Kendall Henderson - Voice in Go Ask Alice

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The thing that surprised me the most as I read Go Ask Alice was the voice of the narrator, especially considering the cover and the book jacket summary. I really don't think the reputation of the book is an accurate representation of the narrator; instead of becoming a calloused, drug-addicted delinquent, the girl writing the diary sounds familiar, thoughtful and self-aware rather than an unrecognizable caricature of a rebellious teenager. Throughout the entire novel, though she does feel the weight of her experiences, the narrator doesn't become hardened or malicious and doesn't feel like a drug-taking, troubled teen stereotype that fearful adults would want to warn children against becoming. Despite knowing that this novel isn't genuinely the unfiltered diary of a teenage girl, it feels strikingly relevant and relatable. I think it was such a wise choice to have the narrator as this gentle, almost meek girl who struggles to overcome an addiction that she didn't choose and makes the message more effective than if she'd been wild and selfish and apathetic. She feels completely like a real girl.

I think what defines the narrator is her sense of hope. She really isn't the troubled, dark looking shadow of a girl on the cover of the book. Though she makes impulsive decisions which lead her deeper into danger and illness, she surprised me with her continuous belief that she could shed her past and start anew. After all her lowest moments she bounces right back with a declaration like, "Sure, it's great and groovie going on trips, I will never be able to say it isn't. It's exciting and colorful and dangerous, but it isn't worth it! It simply isn't worth it! Every day for the rest of my life I shall dread weakening again and becoming something I simply do not want to be!" (121). She's always thinking about others and deeply taking in the world around her, and it feels clear that she's bright and observant and wouldn't be on drugs if she'd had the choice. Her voice is very much that of an innocent and articulate teenage girl, and I think anyone reading this can relate to that pure sense of hope for yourself that everyone feels or felt once.

I think the narrator is such a great filter through which to view issues like these because we get to see the effects that drugs can have on someone who seems "normal." By not fitting the "drug addict" trope, the drug issue that the book addresses becomes more clear: drug addiction is truly an illness and it can affect anyone, regardless of age or family background or financial means. The narrator isn't one of the "bad kids" who we can write off as someone who is just doomed to do drugs and make bad decisions. Her father is a professor and her parents make every effort to support her recovery, she meets friends and boys who offer support, her siblings are open ears for her to talk to. She isn't a kid looking to get into drugs or seek out counterculture and rebellion, but once she finds herself in a situation she doesn't know how to handle we see how few resources she actually has.

Through the novel we see that the narrator is completely controlled by her addiction, no matter how much she wants to be rid of it or believes she can overcome it. We sense that awareness of drugs will be on her mind for the rest of her life, yet she will never truly have answers or support in overcoming it entirely. There are few resources to educate her or empathize with her, which she longs for: "I wish I had someone to talk to, someone who knows what's happening and what will happen" (127-128). The narrator decides to pursue a career in social work helping kids in her position; this feels like a criticism of the novel's contemporary healthcare system. Rather than writing those who are addicted to drugs off as having ruined their lives or been corrupted, we should see them as ill people in need of help and guidance. Though it should seem apparent that even those with addictions are still humans worthy of empathy, this book might prompt someone with prejudices against drug users or those in recovery as simply "drug addicts" to re-examine their assumptions and find a deeper understanding of the power that drugs can take over one's mental health and physical wellness.

Comments

  1. AnonymousOctober 19, 2016 at 8:32 PM

    I think your thoughts on the book's use of voice is very interesting. It and your book trailer makes me want to read the book for myself.

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  2. UnknownOctober 19, 2016 at 8:56 PM

    I am absolutely in love with Stories like Crank who address drug addiction at an early age which is why this books seems like it is something I should read in my spare time. I also like your explanation for the narrator because I do feel like it is a cliche to expect people with drug abuse problems to be unkept and unaware. They are supposed to be someone stuck in the endless cycle of their addiction, but it seems your author is able to turn that notion upside down with a diary, and I think that is a good idea. I also love anything that's written in diary form because it allows a cognitive connection with the characters and their internal battles.

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