One of the key ways that Alice is able to pull off all of her shenanigans in Go Ask Alice is a healthy dose of self-deception and denial. The whole time she is doing drugs, dealing drugs, and having sex for drugs, she knows deep down that it's a really bad thing. And yet, she has to somehow convince herself that it's okay—otherwise the self-loathing would threaten to overwhelm everything else.
Some of the ease with which she does this can be blamed on her naïveté (the poor child just isn't all that tuned into the ways of the world), but the rest is a necessary evil. If she can't justify her behaviors to herself, her whole fantasy would collapse, so self-deception becomes like second nature.
And we can't forget why this book was written. The authors know that a large part of the cycle of drug abuse is an addict's ability to delude themselves into believing their behavior is acceptable, or conversely, that they'll never do it again. We know better, though.
Questions About Lies and Deceit
- What would you say is Alice's worst self-deception? Why? Be specific, please.
- Would Alice's addiction be possible if she wasn't so good at denial? Why or why not? Use the text to support your answer.
- Do you think Alice would've come clean if someone she cared about confronted her about her drug use?
Chew on This
Alice's stint as a drug dealer at the middle school is only possible as a result of her convincing herself that the kids would get the drugs with or without her.
Alice is easily manipulated, and her mental acrobatics surrounding her job as a drug dealer are more Richie's fault than hers.