In the book, 13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher, the character Hannah Baker is very misunderstood by every other character in her story. Hannah Baker is Clay Jensen’s first love in his high school, his first love that committed suicide. Often in life as well as literature, there are many people in this world who are misunderstood by others. In 13 Reasons Why, Hannah Baker has sent out seven cassettes each containing two people, two reasons why she felt there was no more hope for her life any longer. Clay Jensen, Hannah’s first love, was the fifth cassette, side a, reason number nine. Clay was on theses cassettes for one reason, and one reason only. Hannah needed to apologize to Clay. She needed to let him know that she was thankful for him trying to help her, for seeing the sadness in her eyes, for realizing she was hurting. The last night they spent together was at a party where Clay spent the night trying to talk to Hannah while she pushed him away farther from their relationship. “Clay, honey, your name does not belong on this list,” Hannah whispered in her soft sweet voice. Clay Jensen receives these tapes one day after school when he arrives at home. He starts listening to them in is garage when he realizes what they are. He, then, takes a stroll to his friend Tony’s house to barrow his cassette player. Clay continues to travel around town listening to all thirteen cassettes all night. When he returns home he ponders about what he has recently encountered and all the disturbing messages left behind for him to listen to. The cassettes were to be sent out to the next person along the list until the end. Clay then has to make a decision, would he send them out or chance Hannah’s threat that she will send out another copy of them if the are not past along. How? I mean the girl is dead. Throughout the book other students are not as understanding as Clay was with Hannah. Some students thought that she was absurd for taking her own life. Other students were annoyed with her, thinking that Hannah just wanted attention. People criticized her all constantly for what she did. Personally, I don’t think anyone should be judging Hannah and her decisions until they had the chance to take a walk in her shoes. All through life people will misunderstand you. As well as you will misunderstand other people. Words and actions that Hannah made helped people understand her. Although there were only just a few people that really saw inside Hannah’s life, which was one less person that misunderstood her.
Works Cited
Asher, Jay. 13 Reasons Why. New York: Penguin Group, 2007.
Cited: Asher, Jay. 13 Reasons Why. New York: Penguin Group, 2007.
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