Book Review: Go Ask Alice
“Never had anything ever been so beautiful” (33, Go Ask Alice) states the main character when describing her first experience with drugs. Go Ask Alice follows an anonymous girl through her teenage years as she keeps two diaries, it should be noted that this book is based on an actual life along with two journals, however it is important to note that it is considered a work of fiction. The number, gender and age of the editors is not mentioned anywhere in the opening to the book. This poses a difficult position for me the reader. Since I am assuming that these editors used their position of power to make the story more relatable to young girls, however if they were from a different generation or even if they were very close to the girl this might change the story. This is also why I question the actual class of the main character, whom I will call Alice. During the book Alice discusses how her father is a professor at a University, the way their house, family and school is described does make it feel as though the family is upper middle class, if not upper class. The reason I question this and the editors intentions is because it is apparent that contemporary America falls in love with stories about young white, middle class girls that have fallen off the wagon. Either way Alice is presented as an upper middle class white hetero girl who has all of the potential of succeeding in the world.
When Alice’s world opens to us she feels neglected by her parents, deals with sibling rivalry, has body image issues and wants a cute guy to like her. Basically an average teen during the ‘70s, I give this time frame because of the key terms that are used i.e. bread/crumbs mean money, grass means weed, at one point refers to her parents as “the establishment”. These things are important to the overall tone of the book. Since this was during the ‘70s a time where social upheaval was happening, I wonder if that makes her drug escapades more believable. It seems very believable that it is easier to get drugs, pills than alcohol. Alice tells us that her friends found it easier to steal a lot of money from their parents to buy drugs than stealing liquor which they seem to measure to the ounce. This once again brings up the issue of class within Alice’s story. If Alice was from a single parent household on food stamps stealing money from your parent/guardian is not as easy. Her privileged background seems to escape her a lot.
There are very few moments in the book where Alice seems to “get it”. By that I mean not just realize that her actions are not healthy but realize issues of homophobia, classism, racism, and sexism. There were many times when I wanted to scream at her, shake some sense into her and tell her that she has the world ahead of her. If she did not do drugs she would have the easiest life ever. It was not until page 87 that I realized what this book was really supposed to teach me. Alice states “Adolescents have a very rocky insecure time. Grown-ups treat them like children and yet expect them to act like adults. They give them orders like little animals, then expect them to react like mature, and always rational, self-assured persons of legal stature.” Here Alice makes it clear that not only is she caught in this strange limbo but so is everyone else. This limbo does not exist for just upper class white girls but for every teenager. After reading the above sentences I realized that I had forgotten that very same limbo feeling, it all came rushing back. The fact that you began to deal with or became aware of issues like drug addiction, sexual abuse, sexual freedom, and monetary issues, and have little to no training on these issues. Most of our school systems and families tell kids to say no to drugs, to practice abstinence; we rarely let them know how to handle such issues. In fact many times throughout the book Alice wishes she had a better connection with her mother so that they could talk about problems she is having. Alice does at one point develop a good trusting relationship with her parents however this may come at a moment too late. Alice taught me that girl’s studies is more about learning about young women, it is about understanding how to reach young women caught in that limbo between adulthood and childhood.
Anonymous. Go Ask Alice. Simon & Schuster, 1972.
When Alice’s world opens to us she feels neglected by her parents, deals with sibling rivalry, has body image issues and wants a cute guy to like her. Basically an average teen during the ‘70s, I give this time frame because of the key terms that are used i.e. bread/crumbs mean money, grass means weed, at one point refers to her parents as “the establishment”. These things are important to the overall tone of the book. Since this was during the ‘70s a time where social upheaval was happening, I wonder if that makes her drug escapades more believable. It seems very believable that it is easier to get drugs, pills than alcohol. Alice tells us that her friends found it easier to steal a lot of money from their parents to buy drugs than stealing liquor which they seem to measure to the ounce. This once again brings up the issue of class within Alice’s story. If Alice was from a single parent household on food stamps stealing money from your parent/guardian is not as easy. Her privileged background seems to escape her a lot.
There are very few moments in the book where Alice seems to “get it”. By that I mean not just realize that her actions are not healthy but realize issues of homophobia, classism, racism, and sexism. There were many times when I wanted to scream at her, shake some sense into her and tell her that she has the world ahead of her. If she did not do drugs she would have the easiest life ever. It was not until page 87 that I realized what this book was really supposed to teach me. Alice states “Adolescents have a very rocky insecure time. Grown-ups treat them like children and yet expect them to act like adults. They give them orders like little animals, then expect them to react like mature, and always rational, self-assured persons of legal stature.” Here Alice makes it clear that not only is she caught in this strange limbo but so is everyone else. This limbo does not exist for just upper class white girls but for every teenager. After reading the above sentences I realized that I had forgotten that very same limbo feeling, it all came rushing back. The fact that you began to deal with or became aware of issues like drug addiction, sexual abuse, sexual freedom, and monetary issues, and have little to no training on these issues. Most of our school systems and families tell kids to say no to drugs, to practice abstinence; we rarely let them know how to handle such issues. In fact many times throughout the book Alice wishes she had a better connection with her mother so that they could talk about problems she is having. Alice does at one point develop a good trusting relationship with her parents however this may come at a moment too late. Alice taught me that girl’s studies is more about learning about young women, it is about understanding how to reach young women caught in that limbo between adulthood and childhood.
Anonymous. Go Ask Alice. Simon & Schuster, 1972.
Comments
Sadly, as you pointed out she developed a close relationship with her parents too late. Like you I felt "Alice" taught me that girl’s studies is more about learning about young women, it is about understanding how to reach young women caught in that limbo between adulthood and childhood. We are living in a society that is becoming increasingly hostile for young girls, the pressures too much to bear sometimes.
I would recommend that all parents and teenager read this book to shed light on the addictive and destructive nature of drugs, even when it seems so innocent at first. I believe it will change and save lives and allow parents to look for warning signs and maybe, just maybe they will have a little insight into the life of a drug user.