Bryce Should Get

Away with It

By Mckayla A. Johnson

The new Netflix series that is sweeping the nation is none other the show    13 reasons why. The show is about a teenager, Hannah Baker, that kills herself and leave tapes with 13 reason why. Each reason is a person and in the order that the tapes are set, the people get the tapes. One of the last tapes is Bryce Walker. Hannah states that Bryce raped her friend, Jessica, and then her. Clay Jenson, Hannah’s love interest in the series, who is also on the tapes. Went to Bryce’s house to confront him on this; and, while recording him, gets a confession from him. After this the tapes were giving to the last person on the tapes, Mr. Porter, who was the school psychologist who wouldn’t help her.

 After their daughter’s death Hannah's parents are suing the school for not see that she was bullied. They don’t know about the tapes. Before Clay gave the tapes to the school he had his friend Tony transfer them to a flash drive that he gave to the Bakers. In the last episode, they show the 13 individuals being brought in for questioning by the prosecution pending a trial. They don’t show the trial, so that means that now that the show had been renewed for a second season, they may show the trial.

The show covers a variety of topics like suicide and rape, this has caused a controversy in showing the effects of such events on the people and those around them. This brings us to the main topic of this article. Hoping that the show’s producers keep going with this streak of controversy. When they keep going with the trial and when the trial against Bryce starts, I want him to get away with raping Hannah and Jessica.  

 Netflix

This will s how the injustice in today’s judicial system and that today’s boys don’t know how to respect woman. They are told to pick on girls to show their affection, they are taught to view woman as sex objects, objects to possess. They are taught to shoot for the stars no matter what’s in your way. This, is possibly the mentality that men who rape woman have. But when they are on trial they feel remorse only because their lives are on the line. In college, some men feel like they own the world just because they have a promising future.

This was the mentality Bryce Walker when he raped Hannah and Jessica. Even though Bryce isn’t in college, the mentality is the same. Bryce Walker represents a very specific set of men. Rich, white, handsome, promising future, and thinks he owns the world just because he has money. These characteristics describe all too well, too many men. Bryce Walker represents men like Brock Turner.

Brock Turner. Santa Clara Sheriff's Office

Brock Turner was a 19-year-old freshman at Stanford University when on January 18^th 2015 was caught raping an unconscious woman behind a dumpster. He was tried, in the trial the prosecution argued for 6 years, Brock was given 6 months and then let out after serving only 3.

This sentencing was due to the fact that Brock has a “promising future” according to his lawyer. Brock was rich and his parents bought him a very good lawyer. Brock is just one of the many examples of rich, white boys who get let off with the minimum sentence because they have a “promising future.”

This a problem that needs to be addressed and that’s why he needs to get away with the rapes. To show the audience that it is very real and needs to stop. 13 Reasons Why shows rape, bullying, depression, battle with mental illness, and suicide, they should add this too.

Brock and Bryce are one in the same, both white, both rich, both have the ‘I own the world’ attitude, and both have raped girls. Brock got away with it, and now lives in a small Ohio town where people picket outside his house and despise him. With Bryce, it may be a similar story, but he won’t get jail time. He may get a slap on the wrist and may have to move to another school district to pretend like the whole Hannah Baker thing never happened. But those rapist urges may still be there and he may rape again, but this time he will be caught and tried and convicted. Then and only then will the rapes stop.

This is all what I hope to happen in season 2.  The injustice of our judicial system is more than just something to be brushed off as it’s just the way it is.

This is all to show viewers what’s right underneath their noses. What’s really happening but going unreported. Brock Turner was a horrible person and Bryce is no different. The show will end with out-cry but that’s the point. It has to end someway why not with a bang. That’s why Bryce should get away with it. To give light to something that is not talked about often enough.

References: "13 Reasons Why (2017) S01e12 Episode Script | SS." Springfield! Springfield! Trans. N/a. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 May 2017.

Hollyfield, Amy, and Matt Keller. "Brock Turner Released from Jail in Santa Clara County." ABC7 San Francisco. ABC7, 02 Sept. 2016. Web. 17 May 2017.

N/a. "Brock Turner Bio." SwimSwam. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 May 2017.