“Speak,” by Laurie Halse Anderson, is more than simply a description of a high school freshman’s struggle after a tragic experience. It is a tapestry made of symbols that deepen the narrative and provide levels of meaning in addition to the literal tale. The protagonist’s emotional journey and her battle with voicelessness in the face of tragedy are further supported by these symbols. Readers might get a deeper understanding of the novel’s complex emotional environment by focusing on these symbols.
The Wardrobes
The main character, Melinda, regularly hides out in an abandoned janitor’s closet at school. This area stands in for her yearning for a refuge from the outer world, a place where she may be alone and protected from criticism and suffering. The design of the closet changes as she does, reflecting her shifting emotions. It represents her own haven, a womb-like place where she may try to get well.
Mirrors
Mirrors are clearly unappealing to Melinda throughout the whole book. They stand for her incapacity to confront oneself, particularly the pain she has gone through. She is running from her reflection in order to avoid facing her suffering, her identity, and the changes she has gone through since the occurrence.
- The Tree Art Initiative: Melinda’s art class’s yearly project requires her to sketch and create a tree. She first has difficulty doing this, matching her difficulty in expressing her sentiments over her experience. Her drawings of the tree develop in complexity and assurance as the story goes on, reflecting her process of self-acceptance and healing. The tree represents development, rebirth, and the circular nature of healing.
- Mouth and Lips: Because of her trauma, Melinda is rendered silent and mute in her suffering. Her effort to speak out and convey her suffering is highlighted by the novel’s recurrent concentration on lips and mouths, whether it be her own wounded lips, the dry lips of a poster, or her observation of others speaking.
- Birds: “Speak” uses birds as a metaphor for liberation and escape. Melinda frequently fantasizes of being as free as a bird, particularly when she is enmeshed in memories or circumstances that trigger her traumatic experiences. Melinda’s sentiments of confinement are contrasted with the bird motif, highlighting her desire for freedom and escape.
Conclusion:
The use of symbolism in “Speak” serves as both a literary technique and a means of enhancing the emotional impact of the story. Anderson communicates the quiet difficulties of trauma survivors through symbols like the closet, mirrors, and trees, highlighting the significance of finding one’s voice and the therapeutic value of self-expression. A deeper comprehension of the protagonist’s transition from quiet to expression is made possible by the novel’s invitation to readers to go beyond the overt narrative and dive deeply into the symbolic undercurrents. And protected from criticism and suffering.
References:
- In 1999, L.H. Anderson published “Speak.” Giroux, Farrar, and Company.
- (2007). Serafin, S.R., and Bendixen, A. “American Women Contemporary Fiction Writers.” Publishing house Greenwood Group.
- A. Winch (2010). Studying girl culture: a readers’ guide, “Girl Culture.” Greenwood.
