In Go Ask Alice, Alice's isolation stems from an inherent inability to communicate. She can't talk to her parents because she feels like they don't understand where she's coming from, and she refuses to talk to her friends about stuff that's bugging her because she fears judgment or social retribution. The sad thing is, though, that if she ever mustered up the courage to really talk to someone, she probably wouldn't feel so alone.
Alice's isolation serves as yet another factor that leads to her drug abuse. It makes her all the more desperate, so when people drug her without her consent, she's just thankful to feel like she's finally part of something. Yikes.
Questions About Isolation
- Alice is constantly wishing she had someone to talk to, but then when she finally has friends she purposefully doesn't tell them the stuff she needs to talk about. What the heck is up with that? Like, seriously—please dig into her diary and break this one down for us in detail.
- Why doesn't Alice feel like she can talk to her parents? Is she correct? Incorrect? A mix of the two?
- Why is it that when Alice is actually isolated in the psych ward, she doesn't complain as much about being alone?
Chew on This
Alice feels isolated because of her own behavior.
Alice feels isolated due to factors that are out of her control.