Skip to main content

What does the quote,“When people don't express themselves, they die one piece at a time,” from Laurie Halse Anderson's book Speak mean? What...

Mr. Freeman says that quotes on page 122 of Laurie Halse Anderson's Speak. Mr. Freeman is Melinda's art teacher and the one adult who seems to register that something significant and traumatic has happened to Melinda... something that needs to be expressed. Mr. Freeman realizes Melinda is slowly withering away and her lack of self-expression and inability to communicate are two major causes for Melinda's withering. Mr. Freeman attempts to use his class and...

Mr. Freeman says that quotes on page 122 of Laurie Halse Anderson's Speak. Mr. Freeman is Melinda's art teacher and the one adult who seems to register that something significant and traumatic has happened to Melinda... something that needs to be expressed. Mr. Freeman realizes Melinda is slowly withering away and her lack of self-expression and inability to communicate are two major causes for Melinda's withering. Mr. Freeman attempts to use his class and its assigned project (to artistically represent one thing over and over again over the course of the class— in Melinda's case, a tree) to crack open Melinda's hardened emotional exterior and to coax her out of her depressed stupor. The part of his speech following this quote is even more telling:



"You'd be shocked at how many adults are really dead inside—walking through their days with no idea who they are, just waiting for a heart attack or cancer or a Mack truck to come along and finish the job. It's the saddest thing I know."



Mr. Freeman doesn't want to see Melina fail or throw her life away on a passionless existence comprised only of suffering. 

Popular posts from this blog

In chapter one of The Great Gatsby, what advice does Nick's father give him? How does this make him a good person to tell this story?

Nick says that his father advised him that, before "criticizing anyone," he "remember that all the people in this world haven't had the same advantages" as Nick.  As a result, Nick claims that he is "inclined to reserve all judgments," presenting himself to the reader as a fair and dispassionate arbiter of character, and thus, a reliable narrator.   The problem is that Nick immediately reveals himself as anything but reliable, as he then launches... Nick says that his father advised him that, before "criticizing anyone," he "remember that all the people in this world haven't had the same advantages" as Nick.  As a result, Nick claims that he is "inclined to reserve all judgments," presenting himself to the reader as a fair and dispassionate arbiter of character, and thus, a reliable narrator.   The problem is that Nick immediately reveals himself as anything but reliable, as he then launches into a discussion of how pe...

How did the United States become an imperial power?

"Imperial power" is a bit of a vague label. It tends to mean several things at once, so let's unpack it. In the sense of "this country was built on conquest by force," the "imperial power" part of America actually predates the United States proper. The territories that would become the United States were imperial colonies, established by the great European empires of the 17th and 18th centuries. Much of the US Constitution and American governance generally goes back to England, history's largest and most successful imperial power, but vital aspects of American culture come from other imperial powers, such as France and Spain. Much of American culture comes from sources other than the old empires, but they were key influences on what the United States became. In the sense of "this country treats conquest by force as a fundamental component of its culture, economy and politics," the United States has always been an imperial power. Even earl...

How and why does James Gatz become Jay Gatsby? Describe the young Gatsby/Gatz.

James Gatz, a poor Midwestern boy of probable Jewish lineage, becomes Jay Gatsby, a presumed WASP and wealthy socialite, when he moves to New York City and acquires his fortune. It is wealth that has allowed Gatz to transform himself into Gatsby. However, those who know his background (e.g., Daisy and Tom Buchanan) never allow him to forget that he is nouveau riche -- that is, an upstart who has just recently made his fortune,... James Gatz, a poor Midwestern boy of probable Jewish lineage, becomes Jay Gatsby, a presumed WASP and wealthy socialite, when he moves to New York City and acquires his fortune. It is wealth that has allowed Gatz to transform himself into Gatsby. However, those who know his background (e.g., Daisy and Tom Buchanan) never allow him to forget that he is nouveau riche -- that is, an upstart who has just recently made his fortune, whereas they arose from well-to-do families. Gatz became Gatsby through determination and discipline. At the end of the novel, the narr...