Character Development In Cinema: Kevin Porter From 13 Reasons Why

Who is Kevin porter?

Kevin Porter is the school guidance counselor at Liberty High School, the same school where Hannah Baker, the main character, attended. He is played by actor Derek Luke, who is known for his roles in movies such as Antwone Fisher and Captain America: The First Avenger.

Porter plays a crucial role in the plot of season one, as he is one of the people who receives Hannah's tapes and is named as one of the reasons for her suicide.

Throughout the show his character transitions from being absent and incompetent to aggressively protective. His character arc is drastic and Derek Luke who portrays him, does so incredibly well.

Why is he relatable?

In the show, Porter is shown to be struggling with his own personal issues, including a strained relationship with his wife and a drinking problem.

Throughout the series, Porter is shown trying to make amends for his mistakes and attempting to help other students who are struggling with their own issues. His character is extremely relatable because people in positions of power or authority figures need to make multiple extremely difficult decisions on a frequent basis. Not every decision made is always the right one, but being able to understand, learn, and grow from your mistakes is the most important thing anyone can do.

Many viewers disliked him in the first season because they thought he was completely irresponsible towards Hannah and could have done so much more, but in the end it turns out that he was the only adult that faced his mistakes and grew up.

How Does Kevin Porter Learn And Grow?

Porter failed Hannah but not because he didn't care. She was unlucky enough (Hannah didn't have much luck) to come in on a day he was distracted and not as focused as he needed to be. If she had come in a day earlier or a day later, the result might have been different.

The tapes did a lot of harm. But they did some good as well. Porter probably would not have changed without the tapes. They made him realize that someone in Hannah's situation could come and see him at any day or at any time. He had to be on the top of his game always when children’s lives are at stake. After the tapes he was a better person and a better counselor.

Adults need to grow and become better just like kids do. It is to Porter's credit that he learned from a failure and became better. The actor who played him Derek Luke, is also arguably underrated and his performance serves as a lesson for struggling children and adults everywhere to learn and grow from their mistakes.