13 Reasons Why: Getting to the Reality Despite the Controversy

     13 Reasons Why is a Netflix Original series based on a young girl that commits suicide.  Hannah Baker goes through several traumatic situations.  After each one of these experiences, she falls deeper and deeper into depression.  In the end, she decides that her life is no longer worth living.  She makes a series of tapes, each one directed to another person that did something to lead her to her decision.  Although much of the controversy surrounding this show states that it glorifies revenge suicide or even Hannah, I do not believe that is the case.  I can see how it could be taken that way since the main character in the show is in love with Hannah, but everyone sees art differently. 
     I see several sides of a single story, none of which are glorified.  Each tape reveals the ugliness of humanity.  Romans 3:10-18  says, “There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God.  All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.  Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit.  The poison of vipers is on their lips.  Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.  Their feet are swift to shed blood; ruin and misery mark their ways, and the way of peace they do not know.  There is no fear of God before their eyes."  As the show continues, even the people that you think are good become some of the worst offenders. 
     The character, Alex Standal, is one example of how the show does not glorify revenge suicide.  As the show goes on, Alex falls deeper and deeper into depression himself.  In the end, he has fallen so far that he is barely recognizable.  The character, Jess, is another example of how the show does not glorify what is happening.  I will leave the rest of my opinion about Jess for when I address her tape.
     Although the main character, Clay, is in love with Hannah, I do not believe that the show glorifies her at all.  Rather, I believe that Clay's infatuation of her allows the audience to sympathize with her while all of the other characters are demeaning her.  It takes the audience in a direction of understanding and patience when, without this part of the story, many would automatically dismiss her or her experiences.
     Another interesting aspect of the story is that almost all of the incidences are due to someone believing a lie.  A single rumor, based on a lie, set all of the other events into motion, each time creating an even more traumatizing event.  I can tell you from experience that this is an easy path to fall down.  I will discuss this further in my post, PTSD:  Fighting for Freedom With a Broken Mind.
     Each of the following 13 posts will address a single episode of 13 Reasons Why.  I hope that, by the end of the last post, you will be able to understand the positive aspects the show has and how it can help all of us understand the slippery slope that leads someone to this decision.  Maybe then, we can all save a life.