Even if I dump the memory, it will stay with me, staining me."(Anderson Pg.51) This quote informs the reader that even though getting raped was not Melinda's fault, she still blames herself for the sexual abuse. The protagonist feels guilty due to her trauma. The young lady feels that the society that she lives in would accuse her for the rape, instead of blaming the one who abused her. Gender roles are prevalent when Melinda's mother insists on cooking Thanksgiving dinner, even though she is too stressed with work. Melinda says, "Every year, just when she's stressed to the snapping point, she cooks Thanksgiving dinner. We beg her not to. We plead with her, send anonymous notes. She doesn't listen." (Anderson Pg. 57) The direct quote signifies that Melinda's mother feels cooking is necessary for her to perform during Thanksgiving. She is the mother and the wife of the home, even though she is already frustrated. The characters that Anderson creates aids the reader to visualize the different gender roles, in our patriarchal society.
Furthermore, Speak has multiple themes in the book the main and more important theme however is mental health. Melinda is seen struggling with her mental health when she first begins to harm herself. This was seen when she began self harming herself in attempt to cope with the rape. Melinda says to herself, "I open up a paper clip and scratch it across the inside of my left wrist. Pitful. If a suicide attempt is a cry for help, then what is this? A whimper, a peep? I draw little windowcracks of blood etching line after line until it stops hurting." (Anderson pg.87). In this particular scene the reader can truly see that Melinda has been struggling with the events of her rape and self harm is her only relief. Along with that she also shows signs of being suicidal since she connects herself harming to suicide. Moreover, Melinda shows signs of struggling with her mental health when she no longer wants to participate in life.