Skyler StrongGo Ask Alice

AnonymousPrentice Hall

1971

Introduction The owner of the diary is fifteen

years old and about to move to a new town. To her, moving means a fresh start and a clean slate. However, once she moves to this unnamed town, she is very unhappy and finds it hard to make friends. After a while, she befriends a girl named Beth, who is then torn from her reach after Beth is forced to go to summer camp. Completely crushed, the diarist goes back to her hometown, only to get mixed up with the wrong group of kids.

Protagonist The main character of

the story is the writer of the diary. Although many people assume her name is Alice, her actual name is never mentioned in the diary. The character finds herself in a conflict between herself, drugs, peer pressure, and so much more.

Antagonist Although this

story has many antagonists, the most prominent is drugs. The diarist often finds herself in a struggle with drugs, because although she likes the way they make her feel, they always leave the diarist in bad situations.

Main Conflict Identification Problem: The narrator begins the diary in hope that it would give her someone to talk to because she is extremely lonely. She starts drugs as a distraction from the real world because they give her a sense or illusion that she is temporarily in touch with nature and people.

Possible Solutions The diary creates an outlet for all of the diarists emotions and lack of human connection. She is able to write in the diary, thus giving her someone to talk to. However, the drugs give her an even stronger sense of human connection, therefore she keeps taking drugs.

Joel Joel helps the main

character out of her shell and helps her trust other people. He also helps her realize that romantic love does exist, and that is what they have together. Joel is the perfect role model for what the diarist hopes to be like.

Chris Chris was one of

the diarists longest companions as she struggled throughout her journey with drugs. They kept each other sane through tough times and helped each other stay off drugs for phases of their traveling lives.

Grandparents The author of the story loves her

grandparents very much. She is visiting them when she first gets introduced to drugs. When they die, the diarist becomes very sad and often pictures their bodies covered in worms and maggots underground.

What Critics Said: Critic 1

oGo Ask Alice is not derivative, although it is poorly written and incredible. The authors have a tin ear for teenage dialogue and tend to poke fun at their characters.

ohttp://www.nytimes.com/books/98/11/15/reviews/981115.15oppenht.html

What Critics Said: Critic 2 Although some scenes may feel dated, the book still has large emotional value and feels real. This book uses frank language, which makes teenagers sense that it is real.

http://www.commonsensemedia.org/book-reviews/go-ask-alice

My Opinion I believe this book was very well written. The story line and plot compelled me to want to keep reading it. I recommend this book to anyone that wants to read about how doing drugs could affect your life, and how they affected this girl.