13 Reasons Why: Personal Responsibility as the Main Idea of the Show

13 Reasons Why is a critically acclaimed teen drama series on Netflix that discuss a wide range of topics that teens this day and age go through. Which include sexual assault, bullying, drugs and money problems, and the biggest of all, suicide. I believe that you should watch 13 Reasons Why because the characters are dynamic, the show vividly enacts what teens struggle with, and at the end of the day, the show promotes responsibility.

For starters, the characters are very dynamic, and I believe the writers used this to shape and advance the plot. On the contrary to a static character, a dynamic character is a character who undergoes a substantial internal change. This is very evident throughout almost every character. You have weird kids, the jocks, rich kids, and just everyone in between. Some may argue that this very stereotypical or that the characters are overly simplified, and yes, they may be stereotypes but they are far from overly simplified. Let's take one of the main characters, for example, Jessica Davis, she started as a cheerful and happy person, and after finally leaving the stage of denial she finally came to the realization that she was raped; she became depressed, dull, quiet and didn't have a voice for herself. After realizing that she could be empowered once again she gained her confidence back and spoke up for people that went through what she did. Or Bryce Walker, a serial rapist with parental issues. Bryce's parents are extremely wealthy people, and they aren't really in his life. They make sure he was taken care of financially but other than that he grew up on his own. As a result, Bryce takes his emotions out by doing heinous crimes.                

After being put on trial, Bryce's parents realize that their son needs helps, and in the end, Bryce Walker died trying to be a better person. Besides, to dynamic characters, the show vividly enacts the challenges that teens face in high school. They start off with the minute things like bullying and name-calling and then escalating to violent scenes such suicide teen of Hannah Baker the main protagonist taking a razor to her skin, pressed in very deeply quickly passing the dermis of her skin, and in agonizing pain, pulling her hand down further and further and switching hands and doing the same thing while she's just bleeding out. Or the iconic scene where Monte de La Cruz takes a mop and inserts into Tyler's anus and proceeds to push it in further and further as he is screaming in agony and when he pulls it out, he begins to bleed. As people watch this on their screens they start understanding and act upon those emotions. This show uses its visuals to bring awareness to these issues.Because before 13 Reasons why no show dared to vividly show the challenges and obstacles to this degree.

Lastly, watching this show will promote personal responsibility. I saved this topic for last because this is the basis of the show. Once again, the main protagonist Hannah Baker, makes 13 tapes and these tapes are the reasons why she killed herself. Others may argue that Hannah was just blaming people for her suicide. Yes, this is the case, but it was deeper than that. These tapes were a catalyst, to each character that was on them to be held responsible for what they did. For example, Bryce Walker the serial rapist with daddy and mommy issues, saw what he had done and the effect it had on everyone else and tried to change, but it was the tapes mainly Hannah's death that led Bryce to take this responsibility.

In conclusion, 13 Reasons Why is indeed a great show that everyone should watch. It covers a wide range of topics that especially teens can relate to. The show helps promote personal responsibility through their dynamic characters and their powerful enactments of every scene. This is why you should watch 13 Reasons Why.