Final Reading Response On Coming of Age Novel

I have finished the book, "Speak" written by Laurie Halse Anderson, and now looking back through the book, I realize that Melinda changed a lot. The reason for this growing up, in my opinion, was finally facing her fears.


In the beginning of the book, Melinda was a quiet girl, who usually kept to herself, not that she really had a choice though. She had to deal with one of the most terrible things that could happen to anyone, rape. Due to being an outcast, and losing all her friends, she had no one to talk to about it. She knew she couldn't say anything, after all who would listen to the most hated girl in the school? Worst of all, her rapist was a student at her school. She saw him almost everyday she went to school, and he sometimes wanted to get near her again. She couldn't face him look at him, or do anything. All she could do was run away. 


At the end of the book, Melinda was a totally different person. Her self-esteem was really high compared to before, and she was more happy. She finally got the courage to confront Andy Evans when he tried to rape her again. After doing this, I guess she got the feeling that if she could do that, she could do anything. She finally opened up and let out everything she kept inside. She was no longer the girl she was before, she was the new Melinda Sordino.


Melinda learned many things after she faced her fears. It wasn't all that easy, but she faced them. One was confronting Andy Evans, and the other was telling someone about the rape. She was scared of Andy, at first, because she thought he would hurt her again. She couldn't even be in the same room as him without having the need to run away, or the having the feeling of being sick. Confronting him was a really hard choice to make. She was also scared of telling someone about the rape. She worried about the reactions, and she worried if anyone would believe her. After all, she was drunk when it happened. 


In conclusion, Melinda came of age due to the rape and facing her fears. It doesn't have to be something as deep as rape to come of age. It can actually be anything.


*Note to Ms. Galang! I forgot my book and folder in my locker so I couldn't add any quotes.*

Daily Writing Prompts # 3

14) What are some questions and concerns you have about growing up and adulthood?
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1. What college will I go to?
2. Where am I going to be in ten years?
3. Where am I going to work?
4. Am I going to be successful?
5. Is there going to be a time where I want to be a child again?
6. Am I still going to be the same me?
7. Am I going to see my friends ever again, once we go our separate ways?

Reading Response on Coming of Age Novel

Novel: Speak, by Laurie Halse Anderson

Growing up is all about making mistakes. Teenagers often do things without thinking about the consequences. That's exactly what happened with Melinda Sordino. She made the mistake of going to an end-of-summer party. At the party, she got drunk and raped. She called the cops, and due to crashing the party, lost all her friends, people she didn't know hated her, and she was all alone.

In the book, Melinda started the first day of high school without her friends. She lost all her friends due to the party. Rachel, her best friend, was angry at her and wouldn't even speak to her after that day. Their friendship ended, leaving all the precious memories they had together turn to dust. Melinda's other friends did the same, but the fact that her friendship with Rachel ended, hurt her the most. In the book it stated," If I sit in the front, it will make me look like a little kid, but I figure it's the best chance I have to make eye contact with one of my friends, if any of them have decided to talk to me yet." This quote shows that her friends are still mad at her, and that Melinda still has hope that they will forgive her.

Another thing that happened to Melinda, due to the party, was that people she didn't know hated her. For example, while she was at a pep rally, she sat with a group of people she didn't know, but later found out that they hated her guts. One girl yanked Melinda's hair, and called her an asshole because her brother got arrested at the party, and was fired as well. Another girl jammed her knees into her back, during the pep rally, and made her move an inch forward in her seat. The book states," I have worked so hard to forget every second of that stupid party, and here I am in the middle of a hostile crowd that hates me for what I had to do." This quote shows that Melinda is hated and that remembering what happened that night is something she wants to forget. 

Lastly, Melinda was left all alone because of the party. She no longer had friends, and no one wanted to be her friend either. The book states," I close my eyes. This is what I've been dreading. As we leave the last stop, I am the only person sitting alone." This quotes shows that she knew she would be ostracized, but just didn't want to it to be true. She had become an outcast, and a nonentity. I can't imagine being in that situation; everyone needs someone to rely on. If I were in her shoes, I don't think I'd go to school.

In conclusion, Melinda's life changed due to the mistake of going to an end-of-summer party. She didn't expect to lose her friends, have people she didn't know hate her, and to be all alone. Like many teens, she didn't think about the consequences for her actions.  

Daily Writing Prompts # 2

7) What are the main similarities and differences between childhood and adulthood?
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Childhood:

1. You do not have a lot of freedom.
2. You do not have a lot of responsibility.
3. You do not have a lot to worry about.
4. You are still dependent on parent(s).
5. You haven't been exposed to the "real world."
6. Generally a time to play, have fun, and be carefree. 

Adulthood:

1. You are now "on your own."
2. You have a lot of responsibility.
3. You are more mature.
4. Are now in the "real world."
5. You have your freedom.
6. Generally a time to work, and not to play.

Similarities:

1. You learn new things.
2. You can explore the new phase.
3. You still have your parents and/ or the people who care about you.

Daily Writing Prompts # 1

15) Some aspects of coming of age are pain, loss, disappointment, and disillusionment. Write about 1 experience you have had that relates to one of these aspects. 
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Dear Fudge,

How is it like in Heaven? Are you alone? I am writing to you because I miss you very much. I wish I could go back in time to prevent your death. I knew it was a bad idea to put you and Bebe in the same tank. I’m sorry for all those times I forgot to wash your tank, and the time I forgot to feed you .

Love,

Jasmine

P.S.  I am mad at Bebe. 

***

Dear Fudge,

                I hope you’re happy, up there in heaven. I’m just writing to let you to let you know that I have forgiven Bebe. I have realized that she didn’t mean to step on your neck.  I shouldn’t have been mad at her in the first place.

Love,

Jasmine

              ***

Dear Fudge,

                It has been the longest since I have written to you, and so, I’m sorry. I just wanted to say that I have not forgotten you; in fact I remember the day you were given to me, January 03, 2008. Mom was waiting for me outside, holding something. I didn’t think much of it, and I was surprised when I learned it was a gift for me. When I opened the bag, I saw you. You almost seemed to smile at me. You were my first pet. And now, although you are not here, and years have passed, you are still as special to me.

Love forever,

Jasmine

Final Response on My Papa's Waltz

My Papa's Waltz

By Theodore Roethke

The whiskey on your breath

Could make a small boy dizzy;
But I hung on like death:
Such waltzing was not easy.

We romped until the pans
Slid from the kitchen shelf;
My mother's countenance
Could not unfrown itself.

The hand that held my wrist
Was battered on one knuckle;
At every step you missed
My right ear scraped a buckle.

You beat time on my head
With a palm caked hard by dirt,
Then waltzed me off to bed
Still clinging to your shirt.

In the poem, "My Papa's Waltz", the narrator is reliving an experience of his past that includes his father. Some people say that his father is abusing him, and others may say they are just dancing. Both ideas can be proven with lines from the poem. I don't think the father is abusing his son, even though throughout the poem it gives you the impression of that.

In the poem, there are lines that give the impression that the boy is being abused, but if you read it carefully, he actually isn't. In the first stanza, lines 1-3, it gives you the feeling that the last thing he wants to be doing is dancing with his father. The words whiskey, dizzy, and death gives the whole stanza a negative tone to it. Because of that, most people don't bother to think that the lines can possibly mean he is just afraid to fall while enjoying a dance with his father.

Another line that you can misinterpret is line 12. Here you may think that the boy is getting hit because he is not dancing well, but the line is actually trying to create a different image. What the line is trying to say is that the boy was small at that time, and so due to his height, whenever his father missed a step, his ear was brushed against his father's belt.

Lastly, line 13 can be misinterpreted. In this line, people may think that the father is hurting him, but his father is actually tapping beats on his head to help him dance the waltz. 

This poem reminded me of the book Angela's Ashes. Sometimes Frank's father would come home drunk and wake up Frank and his brothers just to make them promise to die for Ireland. Sleepily, they would all promise to die for Ireland, and if they were lucky, they'd get a penny. As you can see, both fathers did things they believed were harmless, yet they were memorable.

Overall, I think the poem was written to relive a memorable experience, rather than a bad one. I don't think that the poem has a hidden message of abuse like other people argue. The narrator's father did not mean any harm. In fact, I think the waltz was all meant to symbolize love.

Another Revised Response on My Papa's Waltz

My Papa's Waltz

By Theodore Roethke

The whiskey on your breath

Could make a small boy dizzy;
But I hung on like death:
Such waltzing was not easy.

We romped until the pans
Slid from the kitchen shelf;
My mother's countenance
Could not unfrown itself.

The hand that held my wrist
Was battered on one knuckle;
At every step you missed
My right ear scraped a buckle.

You beat time on my head
With a palm caked hard by dirt,
Then waltzed me off to bed
Still clinging to your shirt.

In the poem, My Papa's Waltz, the narrator is reliving an experience of his past, that includes his father. Some people say that his father is abusing him, and others may say they are just dancing. Both ideas can be proven with lines from the poem. I don't think the father is abusing his son, even though throughout the poem it gives you the impression of that.

In the poem, there are at least three lines that give the impression that the boy is being abused, but if you read it carefully, he actually isn't. When you first read line 3, “but I hung on like death”, it gives you the feeling that the last thing he wants do be doing is dancing with his father. I think that he is clinging on "like death" because he is afraid to fall while enjoying a dance with his father.  Another line that you can misinterpret are lines 11 and 12. Here you may think that he is getting hit because he is not dancing well, but it is actually trying to say that he was very small at that time, so his ear was brushed against his fathers buckle every once in a while. The last line is line 13. Here, people may think that his father is hurting him, but he is actually tapping beats on his head to dance the waltz. 

This poem reminded me of the book Angela's Ashes. Sometimes Frank's father would come home drunk and wake up Frank and his brothers just to make them all promise to die for Ireland. Sleepily, they would all promise to die for Ireland, and if they were lucky, they'd get a penny. This poem reminded me of the book Angela's Ashes because, both fathers did things they believed were harmless. One father danced with his son and the other made them promise to die for Ireland. What I find a coincidence is that both sons ended up writing about the experience. Theodore Roethke wrote My Papa's Waltz, and Frank McCourt wrote his memoir, Angela's Ashes.

Overall, I think the poem was written to relive a memorable experience, rather than a bad one. The narrator's father did not mean any harm. In fact, I think it was all meant to symbolize love.