Clay Jensen Character Analysis in Thirteen Reasons Why

Clay is the novel’s narrator and Hannah Baker’s love interest. As he listens to Hannah’s tapes, he wanders through their small town, piecing together his memories with Hannah’s stories. At first, Clay doesn’t think he deserves to be on Hannah’s list: he doesn’t think he’s done anything wrong, and he also thinks Hannah is being unfair by listing the other names. But as he continues listening, he begins to understand that each person on Hannah’s list impacted her deeply. Even when he learns that he’s only on the list because Hannah loved him, he still considers himself partially at fault for her death. While some of the others on Hannah’s list, like Marcus and Alex, would rather throw stones at Tyler’s window than reflect on their own behavior, Clay’s willingness to take responsibility for his actions sets him apart from them. Clay represents the hopeful side of the novel by showing that people can learn from tragic events. When he notices that his middle-school crush, Skye, is behaving similarly to Hannah, he reaches out to her, because Hannah’s story taught him that his help could make a vital difference.

Clay Jensen Quotes in Thirteen Reasons Why

The Thirteen Reasons Why quotes below are all either spoken by Clay Jensen or refer to Clay Jensen. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

“So what’s going on, Clay?”

I repeat his words in my head. What’s going on? What’s going on? Oh, well, since you asked, I got a bunch of tapes in the mail today from a girl who killed herself. Apparently, I had something to do with it. I’m not sure what that is, so I was wondering if I could borrow your Walkman to find out.

“Not much,” I say.

Related Characters: (speaker), (speaker),

Page Number and Citation: 32

Explanation and Analysis:

A brass bell jingles when I open the door. The same bell Hannah listened to whenever she came in for a candy fix. Instead of letting it swing shut behind me, I hold the edge of the door and slowly push it shut, watching it ring the bell again.

Related Characters: (speaker),

Page Number and Citation: 48

Explanation and Analysis:

I think I need to finish them, and finish them tonight.

But should I? In one night? Or should I find my story, listen to it, then just enough of the next tape to see who I’m supposed to pass them off to?

Related Characters: (speaker),

Page Number and Citation: 69

Explanation and Analysis:

“And you?” I ask. “What did you do?”

For a moment, his eyes stare through me. Then he blinks.

“Nothing. It’s ridiculous,” he says. “I don’t belong on those tapes. Hannah just wanted an excuse to kill herself.”

I let the rock drop onto the sidewalk. It was either that or smash it in his face right there.

Related Characters: (speaker), (speaker), ,

Page Number and Citation: 110

Explanation and Analysis:

If you ever caught me reading one of those teen magazines, I swear, it wasn’t for the makeup tips. It was for the surveys.

Because you never wore makeup, Hannah. You didn’t need it.

Fine, some of the hair and makeup tips were helpful.

You wore makeup?

Related Characters: (speaker), (speaker)

Page Number and Citation: 120

Explanation and Analysis:

“Did you order yet?”

I swivel around. Mom sits on the stool next to me and pulls out a menu. Beside her, on the counter, is Hannah’s shoebox.

“Are you staying?” I ask.

If she stays, we can talk. I don’t mind. It would be nice to free my thoughts for a while. To take a break.

Related Characters: (speaker), (speaker),

Page Number and Citation: 151

Explanation and Analysis:

Why, whenever anyone saw us, did I pretend it meant nothing? We were working, that’s what I wanted them to believe. Not hanging out. Just working.

Why?

Because Hannah had a reputation. A reputation that scared me.

Related Characters: (speaker),

Page Number and Citation: 180

Explanation and Analysis:

Two people—me and him—one house. Yet he drove away with no idea of his link to me, the girl on the sidewalk. And for some reason, at that moment, the air felt heavy. Filled with loneliness. And that loneliness stayed with me through the rest of the night.

Even the best moments of the night were affected by that one incident—by that nonincident—in front of my old house. His lack of interest in me was a reminder. Even though I had a history in that house, it didn’t matter. You can’t go back to how things were.

Related Characters: (speaker), ,

Page Number and Citation: 206

Explanation and Analysis:

The only thing that’s not fair are these tapes, Hannah, because I was there for you. We were talking. You could have said anything. I would have listened to absolutely anything.

Related Characters: (speaker),

Page Number and Citation: 211

Explanation and Analysis:

How many times had I let myself connect with someone only to have it thrown back in my face?

Everything seemed good, but I knew it had the potential to be awful. Much, much more painful than the others.

Related Characters: (speaker), , , ,

Page Number and Citation: 213

Explanation and Analysis:

“Honestly. Thank you,” I say. And when I say it, I mean it for more than just the ride. For everything. For how he reacted when I broke down and cried. For trying to make me laugh on the most horrible night of my life.

It feels good knowing someone understands what I’m listening to, what I’m going through. Somehow, it makes it not as scary to keep listening.

Related Characters: (speaker), ,

Page Number and Citation: 239

Explanation and Analysis:

I want to look back. To look over my shoulder and see the Stop sign with huge reflective letters, pleading with Hannah. Stop!

But I keep facing forward, refusing to see it as more than it is. It’s a sign. A stop sign on a street corner. Nothing more.

Related Characters: (speaker), ,

Page Number and Citation: 250

Explanation and Analysis:

I’m walking down the hall.

Her voice is clear. It’s louder.

His door is closed behind me. It’s staying closed.

A pause.

He’s not coming.

I press my face hard against the bars. They feel like a vise tightening against my skull the further I push.

He’s letting me go.

Related Characters: (speaker), (speaker),

Related Symbols:

Page Number and Citation: 279

Explanation and Analysis:

A flood of emotion rushes into me. Pain and anger. Sadness and pity. But most surprising of all, hope.

I keep walking.

Skye’s footsteps are growing louder now. And the closer I get to her, the faster I walk, and the lighter I feel. My throat begins to relax.

Two steps behind her, I say her name.

“Skye.”

Related Characters: (speaker), ,

Page Number and Citation: 278

Explanation and Analysis:

Clay Jensen Character Timeline in Thirteen Reasons Why

The timeline below shows where the character Clay Jensen appears in Thirteen Reasons Why. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

Clay hands a package to the post office clerk. She asks him how quickly he wants... (full context)

The clerk tells Clay the package will arrive in a day or two. He imagines Jenny, the recipient, seeing... (full context)

Clay walks to school, his head aching. He feels on the verge of collapse. He wants... (full context)

One day earlier, Clay arrives home to find a shoebox-sized package outside his front door, addressed to him. He... (full context)

The first tape begins to play. On the tape, Hannah Baker introduces herself. Clay is shocked: Hannah Baker killed herself. Hannah’s voice continues, explaining that whoever is listening to... (full context)

Clay’s mom asks if she can listen to the tapes, but Clay says it’s not his... (full context)

Clay feels sick. He thinks he received the tapes wrongly: he only knew Hannah from working... (full context)

...do, they’ll understand her story better. Then, she begins to address Justin Foley, a senior. Clay knows Justin was Hannah’s first kiss, but he begins to wonder how he knows that.... (full context)

Gender, Sexualization, and Agency Theme Icon

...when the two boys arrived, they slipped on the wet grass before running away, embarrassed. Clay remembers Kat telling that story at her leaving party, where he met Hannah for the... (full context)

Clay decides that the only reason the tapes are being passed on is through fear of... (full context)

As Clay listens to the tape, he pulls the map out of his backpack. Clay’s mom calls... (full context)

...is a slut.” But she says she isn’t—she just wanted a kiss, and that’s it. Clay remembers hearing a different story about Hannah and Justin: that Hannah let Justin put his... (full context)

Clay arrives at Tony’s house. Tony and his dad are working on his car. They greet... (full context)

...Class,” and Hannah expects that he has no idea why he’s part of these tapes. Clay listens, sitting on the curb as the sun begins to set. Hannah tells Alex that,... (full context)

...bet it is.” She confronts him and discovers the list titled “Who’s Hot/Who’s Not.” As Clay listens to the story, he realizes that Hannah’s reputation must have begun with Justin’s rumors. (full context)

...name is under “Worst Ass.” She thinks Jessica is actually much prettier than her (though Clay disagrees). She knows that Alex gave them their labels out of revenge. More importantly, Alex’s... (full context)

Clay arrives at the location of the first star on the map. It’s Hannah’s old house.... (full context)

In the present, Clay pauses the tape as he arrives at Blue Spot Liquor. Wally isn’t behind the counter... (full context)

Clay continues listening to the tape. After Hannah pays for her candy and swats the boy’s... (full context)

Clay recognizes the boy Hannah is talking about. Even though he’s always wanted to confront him,... (full context)

Clay begins to realize what Hannah means by the list affecting people’s opinions of each other.... (full context)

As the sun keeps setting, Clay stands up, throws the Butterfinger in the trash, and puts the next tape into the... (full context)

...make their own way home, they end up downtown at a cafe called Monet’s. As Clay listens, it gets dark and cold outside, so he boards a city bus and chooses... (full context)

As Clay listens, he realizes he doesn’t know the bus route, so he asks the driver when... (full context)

Clay enters Monet’s and orders a coffee, hoping to caffeinate himself enough so that he can... (full context)

As Clay looks for a seat, he spills a drop of coffee on the ground, and it... (full context)

The patio is full, so Clay goes back inside, takes a seat near the window, and plays the next side of... (full context)

...them in—and so should the others on the list: her stories leave many unanswered questions. Clay wants to tell Hannah he would’ve answered any questions she had for him if she’d... (full context)

In the present, Clay takes off the Walkman’s headphones. He walks over to the bookshelf in Monet’s and looks... (full context)

As Clay listens, he pulls out the map and searches for the star on Tyler’s house. He... (full context)

On the bus, Clay opens the map and looks for the location of the party—it’s close to Tyler’s house.... (full context)

Back on the bus, a girl’s voice shocks Clay by asking whether he missed his stop. He pauses the tape and sees Skye, his... (full context)

Clay gets off the bus and starts walking to Tyler’s house. He isn’t sure how to... (full context)

Marcus puts the rock in Clay’s hands and tells him he’d be the first to say no to throwing one at... (full context)

...Courtney saying that Hannah had “a few surprises” in her dresser drawers. (In the present, Clay is shocked: he knows Courtney completely made that up.) Hannah asks the boy what Courtney... (full context)

...home the longest way possible and eventually realizes she’s completely sick of this town. (As Clay, in the present, listens to Hannah’s tape, he realizes he feels the same way.) (full context)

...an aside, she says that the makeup tips in them were also helpful, which surprises Clay, who thought Hannah never wore makeup.) Hannah also mentions that the results of the career... (full context)

...realized as she filled hers out that she was describing a particular person at school. Clay reflects on his answers and wishes he’d filled his survey out seriously, but he actually... (full context)

As Clay listens to Hannah’s tape, he wonders whether he’d have gotten Hannah’s name on his list... (full context)

...doesn’t share the cheerleader’s name: she says she did nothing wrong and was very sweet. (Clay knows for sure that the cheerleader is Jenny Kurtz, who, when she heard about Hannah’s... (full context)

...and sit at the counter by themselves. They should sit and wait without ordering. As Clay listens to the tape, his phone rings: it’s Clay’s mom. When Clay answers, he finds... (full context)

Clay started to run as he listened to Hannah telling the story of that afternoon, but... (full context)

In the theater lobby, Clay walks up to the box office window and looks inside. He remembers feeling cramped in... (full context)

Halfway through the movie, Clay remembers, the girl came running out, upset and holding her wrist. Bryce emerged at the... (full context)

Clay runs from the movie theater back to Rosie’s. He looks for Clay’s mom’s car in... (full context)

Clay hears Clay’s mom’s voice beside him: she’s brought the tapes. She asks where his friend... (full context)

Clay plays the next tape. To begin, Hannah describes Peer Communications, which she calls “everyone’s favorite... (full context)

In the present, Clay looks up to see Tony standing beside him. Tony asks him if the Walkman is... (full context)

...but for her, they were the only hope she held onto at that point. As Clay listens to Hannah’s tape, he realizes that he’s beginning to feel close to Hannah, and... (full context)

...wrote to her after she opened up in class—it would’ve encouraged her to share more. Clay thinks Hannah is being unfair: if Zach had known how hopeless Hannah felt, he might... (full context)

...As he walks down the hallway, she yells after him, “Why?” and begins to cry. Clay remembers people talking about that moment as though Hannah broke down without any reason. At... (full context)

Clay remembers that a few days before Hannah died, she seemed to brighten: she greeted people... (full context)

Clay flips the tape over. Hannah begins it by asking her listeners whether they’d want the... (full context)

As Clay listens to Hannah’s tape, he sees Tony walking out the front door of Rosie’s. He’s... (full context)

When Clay worked in the box office, he would call Hannah at the concession stand to bring... (full context)

Clay plays the tape. Hannah says that after she stopped writing poetry, she began to miss... (full context)

As soon as Hannah mentions Ryan on the tape, Clay works out that the poem everyone read in the Gazette and then studied in English... (full context)

...accept her, and, more importantly, her desire for a certain boy to notice her. As Clay sits in Rosie’s, which is empty now, he suddenly realizes that he’s the boy Hannah’s... (full context)

Clay takes the headphones off. The man over the counter refuses to let him pay for... (full context)

As Clay leaves Rosie’s, he hears Tony calling out to him. He walks over to Tony’s window.... (full context)

Tony asks Clay which tape he was listening to in Rosie’s; Clay tells him it was Ryan’s part... (full context)

Hannah begins the tape by saying, “Wherefore art thou, Romeo?” As Clay listens, Tony yells to him, “It’s okay!” Clay’s head twitches with pain, and he feels... (full context)

Hannah tells the listeners that this tape isn’t for her to reveal anything bad about Clay. Clay’s name doesn’t even belong on this list, but she has to tell his part... (full context)

...few tapes will focus on one night, which she calls “our night”—“our” meaning herself and Clay—because it was the night she and Clay properly connected. Clay remembers that night with anger:... (full context)

...there: her parents grounded her because her grades have been slipping. But she knows that Clay’s going to be at the party. This fact surprises her and everyone else—Clay never goes... (full context)

On the tape, Hannah tells Clay that her loneliness at seeing the elderly man was one of the reasons she overreacted... (full context)

...the party, things are already in full swing. Many people are drunk. Hannah searches for Clay, hoping to properly connect with him because they never seemed to have the chance before.... (full context)

In the kitchen at the party, Clay pours half his drink into Hannah’s cup. She knows some people would find this creepy,... (full context)

On the tape, Hannah says she wishes she and Clay had connected sooner, but by the time they talked at the party, she’d already given... (full context)

...party, the girl (Jessica) next to Hannah keeps drunkenly bumping into her, so Hannah and Clay get up to find somewhere quieter. They end up in the doorway to an empty... (full context)

...tape, Hannah guesses that her listeners must feel shocked that they didn’t know she and Clay kissed, but she reminds them that they only think they know about all the people... (full context)

Clay stares at the tape in the Walkman. Staring into the two spindles is the closest... (full context)

Hannah continues her story. At the party, her and Clay’s kisses feel like first kisses to her, and that makes her think of Justin—the anticipation... (full context)

In the empty room, Hannah continues to tell Clay to stop. Clay keeps trying to talk, but each time, Hannah starts to scream. Eventually,... (full context)

Hannah’s story continues. At school in the weeks after the party, Clay tries to make a connection with her, but she always ignores him. It’s too hard... (full context)

...down a list of all the people who came to her mind when she kissed Clay. She draws lines between the ones who connect to each other. She discovers that the... (full context)

At the end of this tape, Hannah tells Clay that, because Justin already received these tapes, he should skip to the next person when... (full context)

Clay suspects Tony has driven them down the same stretch of road several times since they... (full context)

Hannah begins the next tape, picking up with Clay leaving the room after kissing her at the party. Clay wanders around the party, unsure... (full context)

...she admits she could have stopped it—her mental distress is no excuse for staying silent. Clay knows that the boy in the room has to be Bryce Walker: he recognizes the... (full context)

...sees Justin in a dark room by himself, staring blankly. She holds his gaze. As Clay listens to this part of the story, Tony’s car pulls over at the party house.... (full context)

Clay pauses the tape and takes a series of deep breaths. Once again, he asks Tony... (full context)

Tony tells Clay that Hannah came over to his house. He describes that moment as his chance to... (full context)

Tony tells Clay it was easy to figure out he had the tapes, because Clay stole Tony’s Walkman.... (full context)

Clay sits on the curb and presses play on the next tape. Hannah continues the story... (full context)

...the tape, Hannah tells Jenny it could be worse—she could’ve hit a living thing. As Clay listens, he knows from Hannah’s comment that she found out about the fatal car crash... (full context)

...Jenny directly, telling her that she got away with more than knocking down a sign. Clay understands now that everyone could’ve tried to stop a part of this story, whether it’s... (full context)

Clay has been walking to the intersection with the stop sign while listening to the tape.... (full context)

...and join him and his friends. Courtney’s head pops up beside his. (In the present, Clay speculates that Hannah only joined Bryce and Courtney because she wanted to sabotage herself, and... (full context)

In the present, instead of walking to Courtney’s house, Clay walks toward the park where Hannah had her first kiss. As he listens to Hannah... (full context)

Clay reaches Eisenhower Park, which is empty. He’ll spend the night here, listening to Hannah’s last... (full context)

Clay listens to the tape and hears Hannah stuffing the tape recorder into her bag. She... (full context)

...wants life to stop. He tells her that’s a very serious thing to say. As Clay listens, he wants to tell Mr. Porter that Hannah knows how serious she sounds—she wants... (full context)

...but they didn’t care enough. Finally, she says “I’m sorry.” As the tape spins silently, Clay thinks he would’ve helped Hannah if only she had let him. (full context)

On this side of the tape, Hannah is silent for a long time. Clay listens to the hum of the tape as he stands at the top of the... (full context)

Clay doesn’t want to go back to school, but he knows that no matter how long... (full context)

Clay hears Mr. Porter ask for a volunteer to take something to the office. A student... (full context)

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Clay Jensen Character Analysis

Clay Jensen Quotes in Thirteen Reasons Why

Clay Jensen Character Timeline in Thirteen Reasons Why

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