https://padlet.com/22llewandowski/o0fa0fawehw0 Laura Lewandowski, Hagar Khalil, and Nicholas LeBoeuf en-us 2019-05-29 18:12:56 UTC 2019-05-31 18:16:17 UTC hello@padlet.com 22llewandowski https://padlet.com/22llewandowski/o0fa0fawehw0/wish/364623755 The main character Melinda Sordino is a freshman attending Merryweather high school. She is in a very dark place, being very isolated and depressed. She has been through so much during her first year in high school. She has dealt with conflict emotionally, physically, and mentally, and it was all a result of her being raped. Melinda attended a party the summer before school started, where she was raped. She did not tell anybody about the rape, so they all assumed she called the cops to break up the party. Therefore, everybody hated her. It completely changed her life, even though it had only barely begun. Her parents don't get along with each other or her, and it leaves her completely alone. All of her friends abandoned her, and she has no support system what-so-ever. In the book, Melinda has to learn how to speak up for herself and has to reclaim stability in her life. She is courageous, strong-willed, and extremely brave to remain true to herself throughout the book. ]]> 2019-05-30 13:23:39 UTC https://padlet.com/22llewandowski/o0fa0fawehw0/wish/364623755 22llewandowski https://padlet.com/22llewandowski/o0fa0fawehw0/wish/364624213 A quote that shows Melinda's real self can be found on page 188. The author writes, "I have survived. I am here. Confused, screwed up, but here. So, how can I find my way? Is there a chain saw of the soul, an ax I can take to my memories or fears? I dig my fingers into the dirt and squeeze. A small, clean part of me waits to warm and burst through the surface. Some quiet Melindagirl I haven't seen in months. That is the seed I will care for." This piece of text is one way to perfectly describe Melinda. She has gone through more than anyone should have, especially at such a young age. But, with perseverance and courage, she is making her way through life. It illustrates that not everything is easy, and sometimes you have to work really hard to do seemingly simple tasks, but you will make it. ]]> 2019-05-30 13:24:50 UTC https://padlet.com/22llewandowski/o0fa0fawehw0/wish/364624213 22llewandowski https://padlet.com/22llewandowski/o0fa0fawehw0/wish/364624351 The elements of S.T.E.A.L consist of Speak (dialogue), Thoughts, Effects, Actions, and Looks. Melinda is very quiet and very depressed. Because of this, she doesn't speak much so her dialogue is very limited. Yet when she does talk she tends to be extremely reserved, not telling anyone much of anything. However, her thoughts are filled with insight into how she feels, and what she thinks of everything going on around her. They are filled with details about her surroundings, and what life is truly like for her. Melinda's thoughts give a perception to the reader about what she goes through on a day to day basis. The effects of all of the stress and conflict can be seen through her personality. As for actions, the ways she acts with herself and others is also very altered from how she previously would have. The author describes Melinda's looks in a very subtle way. The main thing the author makes known often is how Melinda has completely scabbed her lips. This is a bad nervous habit that Melinda has picked up since she was raped, and it plays a rather large part of her life. Throughout the book, Melinda often focuses on her appearance and the way she hates how she looks.  ]]> 2019-05-30 13:25:13 UTC https://padlet.com/22llewandowski/o0fa0fawehw0/wish/364624351 22llewandowski https://padlet.com/22llewandowski/o0fa0fawehw0/wish/364624734 All of this reveals that Melinda has gone through more than anyone should, but also that she's a very strong person. Although she lacks all confidence and self-esteem, she manages to get through her daily life every single day. Melinda shows the reader that although she was given a life that isn't easy, and is filled with pain, that she can persevere.  ]]> 2019-05-30 13:26:19 UTC https://padlet.com/22llewandowski/o0fa0fawehw0/wish/364624734 22llewandowski https://padlet.com/22llewandowski/o0fa0fawehw0/wish/364624982 Some choices that the author has made to convey this meaning is how emotionally strong she made Melinda. Although she is depressed, and although she is in a world that she tends to get lost in, she created Melinda in a way that she knows what she wants. Melinda was created as the kind of girl who never gives up, no matter the circumstances. Laurie Halse Anderson utilizes elements of authors craft that include dialogue, appropriate word choice, and imagery/sensory details. Being able to visualize what is going on in the story helps the reader to get a better grasp for what the author is trying to relay. ]]> 2019-05-30 13:27:02 UTC https://padlet.com/22llewandowski/o0fa0fawehw0/wish/364624982 22llewandowski https://padlet.com/22llewandowski/o0fa0fawehw0/wish/364893247 In the book Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson, the main character Melinda Sordino is a brave young girl learning how to finally speak up for herself, and for what was done to her. ]]> 2019-05-31 13:45:01 UTC https://padlet.com/22llewandowski/o0fa0fawehw0/wish/364893247