Melinda has been an outcast since she busted an end-of-summer party by calling the cops. Something terrible happened to her that night - she was raped, but has not told anyone. She becomes withdrawn and isolated. She finds refuge in an unused janitor's closet. Melinda begins to speak only when necessary until she is compelled to speak the truth to save others from Andy.
I feel Speak is an excellent novel to give adolescents an insight into what a person who experiences date rape goes through. It may even serve as a warning to many young ladies and young men alike.
Anderson does a superb job of using conflict in several different ways. We see conflict with another person between Melinda and Andy. We see conflict with herself. She is in constant turmoil whether she should tell anyone what really happened and whether it could even be considered rape. Melinda is also confronted with a societal issue, date rape, which is a taboo topic in many societies.
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