Under the Influence: A Cause and Effect Analysis from the novel Speak

It all started when Melinda attended The Party.  Events that occurred at the party completely changed her life.  A phone call she made during the party made her friends feel betrayed.  This wasn't just any phone call, it was a call to the police.  Her friends' assumptions on why she made the phone call quickly made her a social outcast.  Had she explained why she made that call, her freshman year in high school could have been very different.

The beginning to Melinda's conflicts during her freshman year started at the party.  Alcohol was present.  Several people, including Melinda, consumed  large amounts of it during the party, which resulted in a bunch of drunk teenagers.  Knowing that underage drinking was against the law, I believe all of her friends were quick to assume that the reason Melinda called the police was to bust them for consuming alcohol.

Melinda never explained the true reason for that call.  Her friends' assumption of a betrayal became  viewed  as the truth.  This is the root to her problem.  Once word got around, everybody soon hated her, making her a social outcast.  Depression soon filled Melinda.  Everything became meaningless, including her grades.  After this happened, a domino affect occurred.  Bad grades never please parents, so when Melinda's parents were informed of her poor school performance, they became enraged. 

If she had left the party early, her freshman year in high school could have been very different.  At the party and in her drunk state, Melinda found herself with boy named, Andy Evans.  It took her a while to realize exactly what was happening to her, until it was too late.  She was being assaulted.  This was the true reason why she called the police.  Had she stuck around to give an explanation for her actions,  things would have turned out differently.  Melinda would most likely have received support from her family and friends, and Andy Evans would have been the outcast.