It doesn't hurt. Nothing hurts except the small smiles and blushes that flash across the room like tiny sparrows

It doesn't hurt. Nothing hurts except the small smiles and blushes that flash across the room like tiny sparrows

In Laurie Halse Anderson's works, such as her critically acclaimed novel "Speak," the theme of pain and suffering is a prevalent and powerful motif. The quote "It doesn't hurt. Nothing hurts except the small smiles and blushes that flash across the room like tiny sparrows" encapsulates the complex emotions and experiences that her characters often grapple with.

Anderson's writing is known for its raw and honest portrayal of difficult topics, particularly those related to trauma, abuse, and mental health. In "Speak," the protagonist, Melinda, is a high school student who becomes isolated and withdrawn after being sexually assaulted at a party. Throughout the novel, Melinda struggles to find her voice and speak out about what happened to her, facing judgment and ostracization from her peers in the process.

The quote in question speaks to the idea that sometimes the most painful experiences are not physical, but emotional and psychological. The "small smiles and blushes" that flash across the room represent the superficial interactions and social pressures that can mask deeper pain and suffering. In Melinda's case, the smiles and blushes may symbolize the facade she puts on to hide her trauma from those around her, pretending that everything is fine when in reality she is struggling to cope with the aftermath of her assault.

Anderson's writing is known for its lyrical and evocative prose, which often conveys complex emotions and experiences in a vivid and poignant way. The image of "tiny sparrows" flitting across the room suggests a fleeting and delicate beauty that belies the deeper pain and turmoil that lies beneath the surface. This juxtaposition of light and dark, beauty and pain, is a hallmark of Anderson's storytelling style, which delves deep into the hearts and minds of her characters to explore the complexities of human experience.