Character Analysis
Peeping Tom? No, thank you. We don't even want to give this guy a chance. But Tyler, number four on Hannah's list, is one of the book's most problematic characters. Hannah accuses him of stalking her, spying on her, and taking pictures through her bedroom window. The problem is, Hannah doesn't have any real evidence that the person outside her window was Tyler. Even though Clay accepts her accusations as true, responsible readers cannot.
When Hannah and Courtney Crimson surprise the peeper, neither of them sees his face or recognizes him as Tyler. Hannah bases everything on the fact that Tyler owns camera equipment and that he responded nervously when she asked him where he was on the night in question. She never sees actual pictures or confronts Tyler directly, even when she gives him a ride home.
Hannah blames Tyler for taking away the safety of her bedroom. But she is unable to either confront him about it to be sure or report her suspicions to her parents or someone else who might be able to look into the matter and help her deal with it.
The Pot Calling the Kettle Black
As a result, Hannah might have done to Tyler what others have done to her – make him the target of rumors and bullies. Marcus Cooley and two others have already broken Tyler's window with rocks, and the tapes haven't even made their full circuit.
Whether or not Tyler really is the peeper isn't really the issue here. The issue is that he isn't given a chance to defend himself and just like Hannah, he has become a victim.
If he is the peeper, he probably needs professional help, not a broken window. If he isn't the peeper, then Hannah does him a great disservice, one that could negatively impact the rest of his life. Hannah's point about the damage rumors can cause is particularly apparent here, even if she herself can't see it.