13 Reasons Why is the story of Hannah Baker, a young girl who slowly begins drowning in the pain caused by bullying and betrayal, and tragically decides to take her own life, leaving a collection of tapes behind.
Although at first sight it might seem like the whole plot is focused on the tragic event, the story is also filled with positive messages and tries to increase awareness about the devastating impact of not taking action.
As an executive producer, Selena Gomez is a driving force behind the series, and she called it a "passion project." It is based on the #1 New York Times and international bestseller Thirteen Reasons Why young adult novel written by Jay Asher. In 2017, the book was adapted into a screenplay and became a successful Netflix original series.
The show has drawn controversy and criticism for its graphic depictions of issues such as suicide and rape. But with its descriptions of real issues that affect teens, 13 Reasons Why aims to challenge teenagers -- and even adults -- to think carefully about every decision, the way they treat others as well as how they process their own feelings.
Here’s our selection of 13 Reasons Why quotes to keep the conversation going.
Sometimes things just happen to you. They just happen. You can't help it. But it's what you do next that counts. Not what happens, but what you decide to do about it.-- Hannah
You can't go back to how things were. How you thought they were. All you really have is...now.
-- Hannah
You don't know what goes on in anyone's life but your own.-- Hannah
But sometimes there’s nothing left to do but move on.-- Mr. Porter
It's hard to be disappointed when what you expected turns out to be true.-- Hannah
I cost a girl her life because I was afraid to love her.-- Clay Jensen
When you try rescuing someone and discover they can't be reached, why would you ever throw that back in their face?-- Hannah
Normally when a person has a stellar image, another person's waiting in the wings to tear them apart. They're waiting for that one fatal flaw to expose itself.-- Hannah
It may seem like a small role now, but it matters. In the end, everything matters.-- Hannah
When you hold people up for ridicule, you have to take responsibility when other people act on it.-- Hannah
You can’t stop the future. You can’t rewind the past.-- Hannah
Maybe if I forgot things once in a while, we'd all be a little bit happier.-- Hannah
I guess that's the point of it all: No one knows for certain how much impact they have on the lives of other people. Oftentimes, we have no clue. Yet we push it just the same.-- Hannah
I’m starting to understand. And that opens up a black hole in the pit of my stomach.-- Clay Jensen
I've heard so many stories I don't know which one is most popular. But I do know which is the least popular: the truth.-- Hannah
I want to rewind into the past and warn them. But I can’t. You can’t rewrite the past.-- Clay Jensen
I was going to work harder. Be smarter. And be stronger. Because you can't change other people, but you can change yourself.-- Hannah
