Young adult bannedchallenged books books written for ya audiences, those featuring a ya main character. Although being anonymous during the mid 1980, beatrice sparks, a teen. At the time, it was sold as a non fiction book, the diary of a real middle class, white, american, teenage girl. There is an alice in the book go ask alice, but shes a minor character mentioned in only one paragraph. Told in the first person perspective of an unnamed teenage girl, who is just trying to fit in. For our final project my group read the book go ask alice by anonymous. A lot of the time i dont notice age with books when im lost in a story but i dont think the text has dated well. But, unlike some books and many movies these experiences are not glamorized at all.
Well be looking at why the book was challenged, howif things have changed since the book was originally published and what we actually think of the book. It has been banned from school libraries, and due to it being so controversial its hard to find. Powtoon gives you everything you need to easily make professional videos and presentations that your clients, colleagues, and friends will love. Go ask alice is my current read for banned books week. Its said that the author of the book upon which this movie was based wrote it as a work of. But when she attends a party and drinks a soda laced with lsd, she begins a drawnout addiction to drugs that slowly but brutally takes over her life. This is a pretty common teenage sentiment, if you ask us. At the johnstown, ny high school, go ask alice was challenged as a required reading assignment because of numerous obscenities. Go ask alice is still awash in controversy, 43 years. The anonymous diarist in the 1971 book go ask alice is just a normal 15yearold girl dealing with crushes, friendships, a new move and body image. Novel versus the movie adaption of go ask alice essay cram. The list go ask alice has been one of the most frequently challenged books, according to the american library associations frequently challenged books of the 21st century list, since its publication in 1971, for content relating to drugs, sexual explicitness, offensive language, and inappropriate themes for the target age group frequently challenged 1. Captain underpants series, by dav pilkey captain underpantsadmittedly a kids book.
The author, through this book, doesnt wants his readers to look for advise in it, but to learn about the real world in which some teenagers have to live through. Do you think the book go ask alice should be banned. Title stance on the book 3 articles it was banned challenged in 2001, 2002, 2004, 2008, and 2009 it was banned usually in schools and libraries title. Go ask alice by beatrice sparks as anonymous banned. I chose go ask alice and it is certainly the strangest book ive read this year. Since its publishing in 1971, go ask alice has become one of the most challenged and banned books of all time. Attributed to anonymous, the book is in diary form, and was originally presented as being the edited real diary of the unnamed teenage. Young adult banned challenged books books written for ya audiences, those featuring a ya main character. Rather than being a real life diary of a young drug. There are more than 5 million copies sold,so why ban it. The alas office for intellectual freedom oif receives reports from libraries, schools, and the media on attempts to ban books in communities across the country. The story is a look into a teenage girls life as she gets mixed up in the tragic life of drugs. Go ask alice, which reads like a diary, describes a teenage girls experiences with. Attributed to anonymous, the book is in diary form, and was originally presented as being the edited real diary of the unnamed teenage p.
It is famous for its drugs are bad message, being banned for references to sex, rape and drugs, and almost certainly being a fake. I think ill go into child guidance when i get out of school. Sep 23, 2014 banned books week banned ya novels we love. Sep 16, 2012 go ask alice 1973 full movie miss flowahs. In the 1970s, this fake diary scaredand temptedteenage. Published in 1971, the book is presented as the diary of a teenage girl and details her troubled life, particularly emphasizing the reality and perils of teen drug addiction.
Oct 03, 2016 this is my second read of go ask alice, and i loved it just as much the second time around. Im sure the book was banned due to its drug use and sex references. Go ask alice is a 1971 fiction book about a teenage girl who develops a drug addiction at age. As powerful and as timely today as ever, go ask alice remains the definitive book on the horrors of addiction. Go ask alice was originally published in 1971 in the format of a teenage girls diary. Go ask alice in the book, go ask alice, a young girl, who felt like an outcast, was invited to a party.
Supposedly based on a diary of a young teenage girl, the book had me gripped from beginning to end. A case against banning go ask alice by hazel dela paz on prezi. When the family moves for the collegeenglishprofessor fathers new job, alice apprehensively approaches the unfamiliar and befriends another shy girl. Go ask alice by beatrice sparks is an epistolary work, meaning that is structured as a series of entries such as letters or in this case, a diary. Her fortunes take a sharp turn for the worse when her family moves to a new town and she finds. She was so excited to finally be accepted by them, all she ever really wanted was to be one of them.
At the johnstown, ny high school, go ask alice was challenged as a. Luckily, banned book guardian angel judy blume has spoken on the books behalf against critics. Published in 1971, at the height of the psychedelic era, go ask alice is a visceral and harrowing depiction of a teenage girls fatal decline into drugs. Go ask alice the novel, or diary, deals with the downfall of a young teenage girl in america, and her journals over the course of two years and a few days. Mar 23, 2017 published in 1971, at the height of the psychedelic era, go ask alice is a visceral and harrowing depiction of a teenage girls fatal decline into drugs. It is not a definitive statement on the middleclass, teenage drug world. Go ask alice by beatrice sparks as anonymous banned books. Go ask alice by anonymous reading guidebook club discussion. Go ask alice by anonymous beatrice sparks go ask alice. Go ask alice is still awash in controversy, 43 years after. The most dangerous book i read when i was about was probably go ask alice. Jan 04, 2008 was go ask alice the reallife diary of a teenage girl. In honor of banned books week, jo asked a few of us booktubers to pick a banned book and make a video on it.
Please join us the last monday of november when we will be discussing lunas banned book choice annie on my mind by nancy garden. The 1971 novel, go ask alice, effectively illustrates what adolescence can be like for someone actively experiencing it. In 1971 a novel was published under the name of go ask alice, the book was released. The novel was compelling while the history behind the story was even more engaging. Due to its frequent and strong references to sex, heavy drug usage, and teen pregnancy, libraries and schools across the country have banned the novel as it sits at number 23 on the american library association ala 100 most frequently challenged books from 19902001. Go ask alice by anonymous teenagers of every race, religion, and clique relate deeply to the words of the anonymous teenager within the book go ask alice, by an anonymous girl whose life enters a place where, as most teenagers, she has no idea who to turn to, or where to go. Novel versus the movie adaption of go ask alice essay. 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.
Due to its frequent and strong references to sex, heavy drug usage, and teen pregnancy, libraries and schools across the country have banned. It has sold over four million copies, was adapted as a tv movie with william shatner, and is still in print over 40 years later. Go ask alice is a novel by youth counsellor beatrice sparks, first published in 1971. Opinion on the reasons why the book go ask alice should not be banned. Challenges in 1978, school boards in richmond and langley, b. In richmond, students sent a petition to the school board to protest the ban, and the richmond teacherlibrarians association supported them. Attributed to anonymous, the book is in diary form, and was originally presented as being the edited real diary of the unnamed teenage protagonist. Sep 29, 2015 the anonymous diarist in the 1971 book go ask alice is just a normal 15yearold girl dealing with crushes, friendships, a new move and body image. Pico, the school board attempted to ban go ask alice, which they described as antiamerican, antichristian, antisemitic, and just plain filthy, because of vulgar language board of education v. As powerfuland as timelytoday as ever, go ask alice remains the definitive book on the horrors of addiction. Authentic, tragic tale of teen drug addiction a classic. Michigan removed from school libraries in saginaw due to language and sexual content. I knew of it but all i really knew is that it is considered a classic, was anonymous and was about a teenage girls descent into addiction. Named for grace slicks mindexpanding white rabbit lyrics and credited to anonymous, the book seemed specially designed to scare young readers away from experimenting with.
Go ask alice has also ranked among the most frequently challenged books for several decades due to its use of profanity and explicit references. Parents and school boards were worried that this book would encourage teens and preteens to try out drugs. Sep 23, 2014 in honor of banned books week, jo asked a few of us booktubers to pick a banned book and make a video on it. For thirtyfive years, the acclaimed, bestselling firstperson account of a teenage girls harrowing decent into the nightmarish world of drugs has left an indelible mark on generations of teen readers. Some of the recurring reasons for it being banned are language, sexual content, and drug use.
The thoughts, emotions, trials, changes, and the everyday roller coaster that is a part of teenage life are captured in the pages of this fifteenyearolds diary. In richmond, students sent a petition to the school board to protest the ban, and. As a highschooler,go ask alice shouldnt be banned because im mature enough to take in the intense content. When the family moves for the collegeenglishprofessor fathers new job, alice apprehensively approaches the unfamiliar and befriends another shy girl, beth, who shares her outsider status. Its a diary about a teenage girl who abuses drugs and eventually overdoses. Book banners like to take go ask alice out of libraries because they.
As such, we hope it will provide insights into the. Published in 1971, the book is presented as the diary of a teenage. Go ask alice is a 1971 novel by beatrice sparks that bills itself the reallife diary of an anonymous teenage girl. Thoughts on go ask alice banned books week youtube. The kids who were there were considered popular at her old school. I know the book is over 40 years old but go ask alice really feels it.
Dec 08, 2011 after reading go ask alice and preparing a research project on it, i feel that the biggest reason books are banned is because of depiction vs. This book is an honest account of a young person finding themselves accidentally in the world of addiction. Oct 27, 2014 go ask alice definitely provided an interesting discussion for us all. Im an advocate for banned stories that teach difficult lessons the easier way, and go ask alice definitely falls into this category. It is, however, a highly personal and specific chronicle. Go ask alice by beatrice sparks goodreads share book. Creating film adaptations for movies has become very common because directors can be sure that their target audiences are intrigued by the topic of their future film. As powerfuland as timelytoday as ever, go ask alice remains the. Go ask alice was first published in 1971 and has since become one of. Go ask alice by anonymous banned book but was it real. We compile lists of challenged books in order to inform the public about censorship efforts that affect libraries and schools.
A story of order and a nightgown with little anchors then a book about an anonymous diary full of lies about drugs and a life not worth living. Virginia removed from warm springs sophomore english class for language and indecent situations 1998 rhode island principal in tiverton middle school confiscated the book from a class while reading. This is my second read of go ask alice, and i loved it just as much the second time around. Go ask alice is still awash in controversy, 43 years after publication. If go ask alice will continue to be banned, how will people like alice be able to relate. Sep 14, 2012 at the johnstown, ny high school, go ask alice was challenged as a required reading assignment because of numerous obscenities. I am always on the look out for classics and banned books often one and the same when i seen a copy of this book.
My plan was to read this for banned book week, and although i did not finish it during the week i meant to, i did finish it. Go ask alice was published anonymously in 1971, but in the last two decades, it still lives in the top 25 most frequently banned books, according to the american library association. Sep 01, 2008 do you think the book go ask alice should be banned. Jul 17, 2016 ohio banned from plain citys jonathan alder school district. Go ask alice definitely provided an interesting discussion for us all. Go ask alice book by anonymous official publisher page. New york removed from school libraries in levittown due to language and sexual content. Essay about go ask alice by anonymous 837 words bartleby. While not a feelgood story, go ask alice has been praised for its candid portrayal of addiction and realistic teen voice. Apr 25, 2014 go ask alice is a 1971 novel by beatrice sparks that bills itself the reallife diary of an anonymous teenage girl. It has also been banned time and time again, generally because of its depictions of drug use and sex and for using offensive language.
It is the story of a troubled young woman who seeks solace in drugs and the counterculture. I read it when i was in the seventh grade and was absolutely terrified by the searingly honest portrayal of what i assumed it felt like to do drugs. May 16, 2017 go ask alice in the book, go ask alice, a young girl, who felt like an outcast, was invited to a party. The novel was promoted as the real life diary of an unknown teenage girl who. A personal opinion on the reasons why the book go ask alice. Go ask alice, a diary of a teenage girl who fell into drug use and. It graphically describes the waking hell into which the main character descends, her heartfelt but futile battles to. So many people mistake the words they are reading as a tool to promote what the book is talking about.
My plan was to read this for banned book week, and although i did not finish it. A banned book is a book removed from a school or library by a school system, parental group, religious group or government. Lines from go ask alice that, in hindsight, should have. She was so excited to finally be accepted by them, all she ever really wanted was to be one of. Go ask alice was published anonymously in 1971, but in the last two decades, it still lives in the top 25 most frequently banned books, according to the. Go ask alice is based on the actual diary of a fifteenyearold drug user. In go ask alice, the diary is written by a teenage girl over a twoyear period and chronicles her experiences with drugsmainly marijuana, acid, and speed.
While not a feelgood story, go ask alice has been praised for its candid portrayal of addiction. Go ask alice, written by an anonymous author, is a diary kept by a fifteenyearold drug user. As as child in high school i was 15, im 49 now, i read the book go ask alice, i was a loner i wanted cool friends. This book deals with some very serious issues, namely teenage drug. However, the defendant claimed that removing books from school libraries inflicted on students first amendment rights. At the beginning of the book, alice is a typical, insecure, middleclass teenager preoccupied with boys, diets, and popularity. On another note i read the book in highschool, its good but somewhat disturbing. This story scares the hell out of you through a teenage girl. Challenged as a reading assignment at hanahan middle school in berkeley county 2008 because of blatant, explicit language using. Go ask alice by anonymous beatrice sparks banned library. Go ask alice is small, 224 under size pages and written in diary format so is a quick read. Its mostly due to the expectations parents have for their children because establishment parental units, and the necessary acts of rebellion kids go through during puberty. Top books that were banned at schools whats your favorite banned book. Go ask alice was first published in 1971 and has since become one of the most banned books of all time.