Table of Contents
What happened to the Thanksgiving turkey in speak?
Dad tries to salvage the meal, to prove how much better he is at Thanksgiving than Mom. He makes some kind of gross turkey soup thing. In the end, though, he gives Melinda some money to order pizza. Meanwhile, he buries the turkey in their pet cemetery, next to Melinda’s deceased dog, Ariel.
Why is the project Melinda makes with the turkey bones significant?
The turkey bones are now raw and exposed which is how Melinda feels. The Barbie head has tape over its mouth, this symbolizes the fact that Melinda feels like she cannot speak or communicate her troubles with anyone.
What does Melinda think of Mr neck?
To Melinda, Mr. Neck is the epitome of everything wrong with adulthood—he uses his power to hurt people, refuses to listen, and is blind to anything that contradicts his point of view. Get the entire Speak LitChart as a printable PDF.
How does Melinda spend her winter break?
She takes holly and pine off of nearby trees and bring them in to make a centerpiece. She wishes that her family could borrow a child for the holidays. On Christmas, the family exchanges gifts; among Melinda’s are a TV for her room, skates, and a sketch pad with charcoals because her parents have noticed her drawing.
What project is Melinda helping Heather with?
She comes over to Melinda’s house for the specific purpose of conning Melinda into helping her decorate the prom ballroom for the Marthas. The nerve! This action shows that Heather is either really insensitive, or that she deliberately tries to exploit what she sees as Melinda’s loneliness and friendlessness.
What does Melinda do with the turkey bones in speak?
Melinda feels sorry for the unused turkey and digs the bones out of the trashcan. She brings them to art class the following week. Mr. Freeman is excited by the turkey bones and allows Melinda to stay after class to continue working on her project. He lets Ivy, Melinda’s artistic, former friend, stay as well.
Why does Melinda’s mom always want to cook Thanksgiving?
Despite the certain possibility of store emergencies, however, Melinda’s mother always wants to cook a Thanksgiving meal. She is interrupted by phone calls from the store several times and the turkey is ruined. When Melinda’s mom leaves for the store, her dad attempts to salvage the turkey and take over the meal.
What does Melinda do with the wishbone bones?
Inspired, Melinda glues the bones together like “a museum exhibit.” She makes knives and forks look as if they are “attacking the bones,” and places a Lego palm tree and a Barbie doll within them. Mr. Freeman is delighted and praises the work, as does Ivy.
Why did Mr Freeman allow Melinda to work on the bird?
Mr. Freeman, thrilled by her idea, allows Melinda to take time off from the tree to work on the bird . This passage and the events that follow symbolize an important moment in Melinda’s narrative—for the first time, she is able to use art to express her feelings of isolation and frustration.