Remember: The whole point of Go Ask Alice is to teach kids that drugs are bad, and the authors wanted to cover all the bases. If you keep that in mind, Alice's reliance upon religious tropes whenever she starts to come down off a drug binge is slightly less cloying. There's nothing wrong with turning to your faith when things seem to be falling apart—that's what religion is for, right? But we can't help feeling like Alice uses religion as another drug, to offer easy comfort and soothing platitudes so she can avoid reality (and responsibility for her actions) just a little while longer.
Questions About Religion
- Why do you think Beth's Jewish-ness is so appealing to Alice? Give examples from the text, please.
- Toward the end of the diary, Alice becomes obsessed with death and its corporeal consequences (say that three times fast). Why doesn't she find comfort in her religious beliefs?
- What is the significance of Christmas, and the timing of Alice's cycles?
- Do you think Alice's faith is helpful in fighting her addictions? Why or why not?
Chew on This
Alice's tendency to turn to religion after a drug binge is a result of her upbringing, an ingrained response to crisis.
Alice's religious dependency is actually just another tool the authors use to show the difference between good kids (i.e., clean, sober, church-going) and bad kids (i.e., drug-addicted hippies).