Symbols In The Novel

There are many symbols used in the novel Thirteen Reasons Why. One of the symbols used is blue nail polish. Hannah’s tapes are numbered in blue nail polish, and she was wearing blue nail polish the last time Clay saw her on the last day of her life. Since she used the blue nail polish to number the tapes containing her last words and she wore it on her last day on earth, it symbolizes that her decision to commit suicide was final. The nail polish is also a representation of the sweet, romantic girl Hannah is. This typical teenage girl sets up a great contrast with what Hannah has become by the end of the story. By this point, Hannah's heart has turned blue, the color of sadness and heartbreak, which is what the blue nail polish is used to represent.  Another symbol used is the scar on Hannah’s forehead. She got the mark from Jessica Davis, who accuses Hannah of stealing her boyfriend and scratches her over the eye. This affects Hannah both physically and emotionally as it marks her memory forever and will remain on her forehead for the rest of her life. Another symbol used in the book is the “Oh My Dollar Valentines”. The valentines are more symbolic to the characters in the story than they are to the readers. People often have high expectations for Valentine's Day, but for Hannah, it represents a day gone horribly wrong. The Oh My Dollar Valentines symbolize the way things always seem to turn out badly for Hannah when she puts her heart on the line. For Clay, the Valentines symbolize another lost opportunity to connect with Hannah. Another symbol used in the book is Romeo and Juliet. At the beginning of Clay’s tape, Hannah addresses him as Romeo. The book shows that Romeo and Juliet represent suicide by connecting it with the idea of true love. The T-shaped road described in the story symbolizes Hannah’s life becoming a crossroad. Hannah feels caught between two different paths, and does not know which way to turn for help.