MovieChat Forums > 13 Reasons Why (2017) Discussion > Does this show glamorize suicide?

Does this show glamorize suicide?

posted 8 years ago by withatwist (2)
11 replies | jump to latest

Before any of you start in on me, hear me out. Yes, I've watched the whole thing and I know the actual scene of Hannah's suicide is horrifying and not glamorous at all. I watched with my hand over my mouth trying not to cry. But, the isn't the whole premise of the "tell-all" tapes kind of glamorizing suicide by focusing so much on revenge in a way? Destroying the reputation of others like they destroyed hers? Or showing a "I'll kill myself and THEN you'll all be sorry" type of attitude? Making suicide seem like a good idea to punish those who hurt you?

I understand depression intimately and genuinely feel for those who take their lives because they just can't deal with the pain. I know the trauma that Hannah went through affected her enormously. But I can't help but wonder if the show is irresponsible in a way for showing this admonition from Hannah from beyond the grave, which might seem appealing to someone who was on the fence about taking their life.

The "Beyond the 13 Reasons" post-show episode was a decent afterthought to explain that suicide isn't the way, but I'm not sure it did enough to make up for the previous 13 episodes of Hannah getting the last word.

Thoughts?

[–] winslow (1318) 8 years ago

I'm not really sure how I would take this show if I watched it back when I was 17, but being much older and wiser now, I think the takeaway is they want kids to say these things face to face instead of making tapes or writing notes that people won't get until after suicide. Also showing the parents in constant pain looking for answers, I would see as a powerful deterrent.

There's another point they make about revenge versus justice, but that doesn't get clearer until about halfway through.

[–] beauq81 (1085) 8 years ago

Depends. The final episode shows that Hannah held a glimmer of hope until the very end, when she went to Porter and that the tapes started out as a way for her to note down what had happened to her.

Plus, suicide has often been portrayed as somewhat glamorous in the movies. Remember, for instance, Pentangeli in The Godfather 2?

[–] Maya (116) 8 years ago

I agree, I feel like there was an element of glamour in that Hannah was a pretty girl with a good foundation (parents who love her, put food on the table, intelligent, white, middle class, USA citizen etc.) which sort of frames her as being the perfectly sensational suicide victim. I think kids watching this who aren't in such a great position (maybe closer to Justin's upbringing) might identify with Hannah in a bad way, such as "she's got it way better than me and she STILL did it."

Something about the way she was blaming everyone else for her decision also didn't sit right with me. Committing suicide is one person's decision only. Nobody on those tapes "killed" her. I really didn't like the way they suggested that. It seemed like an unhealthy message for impressionable teens who are struggling with related mental health issues. It sort of gives off the idea that if you kill yourself you aren't responsible and after you die everyone else will take the blame so don't let that guilt stop you.

[–] winslow (1318) 8 years ago

There is an interview with the story editor for the last episode (Nic Sheff). He is the one who wrote the suicide scene, and said he based it on his own experience- he had been suicidal due to addiction, and the one thing that stopped him from going through with it was realizing it would actually be a violent death. I've known counselors who are trained to ask a suicidal person to describe in detail how they would go about it, I'm guessing someone did that for him as well.

Putting her parents in the next scene was also intentional. People who are suicidal don't always think through what happens afterward, with the people around them, or have a distorted vision of what that would be like (example: she believed she was a problem for her parents). If she was like Justin's mom, it would not have the same impact because the audience mostly dislikes her, and the suicide would be seen more as a consequence of the way she treated her kid.

I know not everyone will agree with their choices, but the people who made this show truly believe they are doing the opposite of glamorizing suicide, and used those scenes to break through two of the most common suicide fantasies.

[–] lefecious (25) 8 years ago

YES!!! It does glamorize suicide in a huge way.

If there are kids out there that are on the fence, it might inspire them to go through with it.

Think about it, so many emo kids these days are desperately crying for attention, and now they watch this show and see how much attention Hannah was getting after her death. How "Sorry" everyone was once they realized how they hurt her. How everyone misses her and wishes they'd have paid more attention to her.

For a kid that is desperate for attention this show serves as an instruction manual on how to get it.

Not saying this show should be banned. I don't believe in that kind of censorship. But I do firmly believe we will see a copycat suicide that is inspired by this show, where the person leaves behind tapes, videos, maps, etc.

[–] Sentient Meat (1509) 8 years ago

Kids kill themselves all the time... playing devil's advocate here... assuming the kid was telling the truth... wouldn't it be better for the kid to explain who was bullying them and expose them, rather than quietly dying without a fight? Then wouldn't that create a deterrent to bullies that might save a few lives as well? Seems like maybe a couple might be lost to copycat... but perhaps more might be saved. Open discussion and communication seems like it would usually be the best course of action as opposed to politely acting like a problem doesn't exist.

[–] Boricanator (1440) 8 years ago

People have been blaming movies and shows for real world actions since, at least, Taxi Driver.

This show could motivate people to commit suicide, but it could also motivate people to be more aware of others and maybe a few could be saved.

[–] Alex (1503) 7 years ago

I say - LET THEM. Only the strongest of body and mind deserve to survive and populate the Earth.

Modern medicine has come a long way of keeping millions of people's corrupted DNA alive unnecessarily.
It's Mother Nature's way of weeding itself out. Let the weaklings leave (the gene pool) and the strong stay.

[–] darkpast (8716) 8 years ago

nope, it accurately portrays kids as morons

[–] Kewl_Kat (226) 8 years ago

I think it does because it shows how blaming everybody else for your problems can be an effective way to get revenge, even in death. A better way to get revenge is to stand up for yourself and to stay alive to see the results. Hannah would have gotten a lot more satisfaction by outliving the people who she felt wronged her. She could have danced and/or urinated on their graves.

[–] tohavealifetimeoffun (22) 8 years ago

Not at all. Throughout watching it, seeing her kill herself and seeing the aftermath her suicide left I never once felt it was glamorised or thought it should a "I'll kill myself and THEN you'll all be sorry" type attitude. I've struggled with the thought of killing myself before, specifically when I was around 14/15 and if I had seen this then it wouldn't have made me want to do it more or anything.......it's awful and it would have made me stop and think and stop myself from doing it even more so than I did by myself.