“None of You Cared Enough”: The Problematic Moralizing of 13Reasons Why

Abstract

ABSTRACT13 Reasons Why, a television series adapted from the 2007 novelThirteen Reasons Whyby Jay Asher, quickly evolved into a cultural phenomenon following its premiere in 2017. The plot of13 Reasons Whyconcerns the aftermath and fallout of a high school girl's suicide, and was intended by producers to deconstruct social stigmas attached to the act and examine motivations for suicide. While the series has initiated an ongoing dialogue about suicide,13 Reasons Whyhas also generated significant controversy regarding its portrayal, and the ultimate influence of the series has been called into question by professional organizations, who argue that13 Reasons Whycould possibly inspire copycat suicides. Suicide prevention advocacy groups have similar concerns that at‐risk youth who view the series may instead be motivated, instead of deterred, to commit suicide. By applying rhetorical criticism to select episodes of13 Reasons Whyand employing audience reception and social learning theory for its framework, this research essay utilizes13 Reasons Whyas a vessel to examine the greater influence of media texts on audiences and whether they can be held wholly accountable for provoking subsequent audience behaviors.