MovieChat Forums > Go Ask Alice (1973) Discussion > My take on the 'Alice' subject

My take on the 'Alice' subject

posted 15 years ago by sylvia67
7 replies | jump to latest

I havent seen the movie yet, but i have it in my dvd queue on netflix for when it comes available.
I first read the book version when I was in high school, it scared the crap out of me and I grew to like "Alice" or Jane Doe whatever you want to call her and to feel for her family when she ended up dead. An acquaintance of mine in high school first told me about the book he felt that it had been edited in parts and I felt so too but at the time I believed that "Alice" had been a real person.

I was never interested in trying illegal drugs anyway, my own indulgences in high school and college were the legal ones, alcohol and cigarettes so when I read this book I had no frame of reference as to whether "alice" ie, jane doe's experiences were credible or not. Anyway, reading this novel only confirmed what I had already decided,that drugs can ruin the life of any promising young person.

Now, to learn today that the whole novel might have been a complete fake, really TICKS ME OFF... I feel like the teens of that era who read that book were led down the garden path so to speak. I know that the book did me a service by confirming that casual drug use is not a good thing, but I feel that the "editor" really has lied to young readers by making us believe that this "alice i.e. Jane Doe" person was real. It says on the cover "a real diary" not "a fiction story".
Anyone else feel as I do? Anyone else angry about this?

sylvia

[–] 15 years ago

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[–] sylvia67 15 years ago

Apparently, Beatrice Sparks wrote a lot of those "anonymous teen" diaries at that time on different subjects. I was very appalled when I read the Alden Barrett story that "Jay's Journal" was based on. Beatrice messed up his families life with her Jays Journal book. If you want more details, google it.

[–] 15 years ago

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[–] lumosnight 15 years ago

Although it wasn't fair of the author to pass it as a 'true story' it doesn't mean that it shouldn't be read.

Many books about drug use aren't even read by people because they have the 'what do you know how it is to be drug addict' attitude. In fact, by masking it as a true story she managed to raise awareness among teenagers about the dangers of using drugs. She may have done it in a controversial way, but well done to the author for managing to write a book realistic enough that could reach out to teenagers.

There are many teenage girls that were stuck in the same situation as the fictional Alice, and just because this character is fictional it doesn't mean it's happening everyday.

[–] maxeythecat 15 years ago

This book and movie are quintessential examples of how NOT to educate kids about drugs. I was a teenager during the 70s and the tactics used back then were pretty laughable....rather than giving us unbiased intelligent and responsible information, teachers and such resorted to the same sensationalistic scarefests that had been de rigeur since the days of "Reefer Madness". Needless to say it didn't work very well...once we found out that smoking pot would'nt turn us into maniacal lunatics that screwed like snakes and murdered everything in sight it was a no brainer...if we were lied to about weed then the rest of it was a lie too. 1st rule of drug education..DON'T LIE ABOUT IT. Kids aren't stupid (well, for the most part anyway)so give them honest answers about things and you'll get better results.

[–] lumosnight 15 years ago

Excuse me, but Alice in the book did not become a 'maniacal lunatic' (which is actually repeating yourself with a different word). In fact, her first expreience with LSD was a very pleasant one. I do not see how the author lied about the effects.

You take drugs, they seem nice, but you suddenly realsie that you cannot stop and you become irritable without them. And eventually your attitude completely changes because of them that you become incompatible with society and have to seek help. You never truly recover from drugs and yearn them for the rest of your life

That's the truth about drugs. May sound like a horror story, but teachers nowadays actually provide informtion on how to take them - which is what I find ridiculous. You can become crazy from prolonged use (or evenin the short term, like cocaine). Kids are stupid, the only thing they will ask you is 'do they feel god?'. The honest answer is that they do feel good, and of course the kids will want to try it.

[–] LCella9370 10 years ago

What teachers provide information on how to take them?? Not where I teach!