Where It All Goes Down
Middle-Class America, 1971
Stars, They're Just Like Us!
The setting of Alice's diary is purposefully vague. The authors practically bend over backward trying to make Alice relatable to every teen that might get their hands on the book, and the way they do this is by keeping her generic (be sure to read up on Alice over in the "Characters" section for more on this). Unfortunately, this is also one of the "tells" that prove the diary is inauthentic.
Have you ever kept a journal? We'd bet a decent pile of dough that you mention landmarks or town names somewhere in there as a regular part of the narrative. The fact that Alice's family has to move across the country for her father's job is a major turning point for Alice—so don't you think she would mention from where/to where they have to go? Alas, she does not.
In fact, you won't find casual references to a location unless it is a crucial part of the author's intended story, like how Alice specifically runs away to San Francisco. San Francisco was a well-known hippie mecca, and how else can the authors warn you away from the insidious dangers of the place if they don't mention it by name? Got to call those enemies out.
If, however, you're thinking about how the authors specifically said some details and names were left out to protect the identity of Alice, and as such, are feeling skeptical of our claim, consider this: While it's possible the editors deemed those specific (hippie dippy) locations as big enough to leave her anonymity intact, we think it's just too convenient to be true.
This is the Dawning of the Age of Aquarius
The time period in which our story takes place is as much a character as Alice is (especially since she's such a flat character). In the early 1970s, when the book was written, the hippie subculture was burgeoning onto the national scene in a very big way. Drugs as recreation, rebellion against the establishment (i.e., parents and authority figures), and massive protests (Vietnam, anyone?) characterized a new way of life for many teens who were coming of age.
The simple act of straightening your hair and parting it in the middle (think Marcia Brady) was in fact a rebellion against the rigid hairstyles of the previous generation that favored rollers and up-dos (think Mad Men).
Although Alice's story would resonate with just about any generation (after all, who can't relate to crippling insecurity and the desire to fit in?), the abundance and easy accessibility of drugs at this time are pretty crucial. Alice even scoffs several times at the fact that it is easier to get LSD than to steal a bit of booze from her parents. And since she's a drug addict, but not an alcoholic, this really matters in terms of how her story unfolds.