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"But of course my luck with this guy sucks. So he turns his head and sees me. And wolfsmiles, showing oh granny what big teeth you have." In Little Red Riding Hood, a wolf is disguised as Little Red Riding Hood's grandma. What this has to do with Speak lies within Andy Evans. During the party Melinda thought he was just a senior that wanted to dance with a freshman. Only until he showed his wolf side and raped her. This incident created the whole story of Speak, and why Melinda is so depressed.

Bibel, Sara. Best Thing I Saw This Week: Bram Stoker’s Dracula Was Inspired by Bad Seafood, Not Vlad the Impaler. Biography, A&E Television Networks, https://www.biography.com/news/bram-stoker-dracula-vlad-impaler-myth.

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"I feel very much like the titanic" (Anderson 58). Just like the titanic sunk, Melinda feels like she's sinking. All the depression and stress has taken a big toll on Melinda. This connection shows how Melinda slowly sinks deeper and deeper throughout the story of Speak.

Tikkanen, Amy. "Titanic." Encyclopedia Britannica, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Titanic.

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"I checked out a book from the library, Dracula, by Brian Stoker" (Anderson 41). Both Dracula and Melinda are outcast in society. Plus, Melinda may not be a blood-sucking monster. But, Melinda does suck the blood from her lips when she bites them. This connection show's how Melinda doesn't fit the social norm in Speak.

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"The first thing to go is the mirror. It is screwed to the wall, so I cover it with a poster of Maya Angelou that the librarian gave me" (Anderson 50). Maya Angelou was a writer, poet, singer, and social activist. She was also African American, so she was an outcast and not listened to for most of her life. Just like Maya, Melinda is also silenced and an outcast in Speak. This connection shows us how Melina starts by being an outcast in the story of Speak.

"Maya Angelou Biography." Biography, A&E Television Networks, February 13 2019, https://www.biography.com/people/maya-angelou-9185388.