Laurie Halse Anderson, "Speak" Farrar Straus Giroux, New York, 1999.
IRONY
Irony is when we expect one thing but the opposite occurs.
The Irony in "Speak" By Laurie Halse Anderson occurs throughout the whole book. The main character Melina goes through high school with many struggles and sometimes she just breaks down and cries because she feels as if she isnt strong enough to survive on her own with only one friend who does not agree with her half the time. Melinda used to have friends but they all turned on her over the summer and Melinda doesn't know why. She was accused of calling the police secretly at a party but I dont think that is the reason for her hatred. Melinda never tells her parents about school or homework so they get worried a lot and ask her questions that she cant answer because she has no idea whats going on. Melinda doesn't attend assemblies instead she hides in an abandoned janitors closest and passes the time alone. Melinda gets annoyed easily and judges every person she sees almost. That is the irony in my book "Speak".
