IRA

zTh1rteen R3asons Why

By: Jay Asher

IRA

Luisa Hernandez & Sydney Williams

THEME

The theme of the story is that all actions, however small or insignificant they may seem, may have a large impact on a person’s life. On the tapes, Hannah Baker says: "You don’t know what goes on in anyone’s life but your own. And when you mess

with one part of a person’s life, you’re not messing with just that part. Unfortunately, you can’t be that precise and selective. When you mess with one part of a person’s life, you’re messing with their entire life. Everything . . . affects everything" (Asher 187). This clearly shows that Hannah has a strong opinion of how if you mess with someone, and if you think it’s no big deal, in the long run, it ends up being a huge deal. “No one knows for certain how much impact they have on the lives of other

people” (Asher 145). This is another quote that reflects Hanna Baker’s opinion on how someone can think they are doing something unharmful to you, without knowing that they are truly really hurting you. When Hannah starts recording her voice, she starts off by saying the following: "I hope you're ready, because I'm about to tell you the story of my life. More specifically, why my life endedAnd if you're listening to these

tapes, you're one of the reasons why" (Asher 7). Hannah states that there are thirteen people that caused her to make her decision to commit suicide. Meaning that thirteen reasons and people had to have had affected her to make her decision. They may not

have known it was that big of a deal, but when they get the tapes and listen what they did, surely, they will never forget it was a big deal to Hannah. Hannah also says

that “When you try rescuing someone and discover they can't be reached, why would you ever throw that back in their face?” (Asher 75). She really has a strong opinion about people. She says probably from experience, that there are people that try to

help you, but when they find out they can’t help you, they shove it in your face. Last but not least, there is a specific exampole from the book dedicated to Zach. It really shows a way it can be shown. "Maybe it didn’t seem like a big deal to you Zach. But

now, I hope you understand. My world was collapsing. I needed those notes. I needed any hope those notes might have offered. And you? You took that hope away. You

decided I didn’t deserve to have it. " Zach stole notes from her that were supposed to go to her.. He may have done it as a joke, but she took it personally. Who wouldn’t when you actually need them? Who wouldn’t when you’re on the verge of killing

yourself?

Author’s Purpose:

Jay Asher definetely made his book informatory. He really wanted to get a

point across. Thirteen Reasons Why is a really harsh book because of the

topic. You have to be really marture to understand and see through the

book. Asher made an interesting story out of a topic that isn’t spoken about

too often. He explains a teenage girl going through some tough times, and

decides to kill herself. Throughout the story, it gives very mature life

lectures, and really informs one of the things you’d miss out on and the life

you have in front of you waiting for a future. Thirteen Reasons Why taught

me how not to let people judge me or stereotype me. I learned that those

things shouldn’t take control of my life. And that I’m the only one in control

of it. I am the only person that will have a say in what to do with it.

What is the book about?

It tells the story of Hannah Baker, a girl who committed suicide. She reveals her

reasons for her decision in a series of audiotapes mailed to a classmate

with instructions to pass them from one student to another, in the style of a chain

letter. Through Hannah’s recorded voice, her classmates learn the reasons that

Hannah decided to take her own life. So when Clay arrives home from school, he finds

a package lying in front of his porch. He takes it inside and realizes they are a group

of audio cassettes. Over the timeframe of a night, Clay listens to all of the

recordings while wandering around town. Clay couldn’t think of a single reason of

why he would be part of all this, not one. He doesn’t imagine being a reason to

why Hannah would kill herself. Although emotional and desperate, he

listens to the tapes and later finds out how he takes a part in this. He will never

forget how he made the list.

AUTHOR’S PAGE :

Jay Asher was born in California in the year of 1975. He grew up with a

supportive family, encouraging him to write, and do other things such as playing the

guitar. Right after high school, he attended Cuesta College, which is where wrote his

first two children’s books for a class called Children’s Literature Appreciation. At this

point in his life, he had decided he wanted to become an elementary school teacher.

He then transferred to California Polytechnic State University. There, he left his

senior year in order to pursue his career as a serious writer. He is currently working

on his second Young Adult novel, and has written several picture books, middle

grade Humor Novels, and even written several screenplays. Asher is a fan of the TV

series My So-Called Life. He cites it as a major influence on his writing.