Speak, first published in 1999, is a young adult novel that, sadly, still reflects American culture. Speak is more than twenty years old and was adapted into a 2004 movie. Given the ages of the novel and the movie, any spoilers have probably already been revealed. Nevertheless, here’s the warning that this review will include said spoilers.
Speak is the story of Melinda, a high school freshman who has stopped talking for the most part. The previous summer, Melinda was raped by a fellow student at a party. She called 911 but didn’t say anything. The police showed up and shut down the party. Since then, everyone at school, including her friends, has shunned her. Depression sets in. She skips classes and hides out in an abandoned janitor’s closet. Her grades suffer. She contemplates suicide, to which her mother responds, “I don’t have time for this, Melinda.”
Melinda is ashamed to tell anyone about what IT (her rapist) did to her. IT seems to be aware of this and toys with her during the school year. However, when IT starts dating Melinda’s ex-best friend, Rachel, Melinda finally speaks up (through written notes). She tells Rachel what happened at the party, but Rachel doesn’t believe her. At prom, however, Rachel doesn’t like the way IT is all over her on the dance floor and breaks up with him, revealing what Melinda said about him.
IT, or course, blames Melinda and confronts her at school, shoving her into the janitor’s closet. Like the date-rapist stereotype he is, he tells her that she wanted it and lied to Rachel about what really happened because she’s jealous. He then proceeds to try to rape her again. When she screams, “NO,” he punches her in the face and grabs her around the throat. Only when she breaks a mirror and holds a broken piece of glass to his neck does he let her go. When IT allows Melinda to leave, she finds that the commotion inside the closet has summoned the girl’s lacrosse team as witnesses. Free from her secret, Melinda finally regains her voice.
Speak is as relevant now as it was when it was first published in 1999. Add smart phones, and this novel could take place today. In my opinion, Speak should be required reading for all high school students and maybe even middle schoolers to prepare them for the ITs they may encounter the summer before high school. However, in the all-too-likely event that parents freak out about their innocent babies being exposed to such filth (sarcasm alert), Speak should at least be required reading for freshman orientation at every college and university, where we all know rape culture is still allowed to flourish.
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