Alice has many problems in Go Ask Alice, but some of them have to do with her unrealistic plans and eternal optimism that verges on delusional. A lot of this stems from her immaturity and lack of experience—she just doesn't know how hard life really can be. Her naïveté gets in the way of reality whenever she crafts plans for the future, and it also helps her avoid confronting her problems with addiction since she clings to the idea of a clean-slate beginning. So even if she didn't die, her hopes for the future would be shaky at best.
Questions About Dreams, Hopes, and Plans
- Why is Alice's endless optimism damaging? Isn't it usually a good thing?
- Alice makes plans for her future while she's dating Richie. Do you think he led her to believe the suburban dream was his plan, too, or is she alone in that fantasy? Use the text to support your claim.
- How do Alice's plans for the future change from the beginning of the diary to the end? Be specific, please.
Chew on This
Alice's dreams are damaging because they set unachievable goals, so she's always setting herself up for disappointment.
Alice's eternal optimism about the future contributes greatly toward her cycle of addiction—she thinks she'll always have another shot.