Author's Note: We read the book Speak in class and this is my final essay. I had a lot of trouble thinking of a topic but I kind of like this one so I hope you enjoy and my one thought from reading this book: "I can't wait for high school."
In a world where even your best friends turn against you, everyone needs some type of savior. Otherwise the world would be so terrible you wouldn't get out of bed in the morning. Many-a-time saviors are people who have been there or are going through the same thing. Mr. Freeman is Melinda's savior and he is Laurie Halse Anderson's adult version of Melinda except he handle's his world differently.
In Melinda's world of darkness and horror and fear, art class is her only bright spot. It is the one place she wants to go. As you can probably guess, Mr. Freeman is the art teacher and saves Melinda from the overwhelming experience of high school. Art class is Melinda's only island in a sea of the unknown. Mr. Freeman helps Melinda through her darkest times, Mr. Freeman guides Melinda through her darkest times, and Mr. Freeman saves Melinda from her darkest times. He does this teaching her how to express herself and let her emotions find their way through in her art, just like Mr. Freeman himself does.
In a world where even your best friends turn against you, everyone needs some type of savior. Otherwise the world would be so terrible you wouldn't get out of bed in the morning. Many-a-time saviors are people who have been there or are going through the same thing. Mr. Freeman is Melinda's savior and he is Laurie Halse Anderson's adult version of Melinda except he handle's his world differently.
In Melinda's world of darkness and horror and fear, art class is her only bright spot. It is the one place she wants to go. As you can probably guess, Mr. Freeman is the art teacher and saves Melinda from the overwhelming experience of high school. Art class is Melinda's only island in a sea of the unknown. Mr. Freeman helps Melinda through her darkest times, Mr. Freeman guides Melinda through her darkest times, and Mr. Freeman saves Melinda from her darkest times. He does this teaching her how to express herself and let her emotions find their way through in her art, just like Mr. Freeman himself does.
Instead of giving up and not wanting to live anymore, like Melinda, Mr. Freeman learns to express his anger, his depression, his deepest fears on the canvas instead of letting them clog his mind like some kind of unholy demons, just because he is the oddball teacher, just because he is under scrutiny from the school board, just because he gives an odd assignment, that does not mean that he has to hide his true feelings. He masks them in ways that most people can't understand, like the canvas that he was painting at the beginning of the book: that is what he is teaching Melinda to do, to express herself and not have to hide. Mr. Freeman is her savior.
Saviors come in all shapes in sizes, from the baby in the manger, to the oddball art teacher. We all need saviors. We all need people who are willing to help. We all need like Mr. Freeman.
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