Speak is structured into four narrative dialogues or “marking periods,” equating the healing processes of denial, anger, grief, and acceptance as navigated by a young girl struggling to cope with rape. In the first narrative, Anderson sets up the theme by introducing Sordino as a traumatized freshman to whom something terrible has happened that she is not yet ready to face. Stress mounts and denial is apparent as Sordino laments, “I can’t tell them what really happened, I can’t even look at that part myself.” Anxiety is further revealed with Sordino’s cry, “I put my head in my hands and scream to let out the animal noise and some of that night.” An encapsulated “report card”, introducing a trend towards academic and psychological failing grades transitions the reader to the next phase, anger. Anderson processes anger as Sordino declares, “there is a beast in my gut… scraping away,” as she continues self-mutilation, noting “the scabs on my lips are especially gross”, and considers suicide while scratching a paper clip across her wrist, drawing “window cracks of blood.” Events evolve as her grades continue a downward spiral. Grief transitions as Sordino bails from her classes (“why go to school? ), is abandoned by her girlfriend (who tells her they never really were friends), gets stuck in parent-teacher conferences, and finally bottoms out with failing grades.
Lastly, in the forth marking period, Sordino analyzes her experience by weighing how TV talk show would explore it (“Honey, you were raped”), accepts the fact that she was the victim, and begins to move on (“I have survived”).
The Essay on Grade Inflation
What is the definition of grade inflation? The most obvious definition is that grade patterns change so that the overwhelming majority of students in a class, college, or university receive higher grades for the same quantity and quality of work done by students in the past. A corollary to this definition is the same GPA obtained by students with poorer academic skill. Another less well known ...
In lieu of a final grade summary, Anderson provides Sordino’s successful mastery of her own future as she crosses into the realization that she will survive and she can grow; the process of healing now complete. Anderson, Laurie Hals e. SPEAK.
