Settings of the Novel

The novel Thirteen Reasons Why has many settings; however, it all takes place in a small town in California where Clay lives. In the story, Hannah includes a map that goes along with the tapes so that the people on her list do not only listen to her story, but can also walk in her shoes. She wants them to experience these places in a new way, from her point of view. Clay follows Hannah's map to get the full experience of her story, as does the reader. This novel has a very strong relationship between the setting and the storyline. Clay ends up going to all of the red stars on Hannah’s map all in one night, which is where the book takes place. The locations on the map are where things went wrong since she came to the new town and have an important reason in Hannah’s decision to end her life. The people who were at these settings at certain times had something to do with her suicidal thoughts and actions, and the events that occurred at those certain places all had their place in the reasons that Hannah took her life. The setting of the book is important because the reader is able to get Hannah’s insights on each place, which helps set the scene and makes you able to visualize the story better. The main settings of the book include Rosie’s Diner, Eisenhower Park, Blue Spot Liquor, Monet’s Cafe, The Crestmont Movie Theatre, Clay’s garage, and the streets of his neighborhood that he traveled that night.