speak: the graphic novel

 Bibliography: Anderson, L. H. (n.d.). Illus. by Emily Carroll. Speak: The Graphic Novel. Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR). ISBN: 978-0-374-30028-9

Plot Summary: The story follows Melinda, a high school freshman, through a school year as she deals with and then comes to terms with a traumatic event that occurred the summer before high school. None of her classmates know what really happened as she has been afraid to speak of it, so she deals with bullying based on what the other kids think they know. Eventually, they will find out the truth when she is no longer afraid to speak. 

Critical Analysis: Carroll created the illustrations in black and white, which seems appropriate as Melinda seems to be living in a world of gray, suffering from depression and anxiety as a result of her rape. The drawings accurately reflect both the movement and the emotion in the text. The use of language is stunning. Metaphors, similes and hyperbole flow throughout and provide vivid imagery of Melinda's environment as well as insight into her emotions.  Some of my favorite examples: "It smells like dead-frog juice, a cross between a nursing home and a potato salad that's started to mold." "I wash my face until nothing is left of it. No eyes, no nose...no mouth." " There is a beast in my gut, scraping away at the inside of my ribs." Anderson takes a personal topic and addresses it with vulnerability and honesty and makes you truly empathize with Melinda and her pain. It demonstrates why it is sometimes difficult to report sexual assault.  She also addresses issues of parental indifference and body issues in a straightforward manner, no hinting or beating around the bush. I've only read a few graphic novels, but this was by far my favorite as it was written so beautifully and openly.  

Reviews:

     Kirkus Reviews: "Anderson’s timeless and important tale of high-school sexual assault and its aftermath undergoes a masterful graphic novel transformation."

     Wordpress.com" "Emily Carroll is a tremendously talented artist, and her illustrations heighten and define Melinda’s experiences in so many ways."

Awards:

     Golden Kite Award for Fiction, 2000

     The Amelia Bloomer Book List, 2019

     School Library Journal Best Book, 2018

Connections:

 Ideas borrowed from Comic Book Legal Defense Fund

      Use in a History class during Women's History Month. Before reading, have students research the #MeTOO movement. Compare and contrast to previous movements involving women's rights. 

      
     Use in an English class. Analyze the use of language, specifically the use of metaphors and similes.  Analyze the use of trees as a symbol for Melinda's struggles. 

     

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