Character Analysis
Doing character analysis on anyone other than Alice is kind of like the movie Being John Malkovich—anyone we meet is always seen through the filter of Alice's perception. Thus, Gran and Gramps are kind of morphed into one character, a lot like Alex and Tim are.
Both represent pretty stereotypical grandparents: They are old, sweet, and love their grandchildren unconditionally. To this end, the first time Alice calls home for a rescue, her grandfather offers sage advice rather than criticism:
In the car on the way home Gramps scratched my back like he used to do when I was a little girl and whispered to me that I had only to forgive myself. He's such a nice man and I shall really try, although I know it won't be easy. (174.1)
When Gramps dies, however, things get interesting. His death is a catalyst for Alice, and all of a sudden all she can think about is what happens to bodies after we die. She becomes obsessed with the imagery of the decay of corpses, and is plagued by bad dreams. She writes:
I had a nightmare last night about Gramps' body all filled with maggots and worms, and I thought about what would happen if I should die. Worms don't make distinction under the ground. They wouldn't care that I'm young and that my flesh is solid and firm. (197.1)
This seems to be Alice's first glimpse of mortality, and man, she doesn't take it well. The image of Gramps sticks with her, and it haunts her while she's on the bad trip from the chocolate-covered peanuts:
[…] Gramps was there to help me, but his body was dripping with blazing multicolored worms and maggots which fell on the floor behind him. He tried to pick me up, but only the skeleton remained of his hand and arms. The rest had been picked clean by wriggling, writhing, slithering, busily eating worms which seethed on his every part. (247.2)
This "bummer trip"—courtesy of Gramps's rotting corpse—is enough to finally send Alice over the edge into Sober Town. When she's in the state asylum, she is finally convinced that no matter how many drugs she's offered, she's off them for good. If it weren't for the epilogue, we could go on thinking maybe it was Gramps's death that finally turned her life around. But then the epilogue happens, and we know that even having super loving grandparents who haunt her drug trips isn't enough to keep Alice on the straight and narrow.