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Social Commentary On 13 Reasons Why

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Social Commentary on 13 Reasons Why In 2007, Jay Asher released the young adult novel 13 Reasons Why. It steadily gained popularity; it made the New York Times Bestseller List in 2011. In early 2017, Netflix took off with it and produced a 13-episode series. The story follows the suicide note (or rather, audio cassette tapes) left behind by high schooler Hannah Baker after she killed herself. Respected social figures and celebrities quoted the show and opened discussion about topics like depression, rape culture, bullying, and most obviously, suicide. On the thirteen tapes, Hannah walks the audience through the events and actions that led to her taking her own life, with each tape specifically about one of the thirteen people that she …show more content…

But her relationship with them doesn’t seem to be one of mutual trust and communication. She explained that when their career lives got difficult and busy, her relationship with them dwindled. She said they talked to her, but not like before. They let their work take precedence over investing in their daughter, and beneath their disinterest and oblivion, she fell apart. She already accepted that they aren’t her best option to address her problems; her mom didn’t even notice her haircut, never mind her emotional deterioration. 13 Reasons Why exhibits uninvolved parenting and the way it can impact, or rather, not impact, teens’ lives.
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

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