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Hannah Baker's Presentation Of Suicide In 13 Reasons Why

1621 Words7 Pages

As society advances and teenagers become more mature, problems with mental health develop where least expected. Not everyone deals with thoughts of suicide, but it is more common than led on. Because mental health is becoming more prevalent, media sources have done their fair share of representing suicide in television shows, movies, internet articles, and several others. One in particular comes from Netflix, an online database with movies and programs. A series entitled 13 Reasons Why portrays the story of Clay Jensen, a teenager who returns home to find a box filled with cassette tapes from his former crush, Hannah Baker. Hannah committed suicide and uses these tapes to record thirteen reasons why she took her own life. Each cassette is designated to an individual in which Hannah blames for her death (13 Reasons Why). Although 13 Reasons Why takes initiative in addressing a subject that others are too hesitant to discuss, its representation of Hannah Baker’s death falsely presents suicide through romanticization, …show more content…

To leave someone with such massive guilt is blatantly unjust. According to Kalhan Rosenblatt of NBC News, “The tendency to imagine you can kill yourself as a way to get back at people feels like an adolescent fantasy” (“Does Netflix's '13 Reasons Why”). To kill oneself out of spite is seemingly worse than any act of vengeance a person could execute against another individual. By watching 13 Reasons Why, teenagers that are hoping to retaliate against their bullies may find that killing themselves will be the ultimate retribution. The creators selfishly promote revenge fantasies in order to produce quality entertainment and, in turn, makes suicide enticing. They fail to show the 13 Reasons Why audience that medication and therapy is an attainable and realistic

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