Who Is Hannah's Identity In Thirteen Reasons Why
“Or maybe I would let go and give up” these were the words Hannah Baker lived her final days by (Asher 126). In the novel Thirteen Reasons Why written by Jay Asher, a young girl named Hannah ended her life. The story of why Hannah ended her life is explained on a set of seven cassette tapes, each one having a part A and a part B. Days after her death these tapes were sent out to the thirteen different people, who Hannah blames for forcing her to end her own life. The story flips back and forth between Hannah, who reflects on her own life on the tapes, and Clay, a boy who listens to the tapes and has his own special role in Hannah’s life. From the moment the tapes started it was evident Hannah was searching for her own unique identity, Clay
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Hannah’s true self goes undiscovered throughout most of the novel, however, by the end the reader catches a glimpse into Hannah. Hannah initially began this search when she moved to a new town. Hannah had originally lived in a different town but moved to the town where the story takes place. Hannah was planning on this being a fresh new start for her, where she could reinvent herself and be anyone she wanted to be. Hannah wanted to create a positive image of herself, one where she was kind but honest and real with others. The move prompted Hannah to go searching for her identity but the in-depth exploration begins once Hannah starts school. Within the first few months of school, Hannah’s fellow students decide to make up their own interpretation of her identity. Once Hannah had moved to town she develops an interest in Justin. Within the first couple months of school they meet up at a nearby playground and kiss. However, the entire school develops and shares rumors that they did much more than just kiss. These rumors then keep developing and get worse as the story goes on, eventually forcing Hannah to deny them everyday at school. Hannah tries extremely hard to not let the rumors define her, however Hannah also finds it extremely difficult to let her new school see the real her beneath all the false rumors. Hannah speaks about the rumors that seem to become her new identify many times throughout the course of her tapes: “Because I’ve heard so many stories that I don’t know which one is the most popular” (Asher 29). Hannah even goes on to point out that the truth of what often happens goes unnoticed, swallowing her true self-whole. The school labels Hannah as slutty, but Hannah herself disagrees. This idea is explained in depth by Hannah when she talks about the number of people she has made out with before in her life: “Because I can count on one hand---yes,
Hannah’s true self goes undiscovered throughout most of the novel, however, by the end the reader catches a glimpse into Hannah. Hannah initially began this search when she moved to a new town. Hannah had originally lived in a different town but moved to the town where the story takes place. Hannah was planning on this being a fresh new start for her, where she could reinvent herself and be anyone she wanted to be. Hannah wanted to create a positive image of herself, one where she was kind but honest and real with others. The move prompted Hannah to go searching for her identity but the in-depth exploration begins once Hannah starts school. Within the first few months of school, Hannah’s fellow students decide to make up their own interpretation of her identity. Once Hannah had moved to town she develops an interest in Justin. Within the first couple months of school they meet up at a nearby playground and kiss. However, the entire school develops and shares rumors that they did much more than just kiss. These rumors then keep developing and get worse as the story goes on, eventually forcing Hannah to deny them everyday at school. Hannah tries extremely hard to not let the rumors define her, however Hannah also finds it extremely difficult to let her new school see the real her beneath all the false rumors. Hannah speaks about the rumors that seem to become her new identify many times throughout the course of her tapes: “Because I’ve heard so many stories that I don’t know which one is the most popular” (Asher 29). Hannah even goes on to point out that the truth of what often happens goes unnoticed, swallowing her true self-whole. The school labels Hannah as slutty, but Hannah herself disagrees. This idea is explained in depth by Hannah when she talks about the number of people she has made out with before in her life: “Because I can count on one hand---yes,