Go Ask Alice

Books often are written about real events and happenings so that other people can understand the experiences that they can relate and learn from of the author. Non-fiction materials gives people who read them an opportunity to show others that many events and happenings are shared on many levels. In other words, no one is alone when it comes to similar experiences. In the book, “Go Ask Alice,” teenagers have an example of problems that they share with the main character of the book, such as drugs and alcohol abuse. Alice is the diary of a girl who recorded her daily activities about what she did in her life. In the beginning she started as an innocent young girl who was a loner and never tried drugs. However, as time went on through her diary entries, she had tried every type of drug and became a dealer. She ran away from home and did not go to

school. The book “Go Ask Alice” is a very important book for teenagers as it helps them to identify with Alice in her teen years. It tells them about the danger of drugs, and how drug addictions affect the individual and those close to them.

Most teenagers are able to relate to this book because they have had that type of experience in their life, with drugs and alcohol. As a teen, you deal with a lot of different things such as; peer pressure, drugs, parties, boys, weight, your appearance and friends without even realizing it. “Scott Lossee asked me to go to the movies Friday. I’ve lost ten pounds.”(Alice, 7) “Last night was the night friend! I finally smoked pot and it was even greater than I expected!” (Alice, 56) A lot of things Alice faced are the same things a lot of teens are facing today. This helps them relate to her and give them an outlook of what harm they are doing to themselves. Alice wrote in her diary daily, this is something very personal that some people have to express their problems when they have no one to turn to, “Oh Diary it was miserable! It was the loneliest, coldest place in the world.” (Alice, 17) She talked in her diary as if she was talking to a person. For someone to have a diary with things written on a personal note, it helps teens to visualize that this was a real girl who had gone through a period of her life that somewhere along they can relate with her actions performed. It helps teens of all ages to come out of their shell and express themselves to others if they have a problem or realize that they are taking the wrong path in life the same way Alice did. It gives teens a chance to look at Alice’s example and learn from the mistakes that Alice made.

Drugs are one of the main things teens feel pressured to do. Their outlook on it is; it makes you feel good. This was the same way Alice felt when she was on drugs, “The rally itself was great, acid and booze and pot as free as the air. Even now colors are still dripping down over me and the crack in the window is beautiful. This life is beautiful.”(Alice, 110) Alice felt life was amazing when she was on drugs, she had so much fun and couldn’t ask for anything more. The effects that Alice had with all the drugs she used may have felt nice in the moment but these drugs ruin your insides and make you see or do things you would not do if you were clear minded. “I must get you back in your case because the maggots are crawling off my bleeding writing hands into your pages.” (Alice, 164) “The nurse says I have been here ten days, and when I read back what I have written I must really have been out of it.” (Alice, 165) Alice had been on drugs here at this point, but because of the effect this drug had on her it ended her up in a type of hospital for people who are loosing their mind, and hurting themselves. Different drugs have different effects on people, and with Alice trying every drug out there she is damaging herself, to the point where she could die while on these drugs. They may make you feel good but in the end your life is worth so much more.

When people do drugs or have an addictions it affects their lives, but it doesn’t stop there. Having an addiction affects you and also people around you. Alice’s addiction not only had an impact on her but it had an impact on her parents, siblings, and boyfriend Joel. Alice and her parents had somewhat of a connection but she was closer to her mother because her father was always working. “Mom and