Summary
While being invited by Rachel to a party in August, Melinda went to the end-of-summer party with underage drinking and seniors; it became a disastrous night. While Melinda being drunk and became intimate with a guy named Andy Evans, he began to rape her. All of a sudden she called 911 and the party was over and Melinda walked back home without a word.
As the year was ending, Melinda knew that Rachel, Melinda's friend, was in a relationship with Andy Evans. Andy, a senior, invited Rachel to the prom. In study hall, Melinda decided to tell the truth. Melinda and Rachel started talking and Melinda told her that she was raped during the party. She told it was by Andy Evans. Rachel framed her as if she was lying and told Melinda that she is jealous and that she is more popular.
During prom, Rachel and Andy was arguing with each other. Melinda inferred that what she told Rachel was true. Rachel burned everything Andy gave her and left the ashes in front of his locker. Andy was filled with shame.
As Melinda was going to her locker to get her backpack, Andy slams Melinda into a closet and locked the door. Andy confronts her about how he raped her. He says that she is jealous and wrong, and that the story was all a lie. It began all over again. Andy started to rape Melinda again till suddenly, her friend Nicole and the lacrosse team knocks on the door. Melinda is saved.
Quote
"Let me tell you about it" (Anderson 198).
Reaction
Thanks to the lacrosse team, everyone knew that the story was true. As the seniors came into Melinda's class just to say their last goodbye to their teacher Mr. Freeman, a senior looked at Melinda and hoped that she was okay. Melinda felt popular. As Melinda was doing her last project for his art teacher Mr. Freeman, he proudly said she got an A+. Mr. Freeman asked, "You've been through a lot, haven't you?" Melinda FINALLY responded, "Let me tell you about it." This is the start where Melinda began speaking.
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson pg 121-160
Summary
To reward Melinda by going to school everyday and not skipping any classes, her mother settled herself with new clothes. Melinda doesn't like to shop with her mother, since all she does is brag about what is stylish and what is not. As Melinda went to a store, she picked out some jeans and went to the fitting room. The fitting room was filled with mirrors everywhere, where she began to look into herself. She began moving mirror to mirror and thinking, how does it feel to walk in a new skin? She reminisced on the times about how her mother and father hating each other, her friend Rachel who hates her, the school is mistreating her, and Heather. She puts on the jeans for a new start. Melinda told herself she needed to stay away from her closet, go to all her classes, make herself normal, and forget the past.
Instead of heading home and sitting in her closet, Melinda decides to stay after school for a basketball game, the last game of the season. She ran down the hall, where the noise in the gym pulled her in. The crowd chanted down the last seconds, where they won 51-50. Everyone was excited. Melinda wanted to be part of it all.
At the end of the Third Marking Period, her grades were failing.
For extra credit, Melinda's history teacher, Mr.Neck, assigned students to write a report about suffragettes because many students were failing. Melinda wrote about how women couldn't vote, own property, or be allowed in schools. But, Mr. Neck told the students it was an oral report, where Melinda did not want to speak. During class, Melinda put up a sign that says that suffragettes fought for the right to speak, and she should not be forced to give speeches where Melinda chooses to be silent. In the end, Mr. Neck gave her a D.
Quote
"Anything you say will be used against you" (Anderson 157).
Reaction
As Melinda was watching lawyers on TV, she heard the cops say, "Anything you say will be used against you." She relates this to the situation where she did not want to speak during the oral report. I wonder why Melinda doesn't speak. Is it her past or she has nothing to say?
To reward Melinda by going to school everyday and not skipping any classes, her mother settled herself with new clothes. Melinda doesn't like to shop with her mother, since all she does is brag about what is stylish and what is not. As Melinda went to a store, she picked out some jeans and went to the fitting room. The fitting room was filled with mirrors everywhere, where she began to look into herself. She began moving mirror to mirror and thinking, how does it feel to walk in a new skin? She reminisced on the times about how her mother and father hating each other, her friend Rachel who hates her, the school is mistreating her, and Heather. She puts on the jeans for a new start. Melinda told herself she needed to stay away from her closet, go to all her classes, make herself normal, and forget the past.
Instead of heading home and sitting in her closet, Melinda decides to stay after school for a basketball game, the last game of the season. She ran down the hall, where the noise in the gym pulled her in. The crowd chanted down the last seconds, where they won 51-50. Everyone was excited. Melinda wanted to be part of it all.
At the end of the Third Marking Period, her grades were failing.
For extra credit, Melinda's history teacher, Mr.Neck, assigned students to write a report about suffragettes because many students were failing. Melinda wrote about how women couldn't vote, own property, or be allowed in schools. But, Mr. Neck told the students it was an oral report, where Melinda did not want to speak. During class, Melinda put up a sign that says that suffragettes fought for the right to speak, and she should not be forced to give speeches where Melinda chooses to be silent. In the end, Mr. Neck gave her a D.
Quote
"Anything you say will be used against you" (Anderson 157).
Reaction
As Melinda was watching lawyers on TV, she heard the cops say, "Anything you say will be used against you." She relates this to the situation where she did not want to speak during the oral report. I wonder why Melinda doesn't speak. Is it her past or she has nothing to say?
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson pg 81-120
Summary
Back to school from winter break, Melinda is grateful to be back. During gym, since there was about two feet of snow on the ground, the students had to play inside. The first sport they played was basketball. Ms. Connors, the teacher, teaches the students how to shoot foul shots. Melinda stepped on the line, and shot it. It went in. Ms. Connors tells her to repeatedly do it over and over, and she sunk the ball again and again. After class, Ms. Connors wanted to meet Melinda during activity period. She checked her grades, but sadly, Melinda had a 1.7 GPA and couldn't play for the team. As the boys basketball team came in, they practiced their foul shots and humiliatingly made thirty percent. Melinda had a deal with Ms. Connors that if she volunteer to teach the team how to shoot a foul shot, she will automatically get an A in gym.
In English class, writing essays are troublesome to the students. On the first essay, the English teacher gave an assignment to write "Why America Is Great", due in three weeks. Only one person turned it in on time. Another essay that was assigned was "The Best Lost Homework Excused Ever", and everyone in class done it the next day. No one was late.
At the end of the Second Marking Period, her grades weren't as good as the first.
Another day in English class, the students are reading The Scarlet Letter, and are trying to figure out symbolism in the book. The teacher describes how the author chooses every word, comma, paragraphs, are done on purpose. Melinda gets interested in finding symbolism because it's like code breaking to find hidden secrets. A students then shouted out how symbolism is not needed in the book but the enjoyment of reading does. She doesn't believe how all the symbols are made up. The teacher explains how Hawthorne, the author is a genius and relates symbolism to math by saying how three times four equals twelve. "Once you figure it out, it's as clear as day."
Quote
"They swallow her whole and she never looks back at me. Not once" (107).
Reaction
In lunch cafeteria, Heather spoke out her confession towards Melinda. Heather says that she will ruin her reputation because of who she hangs out with, a creepy weirdo. Heather couldn't be Melinda's friend anymore. She walks back to her table with the Marthas and never look back at her once. The Marthas has taken full advantage of her lifestyle in school.
Back to school from winter break, Melinda is grateful to be back. During gym, since there was about two feet of snow on the ground, the students had to play inside. The first sport they played was basketball. Ms. Connors, the teacher, teaches the students how to shoot foul shots. Melinda stepped on the line, and shot it. It went in. Ms. Connors tells her to repeatedly do it over and over, and she sunk the ball again and again. After class, Ms. Connors wanted to meet Melinda during activity period. She checked her grades, but sadly, Melinda had a 1.7 GPA and couldn't play for the team. As the boys basketball team came in, they practiced their foul shots and humiliatingly made thirty percent. Melinda had a deal with Ms. Connors that if she volunteer to teach the team how to shoot a foul shot, she will automatically get an A in gym.
In English class, writing essays are troublesome to the students. On the first essay, the English teacher gave an assignment to write "Why America Is Great", due in three weeks. Only one person turned it in on time. Another essay that was assigned was "The Best Lost Homework Excused Ever", and everyone in class done it the next day. No one was late.
At the end of the Second Marking Period, her grades weren't as good as the first.
Another day in English class, the students are reading The Scarlet Letter, and are trying to figure out symbolism in the book. The teacher describes how the author chooses every word, comma, paragraphs, are done on purpose. Melinda gets interested in finding symbolism because it's like code breaking to find hidden secrets. A students then shouted out how symbolism is not needed in the book but the enjoyment of reading does. She doesn't believe how all the symbols are made up. The teacher explains how Hawthorne, the author is a genius and relates symbolism to math by saying how three times four equals twelve. "Once you figure it out, it's as clear as day."
Quote
"They swallow her whole and she never looks back at me. Not once" (107).
Reaction
In lunch cafeteria, Heather spoke out her confession towards Melinda. Heather says that she will ruin her reputation because of who she hangs out with, a creepy weirdo. Heather couldn't be Melinda's friend anymore. She walks back to her table with the Marthas and never look back at her once. The Marthas has taken full advantage of her lifestyle in school.
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