In the book “Speak” by Laurie Halse Anderson there are excellent examples of symbolism. And also has an interesting character named Melinda that everyone hates after she called the cops at a party in the summer.
A list of symbols in “Speak” is the couch, Melinda’s room, the mirror, the mascot, and the trees. First, the couch represents two identities like Melinda, a good side and a bad side. Then Melinda’s room doesn’t reflect her personality at all and that symbolizes that she doesn’t really know who she is. The Mirror symbolizes that she doesn’t like who she is. There school mascot keeps changing which symbolizes that the school doesn’t have an identity. And finally the trees represent growth in Melinda’s identity and how she grows to be more comfortable throughout the book.
Melinda is a teenage girl who called the police at a party where everyone was drinking at and she got a lot of people in trouble. When school starts she becomes an outcast and everybody hates her. In the book Melinda seems to be lazy and has no motivation in life. She says that she would rather sleep than do homework and her parents make her stay after school everyday to get help from her teachers.
This book had very good examples of symbolism, and many interesting characters. This book shows what not to do during your summer vacation.
