In the Platinum Edition of Speak, Laurie Anderson includes several pages on Q & A at the end of the book. For one question, Laurie suggests some games to play that hone your attention to detail while watching the movie version of Speak. Here they are:
- Count the number of times Melinda speaks.
- Watch for lines that come from the book.
- Figure out what famous teen movie the director paid homage to in one of the cafeteria scenes.
- Throw popcorn at the TV whenever IT shows up.
- Figure out what scenes were not in the book.
- Speculate on why the director chose the ending she did.
You can also play spot the food:
- Ho-Hos
- Mashed potatoes
- Powdered doughnuts
- Pop-tarts
- Very bad turkey soup
- Pizza
- Applesauce
Another website offers this short quiz for fun.
For Teaching:
Here are a few examples I typed up of essay questions, assignments, or discussion topics to use in the classroom or at the book club:
Essays:
- Describe the events that lead Melinda to "speak" about her incident. Who and what do you think encouraged her to speak? What would you have done if you were in Melinda's position?
- Identify the symbols in the book. Choose one, and describe three roles that it played in the novel. Who was involved? Where there consequences from the role the symbol played? Cite specific examples.
- Imagine you were one of Melinda's teachers, or one of her old friends. What would you have done differently to help Melinda? Would you have done anything at all?
- "Speak" is often challenged in libraries and schools for its controversial subject. Do you think this is wrong or right? Would you approve of this book being taught in other school? What is or is not appropriate about the book? Explain why.
- The issue of teen rape is rarely discussed. How would you spread the word to those who are not informed? What passages from the book would you use to help your cause? What would you do if someone protested against you getting the word out?
Assignments:
- Keep a daily journal. Write down things that are affecting you, such a name someone called you, or something a teacher or parent said that is bothering you. Include your friends and family if you like. At the end of each week, write a shorty story or poem about a character dealing with similar issues, and have them come to a resolution at the end of your writing. Then decide if this resolution would work for you or help you, and discuss your work in small groups or with friends. Hand in one piece of work you feel most proud of.
- Watch the movie version of "Speak." Do a movie/book comparison, noting the similarities, differences, and the uses of symbols. Decide on whether you liked the cast, or how you pictured the book characters to be different than the movie characters. Pick your favorite movie scene and explain why. Also, pick what you considered to be the worst scene and explain why.
For Teaching:
Here are a few examples I typed up of essay questions, assignments, or discussion topics to use in the classroom or at the book club:
Essays:
- Describe the events that lead Melinda to "speak" about her incident. Who and what do you think encouraged her to speak? What would you have done if you were in Melinda's position?
- Identify the symbols in the book. Choose one, and describe three roles that it played in the novel. Who was involved? Where there consequences from the role the symbol played? Cite specific examples.
- Imagine you were one of Melinda's teachers, or one of her old friends. What would you have done differently to help Melinda? Would you have done anything at all?
- "Speak" is often challenged in libraries and schools for its controversial subject. Do you think this is wrong or right? Would you approve of this book being taught in other school? What is or is not appropriate about the book? Explain why.
- The issue of teen rape is rarely discussed. How would you spread the word to those who are not informed? What passages from the book would you use to help your cause? What would you do if someone protested against you getting the word out?
Assignments:
- Keep a daily journal. Write down things that are affecting you, such a name someone called you, or something a teacher or parent said that is bothering you. Include your friends and family if you like. At the end of each week, write a shorty story or poem about a character dealing with similar issues, and have them come to a resolution at the end of your writing. Then decide if this resolution would work for you or help you, and discuss your work in small groups or with friends. Hand in one piece of work you feel most proud of.
- Watch the movie version of "Speak." Do a movie/book comparison, noting the similarities, differences, and the uses of symbols. Decide on whether you liked the cast, or how you pictured the book characters to be different than the movie characters. Pick your favorite movie scene and explain why. Also, pick what you considered to be the worst scene and explain why.
