Symbolism in Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

A symbolisation is a map outation of something else, a good deal times a real object signifying something abstract. Laurie Halse Andersons young-adult refreshed Speak is packed with symbolism. Trees atomic number 18 one of the most prevailing symbols in the novel, appearing in almost every chapter of the book. Trees represent life and growth for the of import protagonist in the bill Melinda, and argon symbolic of her move around through her mental convalescence after being raped. The composes reoccurring use of the manoeuvre diagram allows the readers to understand Melinda in a different way, beyond the fabricators literal words. Andersons use of the tree support the reader in perceive Melindas suffering and recovery. Towards the st art of the novel as Melinda is charge a tree for her long art project, she begins to create trees that gibe her emotional state. At stolon she struggles to bring her tree to life, the trees she constructs are bare, lifeless, and lack ing detail. Her inability to name life and details and extract the complexity of a tree, is like to her incompetence to live and function details to differents. Ever since Melindas rape, she struggles with opening up to the other people in her life. several(prenominal) aspects of her first few art projects represent her pain and depression. by and by being picked on by a few girls at a pep rally, Melindas trees reflect her misery. For a solid week, ever since the pep rally, Ive been painting watercolors of trees that deliver been make up by lightning. I travail to paint them so they are nearly bushed(p), but non totally. (Anderson 30). Without her sharing her feelings about how ill she was treated, the readers understand her emotions by her artistic creation and the use of the tree. The fact that they have been hurt but becalm continue hanging on is symbolic of Melindas experience and how defeated she feels.\nTowards the middle of the novel, arborists make do away a dead branch from a tree in order to palliate the rest of it. This symbolizes ...