http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGM7W0BSv0M
Wow, this video touched me so much and I just had to share it on here. The authors own personal struggles are amazing and I had goosebumps watching this! She seems to have turned out as such a great person and has touched thousands of kids all over with her books. It's crazy to hear her express so publicly the exact thing Melinda had such a hard time expressing in the book. She seems to be an amazing person .
-Sarah Izzard
Monday, December 17, 2012
Sunday, December 16, 2012
Quote - Tina Mahdavi
Trust Trailer - Tina Mahdavi
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9J3fBSpXwc
I find this movie relates to Speak. In both movies/books a teenager girls gets raped. In both movies/books the girls are afraid to speak up because they are scared. In this movie the girl was pressured into having intercourse with a man she thought she loved, but in Speak Melinda was raped when she thought she was just going to hook up with the guy everyone liked. Although the main idea of the movies/books are different watching the movie Speak it automatically reminded me of this movie.
-Tina Mahdavi
I find this movie relates to Speak. In both movies/books a teenager girls gets raped. In both movies/books the girls are afraid to speak up because they are scared. In this movie the girl was pressured into having intercourse with a man she thought she loved, but in Speak Melinda was raped when she thought she was just going to hook up with the guy everyone liked. Although the main idea of the movies/books are different watching the movie Speak it automatically reminded me of this movie.
-Tina Mahdavi
Review Response -Tina Mahdavi
I don't agree with the rating this person gave. I feel like the book was way better than a "B" to be honest I'd give this book at least an "A-" I thought it was really really good, like I couldn't get enough. I wish there was a sequel to it. I agree with what she put as the moral/message of the book. Many students do end up hating their high school experience because they get bullied, and don't speak up for themselves ruining what could be the greatest 4 years of your life. I agree when she says that from the first section of the book she couldn't stop reading it. I don't usually read books because I get very bored with it within the first few chapters, but when I began reading this book i was actually very fascinated because it's about a teenagers experience in high school and I feel like most of us could relate to some of the things Melinda went through. Maybe not rape exactly but other situations she had to overcome such as losing friends, failing classes and much more. The review said it was written in a child like and immature way, but I thought that it was better like that. I like how the book didn't have chapters. Although it was harder to find where I last finished reading, I feel like the narrator made it seem it was sort of like Melinda writing it. If that makes sense. Overall I think the review gave a low rating for the book. It deserved a much higher rating.
Discussion Question #4 - Tina Mahdavi
Why does Melinda choose not to confide in her parents about her rape?
I think that Melinda chooses not to confide in her parents about her rape because she's scared. Shes scared of them not believing her and thinking shes lying for attention, or that they wouldn't understand or wouldn't care.
How was art such an important element of Melinda's lonely life?
I think that art was a very important element in Melinda's life because it was her way of expressing how she felt. Everything that she had hidden and bottled up inside would be expressed through her art. Mr. Freeman says he sees pain in her art work.
Why did Melinda's friends turn against her after the incident, instead of asking her about what really happened?
I think that Melinda's friends turned against her after the party because all the "cool" kids thought she called the cops so they thought if they didn't turn against her they wouldn't be "cool" either. Also I think they turned against her because they were at a party with older people who go to their school and they want to make a good impression on the first day of high school by knowing all the cooler kids but if they had left with the "party pooper" Melinda they would hate them too.
Speak shows how important and valuable friendship is in life. How does Melinda show what life can be like without friendship?
Melinda didn't have any true friends she could trust. She has no one to talk to so she started to cut herself as her last resort. The only way she spoke was through her art.
If you were one of Melinda's friends would you just drop her as a friend or would you have tried to communicate with her and support her?
I understand that her friends panicked and didn't want to be considered a loser for being friends with the girl who called the cops at a party but if I were them I wouldn't let the pressure of being cool ruin my friendship with one of my best friends. I would have stayed with Melinda and asked her why she called the cops.
Do you think Melinda handled the incident properly?
I do not think Melinda handled the incident properly, she should have spoken up and told the cops what had happened when they got to the party. But I understand she was just raped and was in shock and scared to say anything, and by the time she had enough confidence to tell them it was too late.
What do you think of Mr. Freeman?
I think Mr. Freeman was a very important person in Melinda's life. I find he was one of Melinda's only friends even though he was a teacher. He helped her a lot when she had no friends. He let her eat in his classroom even thought it was not allowed. He understood Melinda through her art. Melinda trusted him, and she told him about how she was raped.
The theme of the book is to speak up for yourself. How does this book show this theme?
The theme of the book is to speak up because Melinda didn't tell anyone about what happened the night of the party and caused herself more problems like losing all her friends and getting low grades. If she had spoken up she wouldn't have to deal with this situation all alone.
I think that Melinda chooses not to confide in her parents about her rape because she's scared. Shes scared of them not believing her and thinking shes lying for attention, or that they wouldn't understand or wouldn't care.
How was art such an important element of Melinda's lonely life?
I think that art was a very important element in Melinda's life because it was her way of expressing how she felt. Everything that she had hidden and bottled up inside would be expressed through her art. Mr. Freeman says he sees pain in her art work.
Why did Melinda's friends turn against her after the incident, instead of asking her about what really happened?
I think that Melinda's friends turned against her after the party because all the "cool" kids thought she called the cops so they thought if they didn't turn against her they wouldn't be "cool" either. Also I think they turned against her because they were at a party with older people who go to their school and they want to make a good impression on the first day of high school by knowing all the cooler kids but if they had left with the "party pooper" Melinda they would hate them too.
Speak shows how important and valuable friendship is in life. How does Melinda show what life can be like without friendship?
Melinda didn't have any true friends she could trust. She has no one to talk to so she started to cut herself as her last resort. The only way she spoke was through her art.
If you were one of Melinda's friends would you just drop her as a friend or would you have tried to communicate with her and support her?
I understand that her friends panicked and didn't want to be considered a loser for being friends with the girl who called the cops at a party but if I were them I wouldn't let the pressure of being cool ruin my friendship with one of my best friends. I would have stayed with Melinda and asked her why she called the cops.
Do you think Melinda handled the incident properly?
I do not think Melinda handled the incident properly, she should have spoken up and told the cops what had happened when they got to the party. But I understand she was just raped and was in shock and scared to say anything, and by the time she had enough confidence to tell them it was too late.
What do you think of Mr. Freeman?
I think Mr. Freeman was a very important person in Melinda's life. I find he was one of Melinda's only friends even though he was a teacher. He helped her a lot when she had no friends. He let her eat in his classroom even thought it was not allowed. He understood Melinda through her art. Melinda trusted him, and she told him about how she was raped.
The theme of the book is to speak up for yourself. How does this book show this theme?
The theme of the book is to speak up because Melinda didn't tell anyone about what happened the night of the party and caused herself more problems like losing all her friends and getting low grades. If she had spoken up she wouldn't have to deal with this situation all alone.
Journal #4 Tina Mahdavi
A lot happened in this section of the book. When I read the part about Melinda standing up to Heather I think I got a little too excited. I'm so happy she finally spoke up and told her off for mistreating her. Heather completely deserved what she got.
When Melinda tried to tell Rachelle about what happened to her at the party, I suspected Rachelle wouldn't believe it but I was still very mad. As Ivy said Rachelle is a b***h. She thinks Melinda lied about being raped because she was jealous of Rachelle. Reading that made me extremely furious and also made me realize she's full of herself and she's also not a good friend. I fell bad that Melinda has no one to rely on. She tried to speak up, and it doesn't go well. Instead Rachelle thinks she's a jealous liar.
When Andy tried to rape her again in the closet I was beyond furious, I was literally about to rip the book in half. He's a terrible human being. I kind of wished Melinda had stabbed him in the throat with the piece of glass she had. He deserved to die right there. But at least Nicole and her whole entire lacrosse team came to her rescue.
When I read the part about Melinda telling Mr. Freeman about what happened i was kind of confused. I thought she would tell her mom even though they weren't the closest family, or at least Ivy. I understand that Mr. Freeman and Melinda were very close but I thought it was kind of weird how she told him. At least she told someone and finally told someone who understands.
I really really liked this book. I would recommend this to anyone I know. Reading this shows you a teenagers experience in high school besides the fact that she was raped. It shows everything a teenager goes through such as.. losing friends, finding out which friends use you and which ones are your true friends.
-tina mahdavi
When Melinda tried to tell Rachelle about what happened to her at the party, I suspected Rachelle wouldn't believe it but I was still very mad. As Ivy said Rachelle is a b***h. She thinks Melinda lied about being raped because she was jealous of Rachelle. Reading that made me extremely furious and also made me realize she's full of herself and she's also not a good friend. I fell bad that Melinda has no one to rely on. She tried to speak up, and it doesn't go well. Instead Rachelle thinks she's a jealous liar.
When Andy tried to rape her again in the closet I was beyond furious, I was literally about to rip the book in half. He's a terrible human being. I kind of wished Melinda had stabbed him in the throat with the piece of glass she had. He deserved to die right there. But at least Nicole and her whole entire lacrosse team came to her rescue.
When I read the part about Melinda telling Mr. Freeman about what happened i was kind of confused. I thought she would tell her mom even though they weren't the closest family, or at least Ivy. I understand that Mr. Freeman and Melinda were very close but I thought it was kind of weird how she told him. At least she told someone and finally told someone who understands.
I really really liked this book. I would recommend this to anyone I know. Reading this shows you a teenagers experience in high school besides the fact that she was raped. It shows everything a teenager goes through such as.. losing friends, finding out which friends use you and which ones are your true friends.
-tina mahdavi
Review Response
I agree for the most part with the review that was written.
From start to finish I enjoyed the book incredibly. I was sucked in from the
start just like the reviewer had expressed. One of the parts I did not agree
with was when the reviewer wrote that her high school years were the best of
her life. I mean, I'm only in grade ten but so far they aren't so great. Maybe
I will have a different perspective by the time I'm done high school and seeing
the real world but for now it isn't the greatest experience. Also the reviewer
could be older and had gone to high school years ago, because this generation
is very different than so many others, people aren't as nice as they used to
be. I agree with that the reviewer said about the tone of the book is so
gripping, even though Melinda is sharing her view of high school in an
"immature" style. But I do not agree with the second part. I just
think that Melinda wrote in a different way, the way most teens would express
things in my opinion. But the way Melinda does explain things wants me to read
more, because the words that she uses and how she explains it all is quite
interesting. Almost like how I would explain something myself. When the
reviewer spoke about the moral I agreed right away. High school IS supposed to
be the best years of our lives, but why are most people so miserable during it?
Maybe it's because we don't take the chances we have, or are too afraid to do
something we like because of other people's opinions. Or maybe it's because
we're just depressed, and we can't help it. Overall I agree with what the
reviewer had to say, just a few details I would change to fit my own personal
opinion on the book and such.
-Victoria
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