Sometimes it's easier to ignore reality than to face it. When traumatic events occur, repression is a commonly used coping mechanism to manage feelings and thoughts. However, as a stranger once said, “When something bad happens, you have three choices. You can let it define you, let it destroy you, or let it strengthen you. In the novel Speak, written by Laurie Halse Anderson, Melinda Sordino experiences this lesson firsthand. In the story, Melinda is outwardly silent, but inside she is anything but silent. As the novel progresses, Melinda gradually learns to accept herself and open up to others. Throughout the novel, Anderson's development of Melinda's character shows the reader how people's negative experiences do not have to define them. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay When Melinda first describes how she became a social outcast, she does not attempt to justify her own actions. She explains that the reason she is being treated so cruelly by her peers is because she called the police while she was at a party and interrupted them. Instead of trying to elaborate on her motivations or explain her point of view, Melinda seems to avoid further explanation. Because of its vagueness, it is easy for the reader to suspect that something happened to Melinda from the beginning of the novel. Even though Melinda suppresses it for much of the novel, the real reason she called the police is one that even she doesn't want to acknowledge. Later in the novel, Melinda reveals that she was raped at the party, which explains her ambiguity when broaching the subject. Since the party, she has been in denial, refusing to acknowledge what happened to herself and others. When her old friend, Rachel, begins dating the man who raped her, Melinda realizes that she must accept that she was raped in order to help Rachel avoid being exposed to the same assault. . When she tells Rachel, "I didn't call the cops to break up the party." I called them because a guy raped me,” she eventually admits what happened to her, signifying a major development in her character (183). Early in the novel, and throughout most of the novel, Melinda convinces herself that her own character's feelings and thoughts are irrelevant. She feels like no one cares about what she has to say and that her words are just a burden to others. As she begins to realize that others care and even feel the same way she does, she stops invalidating her own feelings. Near the beginning of the story, Melissa warns people to stay away from her rapist by writing a warning against him on a toilet stall. Melissa later revisits the booth she wrote about, where she is surprised to see that other people supported her. She discovers that many other girls have written sentences such as "He's a bad guy." He should be locked up. Call the cops. This event marks a major turning point for Melissa, as it is the moment when she realizes that she is not alone in her opinion (185). As the reader can see from the appearance of Melinda's character, she is not an outgoing or friendly person. She keeps to herself, barely saying a word to others, even when spoken to first. Her behavior is primarily a result of her assault and the trauma she faces.