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  • Essay / Book Review: Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

    The story begins with Clay Jensen, a high school student, coming home to find a well-wrapped package waiting for him. Inside the package were seven tapes recorded by Hannah Baker herself, the girl he loves and his classmate who committed suicide 2 weeks prior. Clay wants nothing to do with the tapes Hannah made. Because Hannah is dead, her secrets should be buried with her. Hannah's only instruction was: listen to the tapes and find out how this person became a part of his death, then he must pass them on to the next person on the list of 13 names that came with the package. 13 Reasons There are 13 reasons why Hannah Baker killed herself, and Clay Jensen is one of them. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay This story does not contain the typical murder plots and drama like most cliché stories. Instead, Hannah describes a series of small, unfortunate incidents, the type that might mark a young woman's maturity. It's mostly minor bullying, like when Hannah kissed a guy in the park and the guy spread a rumor that she was "easy", so much so that the photos spread as well. As she sent signals that she was about to commit suicide, the students, her so-called friends, and staff did little. Here, everyone is a victim and an offender, and some characters are both, including Hannah Baker. Although some of the 13 characters don't show much guilt, most of them are burdened with "shoulds" when Hannah's tapes reach them. As I continued reading, I discovered the reason why Clay was on Hannah's list. He has loved her for a long time, but he lets himself be affected by society which distances him from Hannah's distress. While these people continued to violate Hannah's trust, not only in herself but in others, Clay's crime is "neglect." He just failed to step in and protect Hannah like he was supposed to. For me, this book is truly remarkable. About how the author created the story itself and how he interpreted the characters' points of view, especially Clay and Hannah's. If you don't pay attention to the details of the story, you would think Hannah is crazy, but the truth is that she is guilty of some civic sense herself. The suspense over who will be next on Hannah's list is also a real thriller. What Thirteen Reasons Why manages to do effectively is effectively ask its readers, especially teenagers, to think carefully about their actions and how they are a part of popularity/high status. can mean stepping on the weakest. Teenagers will be able to identify the sometimes cruel nature of high school. Jay Asher knew how to present the dark side of adolescent life: alcohol, tobacco, vices, suicide, depression, bullying, cries for help and much more. Through this, Hannah's character simply says, "Be careful how you treat people, because you never know how it will affect them." » Readers will also realize that inaction on whether to stop harassment, a rumor, or a conversation with a troubled student, friend, or child can be just as damaging as inflicting deliberately pain. I recommend this book, not just to teenagers. , but also for parents. It is..