Speak Symbolism

Author's Note: This is an essay about the symbolism in Speak. There is a ton of symbolism so I chose to just do trees and seasons. After reading this essay, your life will never be the same again.

Trees are very commonly used as symbols in many different forms of literature. They can be used to symbolized both life and death, and many other things as well. In the book Speak, trees are also used as symbols very often throughout the story. In my opinion, I think they symbolize Melinda throughout a hard time in her life. Trees also fit hand in hand with the seasons in their symbolism. Seasons are also ofted used as symbolism to reflect the mood of the story.The seasons and the trees symbolize Melinda's emotions.

When the school year starts, Melinda is pretty much a social outcast. She is assigned a project in art to draw a tree and make it meaningful. She can't draw a tree, and in my opinion this symbolizes her inability to talk to anyone or cope with what is happening in her life. Then all of the trees she draws look dead to her. She is going through a time of depression, and the dead trees are a tragic symbol. But then she sort of learns how to bring life to her trees, at the same time she starts pulling out of her depression.  At one point in the book, there is a tree in her front yard that is half dead, and they cut of the dead branches so the tree can live. This is similar how Melinda was able kind of get over what happened and come 'back to life.'

Just like the trees, the seasons follow Melinda's feelings. Towards fall is when Melinda gets assaulted by Andy Evans. Autumn is the ironic season, and everything in Melinda's life starts going downhill. In winter, she is in her state of depression, and winter is the tragic time of year in symbolism. Then in spring, she starts to feel better, and pulls out of her depression. She even starts talking again. Spring is the romance season, and her life starts getting better. The book ends before summer, but summer is the comedy season, and comedy is just sort of normality. So at the end of the book when summer comes, she will likely return to her normal life. The story pretty closely follows a backwards version of the circle of literature.

In the end, Melinda is able to overcome her past experience. But along the way, she has a time in the fall where everything seems like a nightmare, and she can't draw a tree. Then comes a winter and a time of tragedy, where her trees are all dead. You could say that her tragic flaw was not telling anyone about what happened, and the tragic fall was her depression. But then things start to look up again, and that is kind of like the romance part, and she figures out how to make her trees seem alive. And hopefully, her life will return back to normal in the summer. I think that the trees and the seasons are reflections of Melinda and her feelings.