Blig Post 12/1: Thirteen Reasons Why

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher, is a young adult novel set in current time. Hannah Baker has just killed herself, but before her passing she made thirteen tapes, each tape about a specified person and why they were responsible for her death. When Clay Jensen receives these tapes,he wonders how he was responsible. As far as he could tell, they were friendly. Jay Asher writes an intriguing story about suicide and the unfortunate life of Hannah Baker, a suburban teenager. Hannah Baker a perfectionist, attempted to create an ideal life the lead to her unfortunate demise.

    Hannah Baker had awful rumors made up about her, witnessed awful events and had unforgivable things happen to her, which clearly lead to her depression. But there was a much deeper cause; Hannah Baker had her life pictured in her head, perfectly. Even if these terrible things hadn’t happened, she would, inevitably, have her downfall.  

For example, the first tape is about her first kiss with Justin Foley. Many nights leading up to the first day of school she had the same dream about her first kiss, it played out exactly the same each time; and that’s how she wanted the real one to be like. She’s on top of a jungle-gym, and her love is at the bottom waiting for her, she slides down, he catches her and they kiss. That’s exactly how it happened. Afterwards, her hopes were that she would be with Justin for much longer, but that’s not how things played out. He made up a rumor stating that they did a little more than just kissing. On the tape Hannah says the awful rumor started the snowball of her ruin, but truly, I think just the fact that he ruined her perfect image of the beginning of high school is what started it. From this, the snowball effect started, it wasn’t the awful rumors or the horrible things that happened that was what killed her, it was her image of a perfect life that was ruined, that killed her.

The book is written from the perspective of two characters; Clay Jensen is listening to the tapes and reacting, and Hannah is speaking from the tapes, explaining to us about how she got hurt. But really it’s from Clay’s perspective, we understand what he’s feeling, what he’s thinking, but we don’t with Hannah. Hannah is more of the author’s voice, unlike Clay who is more of the character’s voice. The book is missing Hannah’s thoughts and we don’t know if she’s crying or shaking from rage.

This could be the author’s purpose, having us readers, read Hannah’s voice as our own. If we had these things happen to us, how would we be feeling as we told someone? The author has us understand Hannah as ourselves so we could interpret what she was thinking. If the author had included Hannah’s voice, it probably would’ve overshadowed Clay’s voice, and the author wanted to emphasize Clay’s emotions, so we feel similar reactions.

Jay Asher writes about themes of depression, suicide and perfectionism, as he includes the reader as a part of the story. I can relate to Hannah; I want a perfect life and if one thing is ruined, it  would most likely upset me and most people can say the same. However, Jay Asher creates a realistic character that emphasizes how high expectations can ruin even the best moments in life. Hannah Baker killed herself, the reader is Hannah Baker.

Argument Essay: Should Access to YA Fiction be Limited in Any Way?

    The ongoing argument on whether or not young adult fiction should be limited in any way; had begun in 1967, when S.E HInton’s “The Outsiders” was published. The influential novel, “dealing with class tensions, family dysfunction and violent, disaffected youth,” (stated in “Darkness Too Visible, by Meghan Cox Gurdon,) sparked a new era of YA literature. Young adult (YA) fiction these days, often portrays harsh topics, that may include; violence and sexual abuse. Not normally what parents want their children to learn quite yet. However, these topics are what we must eventually learn, because it is a crucial part of developing into a young adult. Access to YA fiction should not be limited in any way, because it is better to learn from a book, rather than experience.

    “Why the Best Books are Written in Blood,” by the critically acclaimed author of the young adult novel “The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian,” Sherman Alexie responds to the article “Darkness Too Visible,” by Meghan Cox Gurdon. In the article, Gurdon states that any books that depict traumatic events could affect someone who suffered, or is suffering from these events negatively. She believes young adults should not have access to such novels because it could trigger a relapse for those who have previously dealt with these situations. To which Mr. Alexie responds with personal experience, “when I think of the poverty-stricken, sexually and physically abused, self-loathing Native American teenager that I was, I can only wish, immodestly, that I’d been given the opportunity to read ‘The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian.’ Or Laurie Halse Anderson’s “Speak.” Or Chris Lynch’s ‘Inexcusable.’ Or any of the books that Ms. Gurdon believes to be irredeemable.” Sherman Alexie was one of the many teenagers dealing with social issues, and he could only wish that he was able to read books with characters that he could’ve related to. This may have helped him understand what was going on and that he was not alone. Gurdon believes the books he listed should not be available to young adults, although they could offer relief.

    Another example for why access to YA fiction should not be limited is; when Sherman Alexie talked at a conference for high school students, many of them had read his book, and were inspired.

Mr. Alexie spoke of his personal struggles growing up, with addiction and mental illness. “Two years ago, I met a young man attending one of the most elite private high schools in the country. He quietly spoke to me in agony. What kind of pain could a millionaire’s child be suffering? He hadn’t been physically or sexually abused. He hadn’t ever been hungry. He’d never seen one person strike another in anger. He’d never even been to a funeral. So what was his problem?

‘I want to be a writer,’ he said. ‘But my father won’t let me. He wants me to be a soldier. Like he was.’ He was seventeen and destined to join the military. Yes, he was old enough to die and kill for his country. And old enough to experience the infinite horrors of war. But according to Ms. Gurdon, he might be too young to read a YA novel that vividly portrays those very same horrors. ‘I don’t want to be like my father,’ that young man said. ‘I want to be myself. Just like in your book.’” This demonstrates two things; one, if he is too young to read YA fiction that depicts war, according to “Darkness Too Visible,” then how does Meghan Cox Gurdon expect young men and women to prepare themselves, and understand the horrors of violence and loss at war? This also demonstrates that this young man was inspired by Sherman Alexie’s autobiographical book, “The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian.” Although this young adult has his differences from Mr. Alexie, he still has his own hardships.

Overall, learning from books can help young readers mature, and understand what they want and need, because they educated themselves through reading. Sherman Alexie wished he could’ve done so, and the students who he talked to, had, so they knew what they wanted to do. Without YA books, I wouldn’t understand the world the way I do. Without them, I wouldn’t know about social issues, and events that were bound to happen to me, such as puberty. Access to young adult fiction should not be limited in any way, because the content is beneficial to the development of young readers.

Non-Fiction Analysis: Why the Best Books Are Written in Blood

    In “Why the Best Kids Books Are Written in Blood”  by Sherman Alexie, he responds to the article “Darkness Too Visible” by Meghan Cox Gurdon. Alexie explains his theory that YA fiction is beneficial to those who are suffering. He supports this through a series of real-life examples, including his own experiences from his childhood.

    In “Darkness Too Visible,” Gurdon states that dark young adult novels, that depict traumatic events, such as; rape, abuse and drug addiction can affect those who have dealt with such experiences negatively. Alexie scoffed at this statement, responding with a personal example, “When I think of the poverty-stricken, sexually abused, self-loathing Native American teenager that I was, I can only wish, immodestly, that I’d been given the opportunity to read ‘The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian.’ Or Laurie Halse Anderson’s ‘Speak.’ Or Chris Lynch’s ‘Inexcusable.’ Or any of the books that Ms. Gurdon believes to be irredeemable.” Sherman Alexie, having been a broken young adult, wished that he had been able to read YA fiction that may have had graphic content, as a child. He believes that if he had read these books, it would’ve helped him cope with his hardships in a better way, understanding that others had the same issues as he did.

    When Sherman Alexie talked at a conference for high school student, many of them had read his book, and were inspired. Mr. Alexie spoke of his personal struggles growing up, with addiction and mental illness. “Two years ago, I met a young man attending one of the most elite private high schools in the country. He quietly spoke to me in agony What kind of pain could a millionaire’s son be suffering? He hadn’t been physically or sexually abused. He hadn’t ever been hungry. He’d never seen one person strike another in anger. He’d never even been in a funeral. So what was his problem?

‘I want to be a writer,’ he said. ‘But my father won’t let me. He wants me to be a soldier. Like he was.” He was seventeen and destined to join the military. Yes, he was old enough to die and kill for his country. And old enough to experience the infinite horrors of war. But according to Ms. Gurdon, he might be too young to read a YA novel that vividly portrays those very same horrors. ‘I don’t want to be like my father,’ that young man said. ‘I want to be myself. Just like in your book.’” This demonstrates two things; one, if he is too young to read YA fiction that depicts war, according to “Darkness Too Visible,” then how does Meghan Cox Gurdon expect young men and women to prepare themselves, and understand the horrors of violence and loss at war? This also demonstrates that this young man was inspired by Sherman Alexie’s autobiographical book, “The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian.” Although this young adult has his differences from Mr. Alexie, he still has his own hardships.

    Sherman Alexie has written a beautiful article responding to Meghan Cox Gurdon’s article,”Darkness Too Visible,” elaborating on his theory stating that YA fiction helps the suffering mind, opposed to, as Gurdon had stated, deepening the wound; “And now I write books for teenagers because I vividly remember what it felt like to be a teen facing everyday and epic dangers. I don’t write to protect them. It’s far too late for that. i write to give them weapons-in the form of words and ideas-that will help them fight their monsters. I write in blood because I remember what it felt like to bleed.” He emphasized the emotion through touching stories of young adults who suffer, and how he had suffered.