Speak Summary

The narrative centers around a young girl, Melinda Sordino, who struggles with the traumatic aftermath of a sexual assault she suffered at a summer party. As she begins high school, she faces rejection from her old friends and becomes the target of bullying. She makes a new friend in Heather, a new girl who is eager to be popular, but her former best friend, Rachel, remains oblivious to the struggles Melinda went through at the party. Throughout the school year, Melinda navigates her classes, focusing particularly on an art project about a tree, while also dealing with feelings for her lab partner, David Petrakis. Despite her struggles, she remains silent about her assault, with the perpetrator, only referred to as "IT", haunting her thoughts.

Melinda's coping mechanisms include skipping classes, using stolen late passes, and hiding away in a vacant janitor’s closet she transforms into a sanctuary. At a homecoming rally, she is targeted once again for calling the police the night of the party. She communicates with her parents through notes left on the refrigerator and hides her mirror in her closet, unable to face herself. As her school performance suffers, her parents chastise her for her poor grades, but she remains silent about the true source of her troubles.

In the final marking period, Melinda finds a reprieve in art under the guidance of Mr. Freeman, and her work begins to show promise. However, she still struggles with loneliness and fear, especially as she learns that Rachel is now dating her attacker. Feeling obliged to protect Rachel, she warns her about "IT" in an anonymous note. When she finally admits she was raped, Rachel rejects her, accusing her of jealousy. An inspiring moment occurs when she discovers other girls have added derogatory terms under her attacker's name in a bathroom stall list of "guys to avoid." Her journey reaches a climax when "IT" attacks her again in her sanctuary closet. This time, she fights back, screaming "No!" and threatening him with broken mirror glass, finally reclaiming her voice. The school year ends with Melinda emerging stronger and somewhat of a hero, finishing her art project and earning an A+.