Comparing__Speak__to_Real_Life

Comparing Speak to Real Life This essay is about the book Speak. The main character is Melinda Sordino. Melinda was raped by a senior named Andy Evans at a summer party. They were both drunk. Melinda called the cops and broke up the party. Nobody knows why she called the cops, but tons of people hated her for it. Melinda was an outcast. Melinda behaved the way many rape victims would, and her situation was not unusual because she was drunk, she said she did not want to do it, and she expresses her feelings in one main way. Alcohol affects rape greatly. The American Academy of Pediatrics says, “Alcohol use immediately before a sexual assault has been reported by more than 40% of adolescent victims.” This means that more than 40% of rapes occur because of alcohol use. In the book Speak Melinda said, “I taste beer…Gulped it down. I had another one and one more…I breathed in cologne and beer…My tongue was thick with beer.” Melinda was clearly drunk when Andy Evans raped her. When Melinda said she breathed in cologne and beer, it meant that Andy was also drunk. “A large survey of unwanted sexual experiences among middle and high school students indicated 18% of females…reported having had an unwanted sexual experience,” said the AAP. In the AAP, they said that they did a test on the victims and they all had behavior and stress problems. This can relate to the novel because in the book Melinda is one of those people who have had those problems. Because of Melinda saying no and telling Andy to stop, makes it an even bigger deal. Andy wanted to do it, but Melinda did not, so Andy had to rape her. Throughout the novel, Melinda was experiencing some tough times. The major symbol of those tough times was during art class. Masses of her expressions were in her pieces of art. One of her pieces was the turkey bone sculpture. This was a block of wood were the turkey bone arranged in the shape of a human to look like it was laid down. Then Melinda tied the bone down to show that it could not move. Then, for the head, Melinda put a Barbie doll head with its mouth taped shut to show that the person could not speak. It symbolized that Melinda was forced to have sex and could not speak. In the AAP it says, “Rape trauma syndrome is described as consisting of an initial phase…in which the victim experiences disbelief, anxiety, fear, emotional lability, and guilt.” These are all symptoms that Melinda had during the school year. Melinda had a normal reaction. Most victims would have reacted exactly like Melinda. “Stressed out, disbelief, anxiety, fear, emotional lability, and guilt,” says the AAP. Throughout the story Melinda was expressing her feelings. One of the main ones was when Melinda learned what cubism and finally understood what she was doing. This is also when her life started to turn around. Melinda was drunk and she was forced to have sex with Andy. What would you have done on Melinda’s situation' Would you have called the cops'