True Colors

Authors Note: This piece is a non- fiction 5 paragraph essay off of the novel Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson and how friends may leave and can show their true colors.

Some friends might stay forever, and some may leave and never come back. Throughout the novel Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson one of the main themes are true friendship because Melinda notices who her real friends are and their true colors. Melinda is now known as an outcast after that one summer night that ruined her whole reputation. After she had been assaulted by Andy Evans at the biggest party with most of the school there, she called the police. Little did she know that that could turn out to be Melinda’s biggest mistake of her life. Not only did she get raped, she busted the entire party that included her old best friends and now... everyone hates her.

Above all, people change, and sometimes friends change. During middle school and high school years teens don’t know who they really are and who they want to be friends with. Melinda’s situation relates to the book Shug by Jenny Han. The novel Shug, is about a teenage girl named Annemarie who has had the biggest crush on her best friend Mark since they were little kids. Her other friend which is a girl had recently left Annemarie because she found a new boy friend. Annemarie caught Mark talking trash behind her back to his new girl friend, which resulted in losing both of her friends. Melinda’s problem is exactly like Annemarie’s: both of their closest friends had turned on them and had been absorbed by other people, for both situations a relationship.

Although there are many quotes that have to do with friendship from the novel Speak, the one that stuck out most to me is “I need a friend. I need a friend, period. Not a true friend, nothing close or share clothes or sleepover giggle giggle yak yak. Just a pseudo- friend, disposable friend. Friend as accessory.” This quote really expresses Melinda’s loneliness and what she would do to at least have someone to accept her for who she is. When the quote states ”nothing close or share clothes or sleepover..” she is preaching that she doesn’t want close friends again, so they won’t hurt her like Rachel and the other Plain Janes did. She just wants a friend to share her feelings with so she won’t be alone.

However, most of the time close friends won’t stay angry at each other forever. For example Melinda and Rachel and the rest of the clan reunite in the end of Speak after they find Andy trying to assault Melinda again in the closet. Rachel finally dumps Andy and retrieves back to Melinda. Friends fight all the time and the arguments usually don’t last a life time. Friends come and go but your true ones will always come back.

In conclusion, friends change and some may leave you but they usually always come back in the end. True friendship is known as one of the biggest themes in the novel Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson. You can see someone’s true colors when they leave you for someone else.