Melinda - SPEAK

“A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles” , is how Christopher Reeve describes a hero. A hero doesn't have to be somebody who everybody loves and relies on. Everybody is a hero in their own unique way. Even somebody like Melinda from the novel SPEAK is a hero. Melinda goes through a lot of trauma. She used to have friends who cared for her, but ever since the night she was raped and called the police at the party, everybody turned against her and left her by herself with regret and depression. But Melinda overcomes this trauma by speaking up for herself and telling everyone about the traumatic event at the party. “Mr. Freeman [asks] : “ You've been through a lot haven't you?” [and] Melinda replies: “ Let me tell you all about it.” This dialogue shows the courage that Melinda gained to overcome and speak. She was afraid of everybody making fun of her, but she didn't realize that everything would clear up and be okay. Melinda can SPEAK.