What is the theme in Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson?

Teenage alienation is a theme in the book. Most teenagers experience some degree of alienation-from parents, teachers, society-but Melinda feels it in the extreme. Almost any teen, or anyone who's lived through his or her teenage years, will recognize the self-consciousness in the cafeteria and in the halls, the difficulty being understood by parents and teachers. The change from middle school to the new world of high school can be brutal and that's certainly what it is for Melinda. She was, indeed, brutalized and now everything and everyone around her contributes to her continued pain. In reading Melinda's story, we can see opportunities to reach out that she missed. We see the way she contributes to her continued alienation. Speak can be a great jumping off point for discussions between teens and their parents, their teachers and their friends. Through her own alienation, Melinda offers readers a way to understand and, possibly, navigate through teenage alienation.