Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher Essay

To begin with, suicide is an appropriate topic to discuss in Grade 9 classes, as students are mature enough to handle a subject like this Confabulating about suicide builds awareness within students of the events that are taking place which can affect themselves and the others around them. The novel 13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher, follow the journey of a 17-year-old female-Hannah Baker- that commits suicide, and has left 13 tapes why she made the choice. This TV show is a common series that teenagers are watching; they are exposed to the topic of suicide. The television series shows scenes where Hannah felt that she was used and hurt by her peers, which then compels her to take her life. Hannah dealt with gossiping, rumors, bullying and harassment at school, which made her believe that she was useless and judged outside of school as well. Therefore, in the end, she

Page after page, Thirteen Reasons Why captivated me throughout the entirety of the story and left me weeping over the pain that Clay and Hannah experienced. Clay Jensen, a hardworking, overachieving high school boy, received a box of tape recordings from a girl who he’d never thought he’d hear from again—because she was dead. She committed suicide a week before and Clay was still in shock; feelings to which I could relate. Clay scavenged around town for clues about her life as he listened to the deranged voice of the girl he liked, Hannah Baker. He then learned her “reasons” for ending her life: people and actions—like the sexual harassments that multiple boys put her through or a death she felt she could have prevented—that left her broken and isolated.

These are simple, short lines but, one can perceive the tone of resignation fueled by complete belief in her thoughts as the truth; thoughts that ultimately led to her self-destruction. There is this one funny thing about humans and the world. There are many truths- too many. And no one is capable of discerning whether they are lies or not. Each one has their own beliefs and nobody is given the advantage of having seen the “ultimate truth” because what we think our truths are, are truths merely because we believe them to be so. Hannah’s “truth” was her belief that she could not be saved and that suicide was her only way. So, we are only given the right to believe that what we think is

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The exposition of this book is 13 reasons why Hannah Baker committed suicide. She leaves tapes behind for the people that have caused her to taker her life. Each side of the tape has a story on why a person has caused her to take her life. The rising action occurs when Clay revives a shoe box filled with tapes from Hannah Baker who committed suicide a couple weeks earlier. The tapes are sent to the people who gave Hannah a reason to kill herself. So Clay goes through the tapes trying to figure out why he belonged on one of these tapes. On his way through the tapes, he listens to other reasons why she killed herself. After he went through each tape, he saw those people differently.

The major takeaway in this film is that everyone (the students) wants to keep something a secret about the suicide. Clay is the last person to listen to the tapes, and he already feels horrible about what has happened. Through Clay is how we hear what Hannah says. It seems that they all listened to the tapes, and now it is Clays turn to listen to all of them.

Hannah could have done something to stop the snowball from getting bigger andbigger. There were lots of people that Hannah pushed away that could have helped her, and there were a lot of different paths that Hannah could have taken instead of suicide. She could have talked to her parents or Clay, and she could have stopped certain scenes in her life from happening.

I have two questions since the beginning of this book. First, why would Hannah send out these suicide tapes to only certain people? I have drawn three main reasons why. Hannah probably did this to let these people know why she killed herself. She was really hurt and she wanted pitty.

An empty desk, an empty locker, an empty bedroom, and childless parents. Why would Hannah Baker take her own life? In 13 Reasons Why, by Jay Asher, a box of seven tapes was delivered to Clay Jensen’s house with the answers to that question. Thirteen recordings, one for each person’s story, including Clay’s. These thirteen individuals are those who she blames for making her life miserable and, in her opinion, not worth living. Throughout the novel, the reader uncovers the mystery of who Hannah Baker truly was. Although most view Hannah as the victim, she is actually the villain.

The twelfth tape is to Bryce Walker, a boy who had sexually assaulted Hannah in a hot tub at the party. Later in that tape Hannah begins to explain how she plans on killing herself.

Additionally, Hannah only utilized the authorities in the school (to whom youth facing issues like hers are encouraged to come to) as a last resort, after she had already decided to take her own life. As previously mentioned, she went to talk to Mr. Porter, her guidance counselor at school, in search of one last glimmer of hope. She discussed with him the sexual assault she suffered, among other hardships, and her desire to end her life. His response painfully disappointed her. He essentially told her that getting over it may be her best option, and she left agitated. She hoped he would follow and not let her go, realizing she was serious about suicide, but he didn’t. Along the same lines as

I believe that the author, Jay Asher, ended Hannah’s life and story the way he did for several reasons. Hannah taking her own life truly emphasized the impact of bullying, rape, and harassment has on someone. Hannah deciding to make tapes dedicated to the people her impacted her decision, then committing suicide on the final tape showed how much hate and vengefulness she had for everyone. It seemed to me as if she was trying to instill the idea that being a bad friend, rude classmate, and a straight up bully comes with consequences.

Both The Catcher in the Rye and the television show 13 Reasons Why, represent the struggles of aging teens. Throughout the novel, J.D. Salinger related Holden’s feelings in regards to depression and loneliness, which was also expressed in the show by multiple characters. Yet, Holden reflects off the character, Clay, in 13 Reasons Why, the most, rather than any of the other characters. Clay and Holden have been struggling from tremendous losses of loved ones in their lives. This incident then contributes to their attitudes later in the stories. Although, 13 Reasons Why is mainly based off of suicide, this still integrates with the theme of loss of innocence in The Catcher in the Rye because of this loss of life due to immature bullying conducted in the show. Therefore, Clay’s frustration expressed on other peers in the show was caused by his loss, similar to Holden, which then altered Clay’s judgment, or in other words, the descriptive opinion of Holden’s famous interpretation known as everyone being “phony.”

Responsibility is a significant theme in “Thirteen Reasons Why” by Jay Asher. Clay's character plotline is the acceptance of Hannah Baker's death. He has to accept himself as he feels responsible for her death. Does Clay feel responsible because he is guilty, or is he grieving? Is Clay a nice person or is he faking? We shall find out.

Communication is a powerful thing that may cause people to either drift apart or come closer. People communicate to be understood, but the lack of communication can lead a person to separate themselves from everyone else, only wishing to be understood. In Jay Asher’s book, 13 Reasons Why, Clay Jensen receives a box of tapes that claim they’re by Hannah Baker, a girl Clay claimed he ‘used to like’. The only problem is that Hannah Baker had committed suicide some time ago, and she mentions how whoever is receiving her tapes is a reason for her death. Now Clay has to locate the other tapes to find out the secrets behind Hannah’s death, and how he played a role in it. Through the process of listening to each tape Clay realizes something. If Clay