Quotes from Laurie Halse Anderson, Speak

When people don't express themselves, they die one piece at a time.

Our teachers need a snow day. They look unusually pale. The men aren't shaving carefully and the women never remove their boots. They suffer some sort of teacherflu. Their noses drip, their eyes are rimmed with red. They come to school long enough to infect the staff room then go home sick when the sub shows up.

when people don't express themselves, they die one piece at a time

IT happened. There is no avoiding it, no forgetting. No running away, or flying, or burying, or hiding.

I have survived. I am here. Confused, screwed up, but here. So, how can I find my way? Is there a chain saw of the soul, an ax I can take to my memories or fears?

Art without emotion its like chocolate cake without sugar. It makes you gag.

Me: "All right, but you said we had to put emotion into our art. I don't know what that means. I don't know what I'm supposed to feel.

Censorship is the child of fear and the father of ignorance.