Similarities Between Speak And The Art Of Resilience

As Julie Andrews once said, “Perseverance is failing 19 times and succeeding the 20th” (AZ Quotes). Throughout several texts, a theme of striving for a better outcome is expressed. Man versus man conflicts push Melinda Sordino, a ninth grade rape victim, and a patient of a psychiatrist to strive for determination. Throughout Speak and The Art of Resilience, the authors use flashbacks to weave in the overall theme. In both previously mentioned fiction and non-fiction texts, figurative language, specifically metaphors, is utilized to compare, describe, and explain the idea of maintaining persistence for the greater good. Throughout various, diverse situations, such as the effects of rape, the process of resilience, and the difficulty of moving

As described by Hara Marano, psychiatrist Steven Wolin had assisted a woman in the hardships of changing and resiliency to improve her traumatic experiences. Wolin explains the experience “of a woman who felt helpless” and had repeatedly been beat by her father as a child (Hara Marano). He had helped her in “eventually learned [learning] to recognize her father’s morals and respond to them” (Marano). The woman had to learn and try over time to change her relationship with her father. After struggling with this conflict most likely the majority of her life, and with the assistance of Steven Wolin, she was able to persevere to fix her dilemma. Melinda Sordino, from Laurie Anderson’s Speak, fought back while being raped and remained strong-willed until she could phone the police. In a flashback of the novel, Melinda’s rape is explained. Her thoughts are screaming “’NO I DON’T WANT TO!’” but she does not speak (page 135, Laurie Anderson). She does, however, attempt to push the rapist off of herself, but fails to succeed. After being raped, and several thoughts and attempts to halt it, Melinda “saw the telephone” and “called 911” (page 136, Anderson). When Melinda could somewhat process what was happening, she knew it needed to be stopped. Though Melinda’s protests did not stop the rape, she remained determined and called the

When stuck shopping with her mother, Melinda must stand her ground in order for her and her mother to remotely agree on an item to purchase. As Melinda ponders the idea of clothes shopping with her mother, she compares the typical situation to go down as follows, “Mother is the rock, I am the ocean. I have to pout and roll my eyes for hours until she finally wears down and crumbles into a thousand grains of beach sand” (page 120, Anderson). Melinda’s comparison to the erosion process between the ocean and rocks portrays an example of determination Melinda possesses. In order for the current situation (what clothing to purchase) to be resolved, Melinda must remain determined on her side to eventually break down her mother. When faced with a conflict, a person has the option to remain a pessimist, or become an optimist. Resilient people must make the transition from pessimism to optimism. Marano describes the process of becoming resilient as “a way of shifting focus from the cup half empty to the cup half full” (Marano). Marano’s descriptions of the cup’s fullness/emptiness debate to resilient people helps show and explain what exactly must be done to become resilient, and how difficult it can be. Transitioning from pessimist to optimist is troublesome, and requires much hope and self-dedication. By taking this common idea and comparing it to