Danny: A Discussion of Speak

                Speak is a wonderful novel that makes commentary on normally taboo subjects such as rape culture, depression, bullying, and child neglection. I would like to make a comment on Melinda’s parents, if they can even be called that, and their inability to assist Melinda during her time of need. I strongly believe that Melinda’s parents played a negative aspect during the novel, proving themselves to be decent parents only when Melinda begins to make her own improvement. Instead of assisting their daughter as she struggled with her depression, they drift away, only attempting to help Melinda once she begins her recovery.

                The first mention of Melinda’s parents happens after “the first two weeks of school” (14). This is a subtle sign that her parents do not play a large role in their child’s life. However, it can be argued that Melinda is an adolescent, so she might mostly ignore any details of her parents before then. Continuing, Melinda mentions, “We communicate with notes on the kitchen counter. I write when I need school supplies or a ride to the mall. They write what time they’ll be home from work and if I should thaw anything. What else is there to say?” (14). This showcases that Melinda’s parents do not communicate with their daughter through actual conversation, but simple notes. It also allows the reader to note that the notes are solely for if one of them needs something from the other one. The question Melinda asks shows that it is something she is used to and that it is rather normal.

                The next time Melinda mentions her parents is when the three of them eat dinner together. She says, “The Parents are making threatening noises, turning dinner into performance art…I am the Victim” (35). This quote offers a lot of insight to their parenting. Melinda’s parents treat their jobs as caretakers to Melinda as a joke, turning something that could be considered serious (Melinda’s interim report) into a joke. They make imitations and joke about, rather than trying to tackle the problem like adults should. Finally, is that last sentence, in which Melinda blatantly tells us that she is a victim: not only of rape, but of neglection as well!

                Melinda often mentions that her parents argue when she speaks of them. She says, “Deprived of Victim, Mom and Dad holler at each other” (36). During Halloween, she echoes this saying “The doorbell rings. My parents squabble over who will answer it. Then Mom swears and opens the door…” (40). Then at the next holiday, Thanksgiving, she reports that “my parents are arguing” (59). Regardless of the situation, her parents seem to be unable to function as a duo, often bickering and standing against one another.

                On the subject of Thanksgiving, though Melinda does not directly say that neither of her parents can cook, it is clearly established by what occurs. Melinda describes the disaster to us, reporting, “A pot of glue boils on the stove. Bit of gray, green, and yellow roll in the burping white paste” (61). Then, Melinda’s father says “’Call for pizza. I’ll get rid of this’” (61). Her parents being unable to provide for her shows that they are unable to be decent parents. Though her father tries to fix it with pizza, Melinda feels bad for the turkey, saying, “Never has a bird been so tortured to provide such a lousy dinner” (61).

                During winter break, Melinda’s parents decide to take her to work with them. She explains, “I have to go to work with them. I’m not legally old enough to work, but they don’t care” (73). Regardless of the law, her parents work her solely so she would not be spending the remainder of her break doing nothing. When she is at her mother’s work, her mother “sticks me in the basement stockroom. I’m supposed to refold the shirts, sticking them with eleven pins” (61).  She abandons her daughter, hiding her away in a basement room to do work. Her father is no better having Melinda “put calendars into envelopes, seal them up, and stick on mailing labels. He sits at his desk and talks to buddies on the phone” (73-74). Not only does he work her, but she begins bleeding on the envelopes. She says, “Dad is really pissed when he sees how many calendars I bled on. He mentions a need for professional help” (74).  Her father insults her, proving further that he is simply an awful parent. As if to add insult to injury, he leaves her and “gets to call out for lunch” (74). Her father’s secretary must drop her off lunch. If it was not for the secretary, Melinda would not have had anything for lunch at all!

                Once reports cards come around, the parents get enraged. Melinda tells us, “I watch the Eruptions. Mount Dad, long dormant, now consider armed and dangerous. Mount Saint Mom, oozing lava, spitting flame. Warn the villagers to run into the sea” (87). Her parents simply yell at her, rather than being considerate or polite in any manner. They tear into Melinda, expecting violent screaming to bring about some sort of positive result.

                The final pre-recovery point to be made is when Melinda scratches up her arm with a paperclip. Her mother sees the markings on her wrist and says “Mom: ‘I don’t have time for this, Melinda’” (88). Instead of even trying to help her daughter, she directly tells her daughter that she does not have time to deal with her problems.

                I think it is interesting to note the physically appearance of their home as well. Melinda describes it for us, saying, “Our yard is a mess. All our neighbors have these great magazine-cover yards…Ours has green bushes that just about cover the front windows, and lots of dead leaves” (165). This house obviously serves as a symbol to the family inside: broken down and rather ugly compared to others. Just as the parents are neglecting to care for the house, they are neglecting to care for the family unit within their home. They are unable to operate correctly and it is evident by the appearance of the house.

                Melinda begins to clear up the house, a symbol that she is on the path to recovery and is attempting to mend what needs to be fixed. Only then does he consider fixing up the house. He begins to list off everything that needs to be done, then decides on going to the hardware store to commit to the idea of fixing his home. He asks her, almost as an afterthought, “’Want to come?’” (168). Melinda had to take the initiative to fix their broken family and only then did her father consider fixing it as well. Along with this, inviting Melinda to join him in fixing the house seems to be an afterthought, as if he had not planned on asking her. In fact, he seems fine with leaving the house as is, only thinking to bring about change once he sees Melinda doing the work.

                All in all, clearly Melinda’s parents are awful at what they (barely) attempt to do. Melinda had to suffer through their bad parenting, constant arguing, and unwillingness to fix their broken home. The parents are failures to Melinda, offering no assistance until after Melinda had already began her own road to recovery.