13 Reason Why Essay

13 Reasons Why Essay
By: Breigh Harrison

Reasons behind a death can’t always stay a secret. 13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher is an eerie story of the reasons behind Hannah Bakers suicide. Justin Foleys lies opened the door for rumours to pour put.
Hannah being named “best ass the freshman class” (48) and what came with it just added to Hannah’s already bad false reputation. Marcus buying into that false reputation and treating Hannah as if she was her reputation was making her even more hateful towards herself and the world. Hannah Bakers innocence was taken from her through the snowball effect of rumours lies and a made up reputation and that was something she just couldn’t handle.

When a well liked person lies about something weather it’s the time, if something had happened, or the time people tend to believe them over anyone else. Justin Foley a popular older boy just trying to be cooler told people that Hannah, the new girl took things further than a kiss everyone believed him, even though it wasn’t true. The people at school were quick to add on and change the rumours, as Hannah says “I’ve heard so many stories I don’t know which one is the most popular.” (29) These lies and rumours were slowly tearing Hannah apart and there was nothing she could do to stop them so she would put on a mask and act like they didn’t bother her. The rumours may have seemed harmless to the people telling them at the time but nobody stopped to think about what it would do to Hannah or what would build off of one rumour.

Once someone point something out it’s an excuse to talk about it or always look at that thing. Being named “best ass in the freshman class” (48) by Alex Standall made Hannah that thing. Guys used this as a reason to look and talk about Hannah and some even thought they could touch her without permission because of it. This is exactly what Bryce Walker did in Blue Spot Liquor. Girls used it as an excuse to hate her, for Jessica Davis it was the reason Alex broke up with her and she took that out on
Hannah. Things like these were just adding fuel to the fire of Hannah’s life falling apart and Hannah not being able to stop it. “Why would anyone not believe a rumour that fits so nicely with an old rumour?”
(66) is all too fitting for Hannah’s life. People will use anything they can to look, talk about, take advantage of, or take the blame off of them selves.

For most people Valentines Day is either a great day or a horrible one- it was the latter for Hannah.
Marcus Cooley asking Hannah out as a joke made her feel like she was a joke, and that nobody took her seriously anymore. Then when he tried to hook up with her in the back booth she felt like people only saw her as her made up reputation, not someone who has thoughts like “Will I ever get control of my

life? Will I always be shoved and pushed around?” (45) Valentines Day was a turning point for Hannah, she started letting the things people said affect her for the worse.

Hannah Baker never asked for anything that happened to happen. Justin lying stared things off and all Hannah was after was a sweet innocent first kiss. Being named “Best ass in the freshman class” (48) did not help anything- it only put Hannah up for even more ridicule. By the time Marcus bought into
Hannah’s false reputation Hannah was already angry about the fact that she had a false reputation and that her life was being controlled by rumours, Marcus just added to the long list of things gone wrong
Hannah’s life was like a set of dominos, once one fell they all followed.