There are thirteen reasons why Hannah Baker committed suicide, and all of them have names. Clay Jensen is one of them. One day in the mail, he receives a box full of cassette tapes from Hannah, and he is instructed to listen to every single one in order to understand her decision. In the tapes, Hannah describes the series of events that leads to her death. By listening, Clay will learn his role in those events.
Teen Suicide in America
No one argues that adolescence is a time of intense, and sometimes volatile, emotions, but behavior is a key indicator for suicide risk -- and teens are at risk. Suicide is the third leading cause of death among teens in America, and the National Institute of Mental Health estimates that for every successful suicide there are 25 failed attempts.
Risk factors for teens include aggressive and disruptive behavior, substance abuse, and depression. These teens have a higher probability of committing suicide. Warning signs usually precede any attempt and include a loss of interest (in school, friends, etc.); withdrawal; changes in sleep, behavior, eating habits, hygiene, etc.; declining grades; and risk-taking behavior. Many teens will even refer to suicide or dying verbally, and this should be taken seriously.
Teen Suicide in Thirteen Reasons Why
In Thirteen Reasons Why, Hannah exhibits many of the warning signs mentioned above, and these escalate as the story progresses. The closer she gets to suicide, the more obvious the warning signs become. Even so, those who cared for her the most missed the warning signs, and those who were trained to react to them failed her.
Clay Jensen, someone who cared deeply for Hannah, knew something was wrong, but did not know she was suicidal. He never would have known her reasons had she not left him the tapes. Such is the case in many suicides. It is only in hindsight that the signs become apparent, and survivors are often left guessing at the reasons. Thirteen Reasons Why highlights for young readers the impact we all have on others, whether intentional or unintentional. It teaches readers that our words and our actions matter -- perhaps much more than we think they do.
About the Author
In his debut novel, Thirteen Reasons Why, young adult author Jay Asher has created a unique and powerful story that stays with the reader long after the story ends. A New York Times Bestseller, it has received numerous awards, including three YALSA awards. It has inspired the 13RW project, an online scrapbook, where readers express their appreciation for the book.
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Jennifer Groepl - Living the good life in beautiful Cape Coral, Florida, Jennifer Groepl is currently working on her YA fiction projects. An intrinsically ...
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