Go Ask Alice Analysis
Go Ask Alice is about the diary of a fifteen year old girl in the 1960’s named Alice documenting her struggles to overcome her dependency on drugs. In the beginning, Alice starts her diary out as a typical teenager just struggling to fit in at school. Her father gets a new job forcing Alice and her family to move all the way across the country. At first, she hated her new life and was having an even harder time making friends, but eventually befriends a Jewish girl named Beth. That summer, she stayed with her grandparents and immediately fit in with the popular kids. When hanging out with these people, she tries drugs for the first time, loves the experience, and can’t wait to do it again. Alice tries many more drugs and ditches Beth for
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Alice’s inability to share completely with the people around her was the biggest reason she got into drugs in the first place. The problems Alice went through are just as relevant in today’s world as they were back in Alice’s time. She begins her diary as an insecure girl, constantly worrying about popularity and what others think of her. Up until the very end, Alice struggles with not knowing who she is and feels as if she doesn’t belong in any group. She is always lonely no matter who she hangs out with. She often balances between childhood and adulthood, but when the relationship between her and her family strengthens, she grows into a new person with a mature outlook on life. Alice documents several cases of sexual assault which show evidence of the cruelty of society. It feels as if whenever Alice quits drugs, its only a matter of time before others try to lure her back into them. Alice’s nightmares of worms and maggots eating away at her body or even the bodies of others symbolizes the destructive forces in society that are eating away at her life. Her obsession and fascination with physical decay after death is a result of the lingering effects of hallucinogens and a mind too immature to grasp such a complex subject. Focusing on the physical aspects of death was how she dealt with a loss. This wasn’t necessarily the
Alice’s inability to share completely with the people around her was the biggest reason she got into drugs in the first place. The problems Alice went through are just as relevant in today’s world as they were back in Alice’s time. She begins her diary as an insecure girl, constantly worrying about popularity and what others think of her. Up until the very end, Alice struggles with not knowing who she is and feels as if she doesn’t belong in any group. She is always lonely no matter who she hangs out with. She often balances between childhood and adulthood, but when the relationship between her and her family strengthens, she grows into a new person with a mature outlook on life. Alice documents several cases of sexual assault which show evidence of the cruelty of society. It feels as if whenever Alice quits drugs, its only a matter of time before others try to lure her back into them. Alice’s nightmares of worms and maggots eating away at her body or even the bodies of others symbolizes the destructive forces in society that are eating away at her life. Her obsession and fascination with physical decay after death is a result of the lingering effects of hallucinogens and a mind too immature to grasp such a complex subject. Focusing on the physical aspects of death was how she dealt with a loss. This wasn’t necessarily the