Go Ask Alice

Anonymous. Go Ask Alice. Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing, Inc. 1971.214p.

            Go Ask Alice is an enticing read from first glancing at the front cover, since it is purportedly the true account of a middle class American teenager whose life takes a tumultuous turn when she is ensnared by a drug addiction that leads to other destructive habits. While it is written at a reading level appropriate for sixth graders, the content becomes increasingly controversial as the main character’s recreational drug use morphs into a full-blown addiction. Due to the explicit references to drugs, alcohol, and sex, teachers who choose this text as a class read for middle school students will likely be met with much resistance from parents. However, the content, while difficult and serious, is also extremely interesting. The text is written in a diary format, and since it is supposedly a true account, it is very easy to relate to and understand the main character. Go Ask Alice is also pertinent to all teenagers due to relatable themes such as difficulty communicating with parents, creating meaningful friendships, maintaining interest in school, body image issues, etc. In general, this book is one worth considering teaching in a class, but the graphic content makes it more appropriate for high school students or as an independent read for middle schoolers.

            Go Ask Alice exposes the diary entries of a teenage girl, spanning over two years. Initially, the main character appears to be an ordinary girl. Her problems include wanting to appear attractive and datable for boys in her class, wishing to establish meaningful friendships with girls in her class, communicating effectively with her parents, achieving the perfect physique, succeeding in school, discovering her emerging identity as a young woman, and feeling wanted and accepted by her family and peers. However, her life takes a dangerous turn when she is unwittingly introduced to LSD at a party, and she quickly becomes addicted to drugs. Over the course of the text, she goes through periods of time where she desperately wishes to overcome her addiction, but peer pressure and a bad reputation often leave her unable to escape the precarious lifestyle, and she finds herself living in horrifying apartments, homeless, in an insane asylum, and unfortunately, readers discover that she dies shortly after writing her final diary entry. Overall, while the protagonists’ primary issue may not be a universal problem young people face, her story is full of themes relatable to all young people today.