13 Reasons Why

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13 Reasons Why is a heavy novel. I think it might be the heaviest subject matter we’ve read this semester. It is the distinction between Hannah and Clay’s voice that creates a very real depiction of a girl who has already committed suicide. I think that because Hannah has already committed suicide when we meet her in the novel, the finality of suicide is heightened. She has already made the decision to end her life, and painstakingly lists out the reasons why. Its an atypical way to discuss the subject of suicide, because it’s backwards to what one would expect. Instead of seeing in real-time someone make the decision to commit suicide, we start out with the final decision already made and work backward. I think because its different, it makes a larger effect.
            One other element that makes a large effect on the impact of the novel is the use of tapes. The novel was published in 2007. Even at that point, the use of tapes and a Walkman were already out of date. I think it’s interesting that Asher chose to have Hannah record her reasons on tapes. I think he may have chosen to do this because it highlights that Hannah wasn’t part of this world. She never felt like she fit in. She always struggled. She wasn’t moving along with what was happening around her, be it good or bad. I also think it required the listeners to put in some effort in hearing her, which they never did. Clay at first “scrambles” for the stereo when he gets the tapes, and then he has to steal Tony’s Walkman. He really had to work to be able to listen to Hannah, which nobody ever did when she was alive.
            I do think it’s interesting that Netflix chose to keep that a part of their series. A lot of the times, the name of the game is to make something as relatable and relevant as possible in order to sell it. I think it’s a nice nod to the novel that the screenwriters chose to keep the tapes on tapes and not in a MP3 zipped folder.

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