Go ask alice is a reference to a jefferson airplane song called white rabbit, which alludes to rampant hallucinogenic drug use in lewis carrolls alice in wonderland. With william shatner, ruth roman, wendell burton, julie adams. Instead, many of the drug references supposedly identified in alice are probably just in our heads, resonating with the lsdinfluenced popular culture of the 60s, 70s and beyond. Oct 03, 2016 go ask alice is the firstperson tale of an accidental downward spiral into drugs, alcohol, unwanted sex, and impoverished living.
Jan 04, 2008 we noted one further theme that jumped off the pages of go ask alice. Put simply, the genesis of alices adventures in wonderland, was an afternoon boat trip spent telling amusing. Aug 20, 2012 alice in wonderland is not to be read as a logical book. Johnson was convicted in 1996 for her involvement in a. I think alice eating mushrooms is pretty selfevident. It is the last in a threebook deal she signed more than a decade ago, and the least collaborative of the dozen books that bear her name.
Alice eating mushrooms, alice interacting with wild speaking flowers, and of course alice coming across the most famous hookahsmoking caterpillar. In fact, as scott parker points out, the association of drugs with alice is so established that alice is now a slang term for lsd. Lewis carroll was not on drugs, and other surprising facts. Only parents can decide if they want their children to read go ask alice. It is the last in a three book deal she signed more than a decade ago, and the least collaborative of the dozen books that bear her name. The author, frankie thomas, describes the four stages of experience in reading the 1971 classic. There could be some hidden meanings in there, especially considering carroll was a mathematician during. I suspect she was exaggerating, but thats not the point. Was the author of alice in wonderland a drug addict answers. Alice marie johnson born may 30, 1955 is an american criminal justice reform advocate and former federal prisoner.
Both chris and alice decide to go to san francisco thinking that moving to a different place is going to help them with quitting their addiction and habits towards drugs, alcohol, and sex. In the victorian era there were no drug laws like we know them now. This passage from the book go ask alice was when alice first decided to quit using drugs and to stay clean. There is however one part in the book that may describe the use of drugs. The whole book is a fetid lie, and a poorly executed one at that. Since alice was published in 1865, readers and critics have wondered about the authors own state of mind when he created this other world in literature. An intelligent, sensitive girl with a literary flair, she experiments with drugs and the counterculture to escape from.
As for the book itself, though the story is commonly referred to as alice in wonderland, it was published in 1865 as alices adventures in wonderland. Carroll is not known to be an abuser, but a reference to drug abuse in alice in wonderland as a form of cultural commentary is a possibility. The book s themes and characters are so bizarre that in the 1960s rumours began to surface that lewis carroll wrote the book under the influence of drugs, particularly opium or laudanum. Pressure to use drugs at school intensifies, as the kids harass alice and her family. Drugs enthusiasts relate alice s adventures to the trip. Its not going to stop anyone from trying drugs, but go ask alice is an interesting look at what adults. This is my second read of go ask alice, and i loved it just as much the second time around im an advocate for banned stories that teach difficult lessons the. Lines from go ask alice that, in hindsight, should have tipped me. The alice of the book s title refers to the druggie girl of that name in the 1967 jefferson airplane hit white rabbit, a song that expounds upon a drug theme its lyricist found in lewis.
While reading the book you can learn more about drugs and drug addiction. The book is a powerful way for teens to really experience the tragic consequences of drug addiction. Go ask alice is still awash in controversy, 43 years after. Alice in wonderland is a shortened version of alices adventures in wonderland, the book by. There could be some hidden meanings in there, especially considering carroll was a mathematician during his lifetime, whether he was aware. Stay away from drugs, the wrong people, and educate yourself. However, while selling drugs could assist fetch needed money for your family, it could also be the first phase in a ceaseless cycle of court hearings, warrants, and jail time. This is my second read of go ask alice, and i loved it just as much the second time around. Go ask alice is a 1971 fiction book about a teenage girl who develops a drug addiction at age 15 and runs away from home on a journey of selfdestructive. Go ask alice has been around for decades, and is even being used as reading material in high schools.
Interactions between a book and changing cultures, mnu bulletin ii 1971 12. It graphically describes the waking hell into which the main character descends, her heartfelt but futile battles to return home and stay clean, her pleas to god to. Creeping suspicion, as the reader ages past adolescence. So while the myth about drugs has been debunked time and again, carroll probably wasnt a madman rambling in a drug addled state, rather a. Since go ask alice is thinly veiled antidrug propaganda, it kind of goes without saying that drugs and alcohol play a pretty huge role in our tale. Drugs enthusiasts relate alices adventures to the trip. Both chris and alice decide to go to san francisco thinking that moving to a different place is going to help them with quitting their addiction and habits towards drugs, alcohol, and.
I think the writer, alice, has written this story because she was writing a diary about her drug addiction. Alice eating mushrooms, alice interacting with wild speaking flowers, and of course alice coming. Was lewis carroll on drugs when he wrote alice in wonderland. The book was purported to be the real journal of a 15yearold girl who was the alice of the title. Apr 27, 2010 talking rabbits who are always late, mad hatter tea parties, a grinning cat. List of books and articles about drugs and crime online.
Titillated horror, for the young reader, at the books dramatic depictions of drug use. In many cases, new drugs prescribed in good conscience by physicians turn out to be a problem later. Years before james frey and the million little pieces scandal, there was go ask alice and the theories about who wrote the book. Alice meets a freshman at the university library, joel. A book report on go ask alice english literature essay. On the run by alice goffman book summary good book. But those of you old enough to remember the latter portion of the 70s might remember that beatrice sparks, the editor of go ask alice, also edited a bunch of other alarmist books aimed at teens, all supposedly taken from teenagers diaries. This drug did not have the connotation that drugs have today. Set preferences and get ageappropriate recommendations with common sense media plus. Alice opened the door and found that it led into a small. One good example would be the classic book alices adventures in wonderland by lewis carroll, a tale that revolves around a girl who literally falls down a rabbit hole and finds an entirely new world to explore. In case you arent familiar with it, its supposedly an anonymous diary found by the parents of a fifteen year old drug.
Crank by ellen hopkins, go ask alice by beatrice sparks, beautiful boy. The book is about drugs if someone sees the 1951 rendition of disneys animated alice in wonderland, they would see alices head dipped into a hoard of teasugar. So while the myth about drugs has been debunked time and again, carroll probably wasnt a madman rambling in a drug addled state, rather a professor making a cultural commentary. He and alice get to know each other better, as does her family.
Remember that while the book may have been one thing, the disney movie may have been something entirely different. Go ask alice is a 1971 fiction book about a teenage girl who develops a drug addiction at age 15 and runs away from home on a journey of selfdestructive escapism. Who does lsd and then marijuana, she asked, as if id read the book for veracity at the ripe age of thirteen. First, the titillated horror at the book s dramatic depictions of drug use. Aug 22, 2017 alice waters on sex, drugs and sustainable agriculture. May 31, 2016 instead, many of the drug references supposedly identified in alice are probably just in our heads, resonating with the lsdinfluenced popular culture of the 60s, 70s and beyond. To fully experience what it means to vanish down a rabbit hole, just ask the internet about hidden messages in the book that coined the term, alices adventures in wonderland. Alice in wonderland has been connected with psychedelic drugs since the 1960s. Go ask alice was published anonymously in 1971, but in the last two. Alice recovers her good though now tainted innocent side a few times throughout the book, but the unadulterated excitement of the drug life pulls her back in time after time. Go ask alice is still awash in controversy, 43 years after publication.
And though some of the drugs in this gif photo set are clearly a stretch, the entire disney movie seems saturated in psychedelic references. By nature, childrens stories are driven by fantasy, centered around mythical creatures, but bear a valuable lesson in the end. Legal drugs taken only as directed not exceeded in dose can. The original manuscript the one carroll made specially for the real alice yes, she was a real girl was actually called alices adventures under ground. Some people maintain that alice in wonderland can only have been written by an author with considerable hallucinogenic mushroom experience under their belt. Alice waters on sex, drugs and sustainable agriculture. Alice s story received global attention when american media personality and businesswoman kim kardashian west successfully advocated for her release from prison. Alice in wonderland is not to be read as a logical book. With the story carroll made fun of all aspects of society, and it may be possible that he was reflecting the age with this part. May 22, 2019 of course she knew go ask alice was a fake.
An intelligent, sensitive girl with a literary flair, she experiments with drugs and the counterculture to escape from her low selfesteem and consuming loneliness. First, the titillated horror at the books dramatic depictions of drug use. Attributed to anonymous, the book is in diary form, and was originally presented as being the edited real diary of the unnamed teenage p. The sobering message of go ask alice had a huge effect on my. This book serves a positive message through horrible choices. Alice waters on sex, drugs and sustainable agriculture the. Every time after she uses, she feels guilty and low and vows to stay away. When others attempt to intervene, alice is subjected to a wide range of treatments even more frightening and painful than her illness. This story scares the hell out of you through a teenage girl. Its a tempting theory after all the story has alice eating magic mushrooms and meeting hookah smoking caterpillars. To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up. Accompanying this stronger sense of awareness is sometimes a slowing.
But she just cant resist the way the drugs make her feelbeautiful and popular and connected to the world around her. But through the discerning mind of an adult, such stories could arguably be a byproduct of the influence of psychedelic drugs. The books themes and characters are so bizarre that in the 1960s rumours began to surface that lewis carroll wrote the book under the influence of drugs, particularly opium or laudanum. Alice marie johnson born may 30, 1955 is an american author, criminal justice reform advocate, and formerly incarcerated nonviolent drug offender. Bookbanners like to take go ask alice out of libraries because they think, i assume, that it will teach their children to do drugs, have sex, and disrespect those parents, like the diarist. Go ask alice is unnecessary proof that sex and drug stories are the best money makers. Go ask alice by anonymous about the book she doesnt want to get hooked on drugs. You also can learn that you never should use drugs. Go ask alice is the firstperson tale of an accidental downward spiral into drugs, alcohol, unwanted sex, and impoverished living. Alice alice is the anonymous protagonist her name is an allusion to a jefferson airplane song whose intermittent diary entries narrate go ask alice.
Go ask alice is still awash in controversy, 43 years. Powerfully raw and brutally honest, finding alice is a story of individual suffering and hope, a familys shared ordeal, and a search for true mental and spiritual healing. Go ask alice, a real diary in print for four decades. I must find someone who understands about drugs and talk to them. The entire book reads like the literary equivalent of this tweet.
Alices adventures in wonderland 7 of second time round, she came upon a low curtain she had not noticed before, and behind it was a little door about fifteen inches high. Alices journey into the substanceabusing hippie culture of the early 1970sshe tries everything from pot to lsd to heroinis a harrowing tale of the cycle of addiction, and the authors pull out all the stops to show us that drugs are bad. And while there have been arguments against such theories, the correlation has nonetheless been established. The book that defined my teen anxiety turned out to be a lie. Talking rabbits who are always late, mad hatter tea parties, a grinning cat. She told me that she started doing drugs after she read the book, thats how amusing the read was for her. Jul 03, 2014 book banners like to take go ask alice out of libraries because they think, i assume, that it will teach their children to do drugs, have sex, and disrespect those parents, like the diarist. Due to that, the lives and social relationships of a lot of young black americans have developed to focus around a routine of being on the run from the. I think the editors have made a book of alices diary, to show everyone the dangerous of drugs. Go ask alice 1973 offers an antidrug message with a. The book and especially the ending shows the harsh reality of drugs and addiction in teenagers. Attributed to anonymous, the book is in diary form, and was originally presented as being the edited real diary of the unnamed teenage protagonist. Drugs in alice in wonderland essaysalices adventures in wonderland paper in victorian england the drug opium was commonly used. Prescription drugs such as tranquilizers, amphetamines, benzodiazepines, barbiturates, steroids, and analgesics can be knowingly or unknowingly overprescribed or otherwise used improperly.
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