D.+Themes+and+Messages

 Themes & Messages

Find messages and themes from //Speak//, and explain how they are portrayed in the book. Also analyze these portrayals and messages for how relevant they are to today's teens' lives. Please use specific examples from the book and the world around you to support your opinions. You can use what we have discussed in class, cite quotations from the novel, and create links to other scources to show support.

Questions should be posted on this page, and conversation posts should be done under the discussion tab. What does the title "Speak" mean and how does it realate to the story, how does it effect Melinda? Is it becasue she hardly ever talks through out the whole book, and maybe the author is suggesting that talking to the teachers and your fellow call mates is the best way to make it through high school? Or, is it that Melinda needs to work to understand differant types of kids within the school and life? For instince the forien exchange students, if she could understand/ accept them, she could have a few real friends, and not "accessories". Oppinions are welcome (sorry this doesn't really have anything to do with themes and messages). - David Ruckman

One of the messages i've found is that when your friends are only accesories when they find new friends they will just forget about you and just hang with there real friends.... KAT

When there saying "The same boys who got detention in elementary school for beating the crap out of people are now rewarded for it" i saw that as a life message somehow that i cant explain... KAT

But accessories can become real friends,%2Proxy-Connection: keep-alive Cache-Control: max-age=0 Proxy-Connection: keep-alive Cache-Control: max-age=0 f you stay with them long enough. -David

if they stay with you long enough.... well I'm probably really far in the book so I'm not gona spoil anything.... KAT

Is there a message about Heather hidden within the story? On page 42 it says "She (Heather) is a freshman member on probation. I (Melinda) suspect money charges." What did heather do that could get her probation? -David.

Just to clarify, Heather is on probationary status with the Marthas - She's trying to be accepted by them, but hasn't been foramlly accepted just yet. The "money changing hands" quote is Melinda using a bit of exageration to try to prove her point that Heather couldn't possibly be accepted by the Marthas. Can you find any other points where Melinda exagerates to prove a point? What are her points she needs to prove? Mr. H

Oh, i didn't really understand that part, so i thought i would make a post to clarify. Thanks. I think that Melinda needs to prove the point that the Marthas aren't true friends maybe Heather is using them as accessories, maybe she is a little embarrassed to be with Melinda when the Marthas have a very good reputation at MerryWeather High. -Henry.

All of Melinda's old friends hate her now because she called the cops on a party last summer. My question is, how does that effect her later in the book, and what could be so bad at a eighth grade party that would make you call the cops? If you have read farther in the book then page 49, and have any clues, let me know? -David Ruckman.

I think one message that is trying to be sent in this book is you never really know who your true friends are and who your fake ones are.- Amanda A.

If Melinda wants a friend so bad why doesnt she just accept Heather as one??- Amanda A.

I agreee. Henry.

i think that if melinda was like her old self like before the party, then maybe her and heather would've had a stronger friendship. alex:D

I think sooner or later Melinda is gonna realize she needs to be a better friend to heather.- Amanda A. I would agree, Heather is the only friend Melinda has, the sooner she accepts that, the sooner she won't feel so alone.-David

This might fall under something that should go in "Melinda's Problems", but I like all this discussion about the nicknames she gives to people. Melinda seems like the kind of person who doesn't like to get close to anyone. Maybe these nicknames are a way for her to further separate herself from others; like calling someone "Basketball Pole" makes them less of a person, so she doesn't have to care about them as much... -Mr. Rowe

Why does Melinda always call people by there not real names? For instance, "basketball pole" "hairwomen" " principle principle" "IT". She knows all of their names but she still calls them these names, I'm wondering why? -Henry Faull

i think its becaues she is judgemental and in her head she is thinking...well cuz he's tall i will call him

basketball pole, or since her hair looks weird i will call her hairwoman, ect...i have no answer on principle principle, but i think she calls Andy Evans IT maybe because of the party but im not sure. alex :D

why do they care if there mascot is endangered ..... our mascott is endangered -BIG DAWG

I think they are just very outspoken students who don't like the animal so they come up with reasons not to have it.- Cheyenne Falz

that does make sense... but seriously??. uhm what's the deal with all the mascots?. even if it's enndangered??. --- olivia tillett.

Why did Heather just ditch her only and first friend for the "martha's" and when she comes crying back to Melinda why doesn"t she think that what shes doing is wrong and why didn't Melinda tell her shes a self centered jerk! :o Timothy Campbell

Why does she call the principle "principle principle'? - Ciara Brumbaugh

i think that the purple dress with blue roses that ms. keen wears on pages 36 and 37 sends a message that when you try something new it will probably get rejected because she never wore the dress agian and everyone talk about it for a while after that. -Tennyson

it i sad that she loses her only friend for a silly reason

so why do they care about there m

do you guys think that theres a message trying to get thru on why they are changing masscotts-BIGDAWG

mostly just that the school is insecure.--olivia tillett.

I think that symbolizes the schools social problems.-mahon walsh