Life is crazy. At times it can be a black void threatening to trap you inside, and it can be a glorious monument to everything that is perfect and amazing in the world. After reading "13 Reasons Why" by Jay Asher, I was left with a grey mist of emotion every time I thought of Hannah's words spilling from Clay's old Walkman. Reading Hannah Baker's last words, the reasons why she decided to leave this world, and walking with Clay Jensen as he tries to hold onto them, stirs up emotions that the reader doesn't expect. As I neared the end, the true end in all respects, I felt myself there with Clay trying to reach out to someone who is already gone, holding on to their memory and spirit. I realized that his struggle and emotions were reflected into my own life, and that my own efforts to change my world were as futile as chasing the wind.
There are many ways that Clay and I are similar. We both have/are losing people who are important to us, and are trying to cope with the pain of losing someone close to us. When these people are gone, our entire lives crumble. Much like the titan Atlas, we are forced to hold the crushing weight of the world on our shoulders. But while Clay walks the streets of his hometown alone, he eventually finds strength in his friends. I have been able to find strength in others around me. When I need someone to lean on, my friends and family lift me up and support me. They lift the weight from my shoulders and push me on to not only get through the pain but to also rise and succeed. So while Clay and I may be different in our suffering, we both have ways of easing our own pain through others.
This book spoke really loudly to me on an emotional level. Hearing Hannah Baker describe what led her to commit suicide made me realize that suicide is more than a cause of death. The thought that the actions of another human being could drive a person to completely give up on live and kill themselves leaves me feeling empty inside, hollow, like there is a great emptiness inside my chest where my heart should be. This book was one of the most remarkable books I have ever read, and it expands one's awareness of others and themselves in a place where it is easy to overlook others.
There are many ways that Clay and I are similar. We both have/are losing people who are important to us, and are trying to cope with the pain of losing someone close to us. When these people are gone, our entire lives crumble. Much like the titan Atlas, we are forced to hold the crushing weight of the world on our shoulders. But while Clay walks the streets of his hometown alone, he eventually finds strength in his friends. I have been able to find strength in others around me. When I need someone to lean on, my friends and family lift me up and support me. They lift the weight from my shoulders and push me on to not only get through the pain but to also rise and succeed. So while Clay and I may be different in our suffering, we both have ways of easing our own pain through others.
This book spoke really loudly to me on an emotional level. Hearing Hannah Baker describe what led her to commit suicide made me realize that suicide is more than a cause of death. The thought that the actions of another human being could drive a person to completely give up on live and kill themselves leaves me feeling empty inside, hollow, like there is a great emptiness inside my chest where my heart should be. This book was one of the most remarkable books I have ever read, and it expands one's awareness of others and themselves in a place where it is easy to overlook others.