Perhaps the best way to write this essay on symbolism is to
focus on the archetypal aspects of trees and how Laurie Halse
Anderson plays on your preconceived ideas about trees' symbolism in
literature.
Throughout all of literature, trees play significant
roles. In literature, the tree is almost always a symbol of life or growth, or something
positive. The trees in The Giving Tree and the tree in To Kill a
Mockingbird are two quick examples, but one of the first examples of trees in
literature is the tree of knowledge from the Biblical Adam and Eve story. In all of these
instances, the tree is something positive (even though Eve eats the
apple).
However, at the beginning of Speak,
Melinda paints her trees "that have been hit by lightning" and "are nearly dead, but not
totally." As readers, the idea of a "nearly dead" tree should be an obvious symbol. But, to
Melinda, the tree is much more than a symbol for her emotions. She goes through a process of
making the trees practical stand-ins for her at one point asking, "Could I put my face in my
tree, like a dryad from Greek mythology?"
As suspected, these trees
grow as Melinda grows. When Melinda's healing is "stunted," her ability to progress on drawing a
tree "is frozen." When she accepts what has happened to her, Melinda realizes "perfect trees
don't exist. Nothing is perfect. Flaws are interesting. Be the tree." By the end of the book,
after Melinda confronts her rapist and saves her friend, her tree is an
"A+."
Overall, Anderson introduces a familiar symbol that should
help the readers understand the depths of Melinda's depression. As Melinda grows, so do her
trees.
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