Melinda Sordino’s entry into high school is marred by a traumatizing event from the summer—a sexual assault at a party she struggles to repress. Rendered mute by her trauma, Melinda navigates the turbulent waters of high school largely in silence, shunned by her friends for calling the police to the fateful party. Inside her silence, a storm rages as Melinda grapples with her pain and the suffocating culture of Merryweather High. It's in the solace of her art class that Melinda finds a flicker of hope and slowly begins to confront the horror of her experience. As Melinda's journey towards healing advances, she encounters her abuser again. This time, she musters the courage to fight back and reclaim her voice. Laurie Halse Anderson’s 'Speak' is a poignant exploration of the aftermath of sexual assault and the arduous road to recovery, serving as an emblematic cry for the power of speaking out.