SpeakSpeak

Melinda SordinoMelinda Sordino

sophomore at Merryweather High sophomore at Merryweather High School, Syracuse, New YorkSchool, Syracuse, New York

terribly unhappyterribly unhappy about an incident about an incident that occurred the previous summerthat occurred the previous summer

Melinda Melinda called the policecalled the police and the and the party was shut down party was shut down

she spends her entire ninth-grade she spends her entire ninth-grade year trying to come to terms with year trying to come to terms with what happened to herwhat happened to her

Melinda SordinoMelinda Sordino

she she refuses to speakrefuses to speak most of the time most of the time

she she misbehavesmisbehaves in in interesting ways to interesting ways to try to give meaning try to give meaning to her own to her own existence or to existence or to avoid the pain she avoid the pain she feels so deeply feels so deeply

she appears to have she appears to have great great potential potential

Melinda SordinoMelinda Sordino

* Her * Her last namelast name in Italian means “mute; in Italian means “mute; the instruction ‘con sordino’, often found the instruction ‘con sordino’, often found

in string music, means ‘with mute’ ”in string music, means ‘with mute’ ”

* Her * Her first namefirst name in Spanish means in Spanish means “beautiful,” but she has become anything “beautiful,” but she has become anything but pretty (especially in her own mind)but pretty (especially in her own mind)

* She has labeled herself * She has labeled herself Outcast Outcast (note the (note the capitalization of this word throughout the capitalization of this word throughout the

book)book)

Melinda’s ParentsMelinda’s Parents

their their dissatisfaction dissatisfaction with their own lives with their own lives and their marriage and their marriage contributes to contributes to Melinda’s Melinda’s unhappinessunhappiness

caught up in their caught up in their careers and the careers and the problems within problems within their marriage their marriage

Mr. FreemanMr. Freeman

he is the he is the Art Art teacherteacher

has has his own issueshis own issues with a school with a school board, who will board, who will provide him with provide him with no supplies with no supplies with which to teach. which to teach.

Mr. FreemanMr. Freeman

the only adult who tries to the only adult who tries to understand understand Melinda’s painMelinda’s pain and and encouragesencourages her to her to stand up for what she believes stand up for what she believes

Quote: “ In today’s climate in our country, which is Quote: “ In today’s climate in our country, which is sickened with the pollution of pollution, threatened with sickened with the pollution of pollution, threatened with the prominence of AIDS, riddled with burgeoning racism, the prominence of AIDS, riddled with burgeoning racism, rife with growing huddles of the homeless, we need art rife with growing huddles of the homeless, we need art and we need art in all forms. We need all methods of art to and we need art in all forms. We need all methods of art to be present, everywhere present, and all the time present.” be present, everywhere present, and all the time present.” – Maya Angelou– Maya Angelou

* what is the meaning behind his * what is the meaning behind his last name?last name?

David PetrakisDavid Petrakis Melinda’s biology labMelinda’s biology lab

partner and is one of the partner and is one of the few students in the few students in the school who will speak to school who will speak to herher

She comes to admire She comes to admire him very much for his:him very much for his:

1. 1. brilliancebrilliance 2. his 2. his willingness to willingness to stand up stand up for for what is rightwhat is right

3. his 3. his patiencepatience for her for her

Heather from OhioHeather from Ohio

a a new girlnew girl befriends Melindabefriends Melinda at the beginning at the beginning

of the school yearof the school year shallow and coldshallow and cold uses Melindauses Melinda when she needs her when she needs her

talents so as to become more talents so as to become more popular among a clique known as popular among a clique known as the Marthas the Marthas

Rachel/RachelleRachel/Rachelle Melinda’s Melinda’s best friendbest friend

since elementary since elementary school school

attended the summer attended the summer partyparty with Melinda with Melinda

after Melinda calls after Melinda calls the cops and the the cops and the party is raided, she party is raided, she stops talking to stops talking to Melinda and Melinda and leads leads the waythe way to making to making the girl an Outcast.the girl an Outcast.

IvyIvy

another of Melinda’s another of Melinda’s friends friends who who stops talking to her for a while stops talking to her for a while

sees sees in their Art class that in their Art class that Melinda Melinda is suffering great emotional pain is suffering great emotional pain

slowly comes to slowly comes to understandunderstand Melinda Melinda gives her a kind of gives her a kind of unspoken supportunspoken support

when she needs it the most.when she needs it the most.

Mr. NeckMr. Neck social studies teachersocial studies teacher happens to be a happens to be a racistracist David Petrakis David Petrakis

challenges the way challenges the way Mr. Neck teaches Mr. Neck teaches through a lawyer through a lawyer hired by his parents hired by his parents and Mr. Neck is and Mr. Neck is forced to give ground forced to give ground or lose his job or lose his job

““But if you only have But if you only have love for your own love for your own race/Then you only race/Then you only leave space to leave space to discriminate/And to discriminate/And to discriminate only discriminate only generates hate/And generates hate/And if you hating you’re if you hating you’re bound to get irate…”bound to get irate…”

- Black Eyed - Black Eyed PeasPeas

HairwomanHairwoman the name that Melinda the name that Melinda

gives her gives her English teacherEnglish teacher little more than little more than contemptcontempt

for herfor her through most of through most of the story, but comes to the story, but comes to understand her better by understand her better by the end and even feels the end and even feels some some admiration for her admiration for her

she is she is like Melindalike Melinda in that in that she has to find her own she has to find her own way to satisfaction within way to satisfaction within her life.her life.

Principal PrincipalPrincipal Principal

Melinda’s name, obviously, for the Melinda’s name, obviously, for the principalprincipal of her school of her school

subject of subject of ridiculeridicule not really a “fully fleshed out”not really a “fully fleshed out”

character- significant in that he has character- significant in that he has no depth in the way he works in the no depth in the way he works in the school and so generates no respect school and so generates no respect

ITIT

also known as also known as Beast or a wolfBeast or a wolf tortures Melinda psychologicallytortures Melinda psychologically every every

time he is near her time he is near her

The Jocks, the Country Clubbers, the The Jocks, the Country Clubbers, the Idiot Savants, the Cheerleaders, the Idiot Savants, the Cheerleaders, the

Marthas, etc.Marthas, etc. names of names of clans or cliquesclans or cliques that the that the

students at Merryweather High students at Merryweather High School have formed to have friends School have formed to have friends and create some kind of meaning to and create some kind of meaning to what they accomplish in schoolwhat they accomplish in school

they seldom associate with each they seldom associate with each other and every member is other and every member is controlledcontrolled by what the clan expects by what the clan expects

ThemesThemes

Strength of CharacterStrength of Character Teenage AlienationTeenage Alienation ConformityConformity TransformationTransformation Appearance vs. RealityAppearance vs. Reality

Symbols, Metaphors, Symbols, Metaphors, MotifsMotifs

TreesTrees

The tree which Melinda struggles The tree which Melinda struggles over in Art class all year is a over in Art class all year is a metaphor for her; as she grows metaphor for her; as she grows and breaks her silence, the tree and breaks her silence, the tree grows as well. grows as well.

This is further emphasized by the This is further emphasized by the old oak in her front yard which old oak in her front yard which her father has pruned so it can her father has pruned so it can grow and flourish even more.grow and flourish even more.

TreesTrees

Like the oak tree, Melinda is Like the oak tree, Melinda is pruning away the damaged parts pruning away the damaged parts which have kept her from which have kept her from growing.growing.

BirdsBirds

The birds represent freedom to The birds represent freedom to Melinda—they signal the freedom Melinda—they signal the freedom to speak and personal growth.to speak and personal growth.

  Melinda continues working on Melinda continues working on her final tree, adding birds with her final tree, adding birds with chalk; the birds seem to bloom in chalk; the birds seem to bloom in the light, “their feathers the light, “their feathers expanding promise.”expanding promise.”

Seeds and SeedlingsSeeds and Seedlings

““Germination” (ch. 60)Germination” (ch. 60) Metaphor for MelindaMetaphor for Melinda She can now focus on being a seed She can now focus on being a seed

that will continue to flourish.that will continue to flourish. When she is damaged, like a plant, When she is damaged, like a plant,

she can grow a new limb, leaf, etc.she can grow a new limb, leaf, etc. Seeds represent Melinda’s new Seeds represent Melinda’s new

growth and the discovery that she growth and the discovery that she can survive.can survive.

Rabbit and WolfRabbit and Wolf

Rabbits stand still in hope that Rabbits stand still in hope that their predators don’t see them their predators don’t see them

This is what Melinda does every This is what Melinda does every time Andy is in her presencetime Andy is in her presence

Melinda must become more like Melinda must become more like a predator and attack (deal) with a predator and attack (deal) with her problems (Andy Evans and her problems (Andy Evans and silence) silence)

The SuffragettesThe Suffragettes

Melinda decides to give an oral Melinda decides to give an oral report on women who, ironically, report on women who, ironically, used their voices to earn the used their voices to earn the rights they should have had all rights they should have had all along.along.

The suffragettes report is a The suffragettes report is a metaphor for Melinda’s need to metaphor for Melinda’s need to speak the truth and fight against speak the truth and fight against what is wrong.what is wrong.

The ClansThe Clans

The clans represent: The clans represent: the need for identitythe need for identity the need to belong and be the need to belong and be

accepted that many high school accepted that many high school students face students face

the importance of fitting-in the importance of fitting-in during the high school yearsduring the high school years

The Changing School The Changing School MascotMascot

The changing of the school mascot The changing of the school mascot represents the search for identity represents the search for identity experienced by all (most) experienced by all (most) members of the school communitymembers of the school community

Indication for how inept the entire Indication for how inept the entire authority system of the school authority system of the school district really isdistrict really is

A comment on political A comment on political correctness taken to the extremecorrectness taken to the extreme