Entry Three: Outside Reading II

As the book has continued, we are learning more and more about the main character, Melanie. So far, she has become friends with Heather, a wanna-be popular girl, who thinks there is no hope for her to find friends. Melanie has constantly been reminded of her tragic past at school as she passes “IT”, Andy Evans, in the hall. Andy Evans has inspired me to refer to the common stereotype that girls seem to always like, and for what? “Fact—he’s gorgeous. Fact—he’s rich. Fact—he’s just the itsiest bit dangerous…” (Page 90). Emily, one of Heather’s new friends, is describing all that she sees in Andy, and loves it. Now don’t get me wrong, I love a good looking guy and who doesn’t like money, but isn’t it so much more than that, and why flirting with danger? This book has intrigued me to fully look beyond looks and see what’s within. In real life, much of the high school gossip is “the hot guy” that just moved here or who did stuff with so and so. Why all that we see in people is the rumors that seem to spread around them or a past that they can’t seem to forget, which all relates to Speak. Melanie called the cops at the party because Andy did something he never should’ve done, and now…no one can seem to forget it. That’s a reputation that will live on with her until the end of her high school career. It’s not enough that she was in danger because people only care about what they heard. No one really knows what happened to her. No one really cares.