Patriotism
Patriotism is still essential to the American tradition because it is still very important. Many people have lost their lives for us because they decided it was their duty. So why don’t we make it our duty to respect them, honor them, even send a letter just saying how proud of them we are and how happy we are that we have people fighting for our freedom. They did not have to do this for us but they did; we do not have to have Patriotism but we should. It is a choice and depends on who you are to make your own decision but for me I have Patriotism which is honor of our country and those who fight or fought to get it to where it is today.
Now because of these important people we have freedom. We have all types of freedom including freedom of speech, we have freedom to go to school, we have freedom to get jobs. Although you may say school; I hate school, some people cannot go to school. It is a privilege that these open hearted people fought for us and won for us; they are fighting for our freedom now to keep opportunities in America, the least we could do is have some pride and honor them.
It is very sad that Patriotism is decreasing in the United States today but who can help it? Everybody can. All you have to do is say hi to someone who has fought, or even just say the pledge every morning and actually mean it; we usually just go through mumble the words, but do you really know what you’re saying? Do you really believe in the pledge you are mumbling? Obviously Patriotism is important to me, because my Grandpa is a veteran. You can decide for yourself if it is important to you. It is a life choice if you want to have Patriotism or not, what is yours?
Symbolism in “Speak”
Imagine starting a new year of high school, but all of your prior friends not are disgusted by what you did in the summer. You don’t know if the reason they hate you is because of the fact that you called the police in the summer or for something else. You are the only one who knows why you called the police but nobody else knows because you choose not to tell them. In the book “Speak” this and more happen with a lot if symbolism included.
A mixed identity explains Melinda in two words. Her room is a symbol of this because it is a mix of all of her previous friend’s rooms and none of it really shows her personality if she even has one. Next, the couch in her family room that they do not eat off of represents that her family is trying to look perfect. Really they do eat on this couch and they flip it upside down just like when her parents are fighting the couch cushions are suddenly flipped to the messy side metaphorically. Also, the school mascot changing all the time represents the lost identity as well. They cannot make up their mind just like Melinda who cannot make up her mind about who she wants to be. Another one of the many symbols in this book I think is one of the most important is her lips. The thing that is happening with her lips is they are all scared and have soars and are chapped like crazy. Melinda is the one who is doing all of this to herself. This is the one kind of pain that she can control. Nobody else is making her lips hurt, it is her and she can control what hurts and when unlike her broken heart. She may not even notice that her heart is broken but I can tell. She does not have friends to talk too or anybody to believe in her, to support her. The other most important symbol is the closets. The first closet is her own and she goes in there to get away from everyone and everything that’s not good in life. The same thing happens with the closet that she found within the school. In that closet she ditches class just to get away from what the former friends say is wrong with her and them being so mean to her.
Obviously this is not going to be a good year of high school for her unless she can speak. Whatever happened in the past is only something she should be ashamed of. You should not just judge people by what happened in the past but by the person that is hidden within. This story is going to continue to have symbolism and the friends will hate her until finally she speaks out. In the end I think that the symbols will be more obvious about what happened throughout the story.
Love
What is love? Is love when you think about the simplest thing he said to you over and over? Or is love when you read a text 50 times over and over waiting for one back? Is love when you think about him and don’t know what you would change about him? Is love when you think about life without him and you have nothing in your mind because your world would fall apart? Is love when you think about him all day long and don’t know why you are thinking of him? Love is every amazing feeling felt in the heart and through the mind. It gives you the power to except someone for who they are. It makes your heart beat 20 times faster. It makes you feel the best feeling that is humanly possible. You cannot control love, you can experience it and not even know. Love is uncontrollable and happens to everybody; It just depends if you embrace it or ignore it. Love is life.
