Picture by Me

This is by far one of the best books I have ever read. I very quickly accumulated a liking for this book when it was removed from the high school curriculum in my hometown. This story is a beautifully written piece based on a true story. Laurie Halse Anderson, the author of “speak,” actually grew up near where I lived. I feel like that added to the connection I felt with this novel.

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This novel follows the life of Melinda Sordino, a high school freshman, chronicling her life in a diary format. As the story unfolds, so does Melinda’s depression. Melinda spends a majority of her time hanging out in a janitor’s closet as she avoids the eyes of a specific senior. This senior, Andy Evans, is Melinda’s sexual assaulter. At a party before school, Andy rapes a rather drunk Melinda and in the midst of sheer panic, she runs and calls the cops, leaving with guilt feeling like it is all her own fault.

This novel excellently portrays the mental struggle that victims face everyday. The writing style is jumbled and spazzy just like Melinda’s thoughts. That is what makes it feel so real.

Many people left similar reviews to my own. Here are some examples:

  • “I’m happy I did because this was one of the best books that I have read lately. Speak was very well paced and I never found the story to be dragging or boring. I loved the character development and Melinda’s voice throughout the story.”
  • “I didn’t think I’d be so gripped by this book but the author captures the pains and troubles of everyday high school life with such honesty and raw emotion that I couldn’t help recognizing half the characters from my own high school days. “
  • “Speak, to me, is taken more as a lesson than just a book. A lesson worth reading and worth analyzing every little detail, no matter how the writing is and no matter how repetitive it can get.”
  • “This is such an important book for the content and message it presents. The writing was fantastic and Melinda was such an interesting character to read.”
  • “I did really enjoy this book, even though the writing style was pretty simple… the plot more than made up for it. It’s such an important topic and I love that the reader only gradually grows to understand what has happened (mirroring Melinda’s memory).”

Now let’s rewind to my earlier statement: this novel was removed from the high school English curriculum because it was inappropriate. Is learning not one of the main reasons behind going to school? Why not focus on a beautifully written honest piece of work that will educate everyone about such an important topic? Perhaps if this remained in the core curriculum and students were exposed to the real world with the help of this novel, then rape cases may not be as high as they are today.

According to statista, in 2019 there were 98,213 forcible rape cases recorded in the United States. The year 2019 actually saw a drop as rape cases were on the rise for the last five years prior. Yet, no matter how much the students at my school retaliated, the answer was always the same: NO. It was always profound and they would sometimes cut us off before completing. If I’m being honest I don’t think they found the content inappropriate, but I think it is so honest that it made them uncomfortable.

Sexual assault, including the incidents above, can have a devastating impact on its victims. Although it can take years or decades for victims to begin to address the trauma and come forward to report the incidents (as we are currently witnessing), the rumors and whispers may begin the following day at school, in the hallways, and over lunch—even when some of the participants were too drunk to remember anything. The underreporting of sexual violence has been documented by researchers extensively. According to a 2017 report from the Justice Department, only 23 percent of all sexual assaults are reported to the police.

NAN D. STEIN & BRUCE TAYLOR

To read more about the above quote click here. This website takes a psychological and a criminological viewpoint on sexual assaults within school environments. The researchers from CDC from Youth Risk Behavior Survey say that “10% of high school students were sexually assaulted in 2017.” Out of that 10%, “females, 15%, experienced higher rates than males, 4.3%.”

With the use of social media, several movements have been made so victims can be heard. One of the biggest movements is the #MeToo movement that took off around the world. It allowed women from all over to feel like they were not alone and that people could finally understand them. To learn more in depth about why some victims stay silent, click here to further educate yourself on how toxic rape culture has become in today’s society.  

This novel is a culture shock that exposes the world to how serious sexual assault has become in today’s world. The best part about this book is that, like previously mentioned, it is based on true events. These events belonged to the author. After seeing her novel take off and receive the support it did, Laurie Halse Anderson published a book a couple years ago about her own story. My hope is that as support grows for this book, that it can one day be used in high school education again, to ensure that this topic is not being hidden.