Thirteen Reasons Why Post #1 *******

2. Do you identify with the purpose, experience, values expressed in the text? Or if you don’t--what then? How are you connecting to the text?

• The novel I am reading is Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher. I both identify and don't identify with the values experienced in the text. I identify with Hannah because I, too, have experienced bullying and peer pressure. I know what it is like to feel like you don't belong and what it feels like to be used. So it is understandable for her to be extremely upset by the experience. When you are not accepted in a group, you feel like an outsider to the world. The feeling of rejection is not a warm feeling and causes many people to do what Hannah did. What I do not identify with is the way in which Hannah goes about her revenge. Hannah Baker kills herself, leaving behind recorded tapes of her voice telling the others of why they contributed to her death. I do not agree with her committing suicide because, by doing so, she did not solve the problem, she only caused great grief in those who loved her. I do not agree with the tapes because, if that were I on the receiving end, I would have a hard time living with myself knowing that I directly contributed to her suicide. I do not believe fighting fire with fire is a good idea. However, everyone has their own way of dealing with things, Hannah and I obviously stand on different sides of the line. If I were in her position, I would have tried talking about it with my parents. If my parents were not helpful, I would have tried talking to a teacher. Unfortunately, Hannah did talk to a counselor, who told her basically to suck it up and get over her problems. Hannah and I are not on the same page in other aspects too. She and I do not value life in the same way. I believe life is precious and should not be ended because of other people’s actions. I do not believe suicide is the answer, unlike Hannah. Hannah thought that suicide would solve and terminate all her issues. To her, life was disposable. The author does not come right out and say that Hannah thinks this way, but it is alluded to in the text. I believe that if Hannah had gotten the right kind of help, she would not have committed suicide. If she had someone to talk to and confide in, she would have felt like she was not alone and could get through things.