson's book Speak? Why?
Quick answer:
I would recommend Laurie Halse Anderson's Speak to high schoolers and adults due to its powerful exploration of emotional trauma following rape. The novel is significant for both genders, highlighting the profound emotional scars left by such experiences. While the book is dark and emotionally challenging, it concludes with a sense of justice and hope, suggesting healing for the protagonist. However, the mature themes make it unsuitable for younger readers.
This is an opinion question, so feel free to state your opinion. Whether you would recommend the book or not isn't as important as explaining why you have that opinion. Additionally, one person might recommend the book because of a specific reason, while a different person might not recommend the book for the very same reason.
Personally, I would recommend Speak. I would definitely recommend the book to people in high school or older. I would not recommend the book to anyone much younger than that, though, because the book's content focuses on the emotional turmoil Melinda goes through after being raped. I would recommend the book to both males and females. I believe it is important for men to understand and realize many women carry deep emotional scars from being raped. It's not just a physical violation. Despite the book being emotionally dark and depressing, Speak ends by giving the reader feelings of justice being served. There is hope at the end of the novel. Everyone knows what Andy did to Melinda, and the reader gets the sense that Melinda is finally on the emotional mend.
The tears dissolve the last block of ice in my throat. I feel the frozen stillness melt down through the inside of me, dripping shards of ice that vanish in a puddle of sunlight on the stained floor. Words float up.
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