Most people have heard about the new Netflix Original, 13 Reasons Why, and it is causing a lot of controversy. The audience that the show attracts has been getting feed back about loving the show or why the show shouldn't be loved. People aren't realizing that this show was created to provide evidence, which promotes what Millennials lives look like within school. It shows how teenagers are being treated, acting, and what our society has turned into. Here are 13 relateable events within 13 Reasons Why.
1. Bullying
Bullying is definitely a problem within most school systems but the answer to a cry of help is always, "it'll get better." Does it? 13 Reasons Why shows that Hannah Baker didn't get better; it got worse for her where she ultimately decided to kill herself. She even seeked helped but got nothing in return. A number of students get bullied every day whether it is in or out of school but the school system is not compensating for the relayed emotions.
2. Rumors
Rumors may not seem like that big of a deal but in most cases this is why bullying happens. Rumors can build and build until a person just can't deal with it anymore. That's when suicidal thoughts come into play like with Hannah Baker. I think it's time to educate children about the real effects of rumors. They're dangerous and tormenting. Nobody deserves to be treated like that and that's one of the main points of this show.
3. Rape
Rape has become a more common aspect of society. Not to sound like a raging feminist but it seems like society is teaching men that they "own" women. It teaches them that men deserve to have sex with women. If men get the answer of no about the topic most think it's just the girl playing hard to get. Rape is serious and 13 Reasons Why makes this very clear. Not only does the show depict the graphic scene of Jessica's rape but it also shows the graphic scene of Hannah's which plays a big part in sinking in this idea that it's really not okay.
4. Drinking and Drugs
Whether parents or kids want to admit it or not, alcohol and drugs has become a huge problem in our society. More kids are falling for the temptations of these dangerous substances. 13 Reasons Why shows the drastic amount of parties held without parent consent which involves illegal activity of alcohol and drugs. These illegal elements of party life is what leaves a door open for bad decisions and accidents. For example, Jeff was killed in a car crash because a driver under the influence of alcohol knocked over a stop sign and didn't call it in or the fact that Jessica was unconscious due to the amount of alcohol consumed. Sex happens, even rape, when alcohol is ingested which can also lead to violence and a number of ordeals.
5. Teenagers try to grow up too fast
Some teenagers have this relentless wish to grow up and do what they want to do but in the end there is usually always that point in time where they think, "I don't know what I'm supposed to do," which is why growing up so fast is bad. 13 Reasons Why shows a group of teenagers handling Hannah's tapes but none of them actually go to the authorities or get help from an adult. Yes, Hannah tried when she was in pain and adults aren't always helpful but it's better to try than to take on a task you are not grown up enough for. It takes a certain amount of maturity to speak out like that.
6. Coping with a loss
13 Reasons Why shows multiple people coping with the fact that Hannah Baker took her life. The biggest coping is done by her parents who are striving to figure out why their little girl ended her life. They're grieving but they need closure which is why they continue to search for answers. Hannah's parents also go to the lengths of suing the school which will also help them with their loss. Clay is the other important character that is coping with the loss of Hannah. Hannah was his best friend and he was in love with her. Clay copes by listening to the tapes and finding justice, just like Hannah's parents, to heal. The show also presents memorial events to Hannah, counseling, and other members of the community/school trying to support each other.
7. Problems within school systems
There is a point in the Netflix Original where Hannah Baker tries to get help from her school counselor and tells him everything, with a lack of detail, of the events happening. The counselor does not seem very interesting in knowing details and asks Hannah if everything she is saying is fact. A counselor's job is to listen and make action with the evidence they are given no matter if they think it's false or not. Clay also had many emotional scenes where it was obvious that he wasn't taking Hannah's death well but he was punished or left off with a warning instead of trying to help him. *Quote from Clay, "Everyone is so nice that it just drives people to kill themselves!"* Lastly, the scene when Hannah's mother approaches the principal about Hannah's poem is a huge example of why school systems have issues. The school is being sued but relents from helping the grieving family. They try to paint over the evidence and hide the real faults.
8. Depression and Anxiety
Depression and anxiety has become a very common illness within teenagers and adults of today. 13 Reasons Why has provided a clear insight into this world that people are living through. It's horribly sad that we've come to this point of how society, schools, and parents raise their children. Somebody has to care and want to save lives.
9. The unwillingness to confide in adults
I've realized from this show and real life that teenagers don't feel usually feel comfortable telling their parents about being bullied, doing drugs, drinking alcohol, or any kind of event that will end up with them punished in some way. There's rule that I remember was ingrained into kids heads when we were little, "snitches get stitches," and honestly it was scary. If you or anyone is being harmed or something happened to you, then you shouldn't be afraid to speak up. It's important to speak up. I think Hannah should have personally tried a little harder, but that's not the plot of the show.
10. Sports vs Education
In this scene it is made very clear that there is a classic system at schools; sports take over the responsibility of education. Yes, there were scenes of Clay helping Jeff with his homework, being his tutor, but there was even a scene where a police officer noticed the "star athlete" of the basketball team. It's inevitable that schools run like this, even mine did. Sports is everything to small schools and even big schools because our education systems are twisted.
11. Car Accidents involving minors
Jeff's life was taken the night of Jessica's rape. He was not intoxicated but an intoxicated driver had him killed because they were too afraid to call the police and notify them that they broke a stop sign. That stop sign could have saved Jeff's life and not caused that older man to have therapy, hospital visits, and medical bills. Unsafe driving is something that happens every day with high school students, college students, and adults. Teenagers are less likely to call in an accident though due to the fact that most of the time they're participating in something illegal.
12. The truth about suicide
13 Reasons Why was all about suicide awareness; it was the main point. The idea of the show is to promote mental health to all ages so that suicide will become less likely to happen. Don't bully or judge a person and most definitely, don't assume they're okay. Everyone is capable of hiding their true feelings, even though it would be better to talk about them.
13. Cliques
Cliques can be found at almost every single school. Liberty High had many which included the jocks, cheerleaders, nerds, etc. and then there was Hannah, who thought she had no group. One thing I did notice is that when the tapes had been released, those who were on the tapes developed their own little clique to keep the secrets safe. They were afraid of the truth getting out but everyone knew something was up because when do you ever find all these types of cliques joining as one? Cliques can ruin a person, a school, a community. They ruined Hannah Baker.
