Speak: Catalyst and Melinda
Rape is a difficult subject to explain to others because it is traumatic experience that people not involved will be unable to deal with the situation. Laurie Anderson’s novel Speak focuses on this very issue. The protagonist, Melinda Sordino, must face the challenges of high school, family issues, and the inability to express herself. Mr. Freeman, David Petrakis, and sports are the things Melinda relies on to overcome the past that haunts her.
Mr. Freeman is a factor that motivates Melinda Sordino to learn from her mistakes and took look beyond times of difficulty. On the first day of school Melinda is an outcast who encounters Mr. Freeman, an art teacher who has a very different perspective on life. He introduces himself with “Welcome to the only class that will teach you how to survive high school”(10). At first Melinda thinks art class will not help her get through life but in fact in is the only class, which she can express her felling through art. As a result Melinda is assign a project. She must draw a tree. She believes that is will be essay but soon finds out that it will change her look on life. After a horrible thanksgiving Melinda brings in the carcass of their thanksgiving dinner to make a sculpture out of it. Mr. Freeman Comments on it “Your on fire Melinda, I can see it in your eyes”(61) Melinda is starting to get into the sculpture and it is becoming a nice sculpture. Mr. Freeman can see that Melinda is beginning to turn a bad thanksgiving nightmare into a finished sculpture. Melinda is learning how to express herself not only though he voice, but though her art.
David Petrakis is a factor that inspires Melinda Sordino to express her felling’s through her voice and to speck out about what happen to her. It is the beginning of class when Mr. Neck, a social studies teacher, storms into class and yells at the class because his son did not get the job he wants. David Petrakis is feed up with the tone of the lesson and stands up to Mr. Neck “ Maybe
Mr. Freeman is a factor that motivates Melinda Sordino to learn from her mistakes and took look beyond times of difficulty. On the first day of school Melinda is an outcast who encounters Mr. Freeman, an art teacher who has a very different perspective on life. He introduces himself with “Welcome to the only class that will teach you how to survive high school”(10). At first Melinda thinks art class will not help her get through life but in fact in is the only class, which she can express her felling through art. As a result Melinda is assign a project. She must draw a tree. She believes that is will be essay but soon finds out that it will change her look on life. After a horrible thanksgiving Melinda brings in the carcass of their thanksgiving dinner to make a sculpture out of it. Mr. Freeman Comments on it “Your on fire Melinda, I can see it in your eyes”(61) Melinda is starting to get into the sculpture and it is becoming a nice sculpture. Mr. Freeman can see that Melinda is beginning to turn a bad thanksgiving nightmare into a finished sculpture. Melinda is learning how to express herself not only though he voice, but though her art.
David Petrakis is a factor that inspires Melinda Sordino to express her felling’s through her voice and to speck out about what happen to her. It is the beginning of class when Mr. Neck, a social studies teacher, storms into class and yells at the class because his son did not get the job he wants. David Petrakis is feed up with the tone of the lesson and stands up to Mr. Neck “ Maybe