"Speak"

In reading "Speak," I found myself intrigued throughout the entire novel! At times I found myself frustrated with Melanie because I just wished she actually told someone about her horrific night at that party where Andy took advantage of her. I think that being silenced was her downfall that caused her to lose all of her friends and attend a school where everyone hated her. But, the thing that some people may not understand is that what happened to her was probably not only personal, but emabarrassing and scary. It also didn't help that her ex-best friend was dating the guy who took advantage of her, and when she tried to warn her, her old friend Rachel used the excuse of that Melanie was jealous. But I was glad when her friend finally came to her senses, dumping the guy fast, giving Melanie the chance to make a final stand to her attacker, which she did. That few moments in her closet, which I found this part to be ironic because her closet was to me symbollically representing peace and safety, but Andy was able to find her and almost attack her a second time. In the end, when melanie finally was able to tell others what happened, she seemed to be able to find herself again and stand against those who were trying to walk all over her, both Andy and Heather.