This book dives right in… no preface, no chapter announcement... it just captures your attention and doesn't let go.
This is the story of two people: Hannah and Clay. Hannah is dead. Clay is alive and one of 13 recipients of the tapes Hannah has left behind. His thoughts are intermixed with Hannah's as he listens to the tapes that "explain" what lead her to commit suicide. What will Clay do once he's heard all the tapes? How will Hannah's death and explanation change those who hear the tapes?
As this story unfolds, you find yourself waiting to find out why Clay has the tapes, and which number he is realizing that the longer the wait the worse it may be.
Near the end Hannah's mind is made up. She has made her choices and although she's looking for help, she rejects it and does not allow it. Are some of the last events just bad judgement, poor excuses, true cruelty?
Our group certainly recognized the personality types of all the characters within our own social experiences. We discussed our own reactions to similar issues or other types of bullying that could have led to worse outcomes had we not handled things differently in our own lives.
Here are our thoughts to a selection of discussion questions paraphrased and/or quoted from: Reading Rumps Blog at: http://www.readingrumpus.com/2009/08/13-reasons-to-use-thirteen-reasons-why.html
Was there any specific event or person who could have saved Hannah? Perhaps, Clay at the party. If he would actually not listened to what she was saying and instead stayed, and made her talk about what was bothering her. Clay is a typical teenage boy, unsure of himself while trying to appear confident. It makes his character likeable and relatable. He is also typically in the fact that he isn’t prepared to handle the emotionality of Hannah. Although, it may have been too late at this point, Clay will probably always think he should have done more. His saving grace is that he takes the knowledge he has at the end and is open to making a difference in another’s life. He won’t be afraid to do something, say something, or wait anymore.
Why is Mr. Porter the last one on Hannah’s list, the one who “can take the tapes straight to Hell” (p.9). Was he that bad of a counselor? Why did Hannah record their conversation? Did she give him sufficient time to answer? Why do you think she kept interrupting him? She was done. She was looking for someone to stop her, but didn’t necessarily want to be stopped and Mr. Porter fell short of her hope and expectations.
He should have gone after her, but with her vague answers and interruptions he would have been hard pressed to understand just how serious the situation was.
Was Hannah powerless? Why or Why not? How could she have been more in control of her own life when everyone around her seemed to be pushing her down? Whether she was powerless or not, the fact that she believed she was powerless kept her plummeting. If you believe you are powerless, how can others tell you that you aren’t or how do you keep small things from building up when you feel like you have no control? If she had felt more in control of her own life perhaps she would have talked more to Clay maybe she would have reached out to others.
There are several symbolic elements: The man at Rosie’s letting Clay leave without paying, the stop sign, the Lost-N-Found Gazette, Hannah’s poem,. What roles do they play in the story? Coffee bar and finding the poem brought the book into real time. It brought you along. There are moments of noticing or not noticing, and the results that come from observing or not observing another person. The stop sign is an example: At the beginning Clay mentions an accident. There is a mystery within the story. This and other incidents show the interconnectedness of actions and reactions. The Poem: Shows the intensity of Hannah being horrified about having her poem published and dissected by people suspecting it was her, but not being direct or asking her. There is also a disconnect to the way people see things and the way Hannah sees things.
Hannah’s parents were absent from the story. How do you think they feel? Are they responsible? At what age are we responsible for our own actions? Her parents were clearly devastated, never reopening their store. They left everything behind them. So many parents miss signs or don’t know how bad their child is feeling because their children are so independent at that age. Hannah was on her own like many teenagers and perhaps her parents were busy with their shop and didn’t realize that she needed help. She may have kept things very bottled up inside until it was too late. They will forever feel partially responsible for their daughter’s death in a similar way that Clay may always feel responsible.
Some final notes from our discussion:
We felt that is was good that you never know exactly how she died. It’s all rumor which also was the thing that brought her to the point of her suicide, another symbol about how little things can have big effects.
Our recommendation for readers: Every junior high/high school should have this book. Despite some of the really bad things that happen and the fact that the story is being told post-mortem, there’s an uplifting aspect to the book – there’s a hope like Clay with Skye. While you can’t change the outcome of Hannah’s life you could change someone else’s or maybe your own.
Next Month: Listen! By Stephanie S. Tolan
October: The Dream Time by Jennifer Griffin - This is not a YA book but the author has a personal connection with a member of our group and we are going to be her "test" audience for her to discuss her book with readers.
