It was reported as unsold and destroyed to the publisher and neither the author nor the publisher has received any payment for this stripped book. Thoughts on go ask alice banned books week youtube. The book and especially the ending shows the harsh reality of drugs and addiction in teenagers. The main characters of this fiction, young adult story are.
The justices were unable to come to a majority agreement and instead issued what is known as a plurality opinion, in which some combination of justices signed on to three different opinions in order to render an outcome. Go ask alice by anonymous about the book she doesnt want to get hooked on drugs. Novel versus the movie adaption of go ask alice essay. Written in the 70s, its been banned in schools from texas to michigan. Go ask alice, published in 1971, was the fictional account of a young womans spiral into drug abuse, written in an unsparing diary format. For many years, american schools have been pressured to restrict or deny students access to books or periodicals. How do you feel about book banning or book burning. Each year, the office compiles a list of the top 10 most frequently challenged books. For our final project my group read the book go ask alice by anonymous. Leading up to banned books week 2012, ala will highlight one book. Go ask alice banned book project go ask alice when the. Sep 18, 2014 the challengers really missed the point on this one, though. Explain why you think the book was so objectionable and give your opinion on censorship. Last year, the ala recorded 347 reported book challenges in the united states, a 2.
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. This is an excerpt from go ask alice, which recounts her first experience with lsd. Beatrice sparks, a teen psychologist and mormon youth counselor was uncovered to have actually written the majority if not the whole entire novel. 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. The diary begins right before alices fifteenth birthday. Only parents can decide if they want their children to read go ask alice. Since my original post ive discovered that research suggests that this book is truly a work of fiction and not based on a real person. 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. An award winning novel by the name of go ask alice did that.
Columbia university has started a web site called go ask alice, which provides young readers a resource for some of the questions they. Top 10 most challenged books lists advocacy, legislation. October 3, 2009 is the american library associations banned books week. In 1998 three new attacks arose to challenge its inclusion in education. Meade continues, i honestly dont think that banning a book ruins its reputation or makes children afraid to read it. The american library association listed go ask alice as number 25 on its list of the 100 most frequently challenged books of the 1990s. But those of you old enough to remember the latter portion of the 70s might remember that beatrice sparks, the editor of go ask alice, also edited a bunch of other alarmist books aimed at teens, all supposedly taken from teenagers diaries. Go ask alice is small, 224 under size pages and written in diary format so is a quick read. Go ask alice is still awash in controversy, 43 years after.
In go ask alice there are many illegal substance references throughout the entire book. Like a blink of an eye the main character turns towards drugs, sex, and running away. In 1993, go ask alice was removed from the wall township, nj intermediate school library by the superintendent of schools because the book contains inappropriate language and borders on pornography. I wouldnt classify this passage as glorifying drugs, but the main characters reaction is such that she continues to recreationally use drugs. List of books that were forbidden at some time in history.
A reader for writers, an anthology edited by jerome. Supposedly based on a diary of a young teenage girl, the book had me gripped from beginning to end. Go ask alice by anonymous beatrice sparks banned library. 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. Books advocating the use of drugs are, of course, frequently censored titles.
Alice, once a shy, innocent girl, is sucked into the heartless world of drugs because of her need to be accepted. Chances are, you have once read and maybe even declared a banned book your favorite book. Pdf go ask alice book by beatrice sparks free download. Go ask alice, the anonymous diary of a young girl who died of a drug overdose. All picture source titles are hyperlinked to the pages that they appear on this site. Some of the recurring reasons for it being banned are language, sexual content, and drug use. Without books, much of todays entertainment would not be the same. A mothers objection to language in go ask alice so stirred the principal thatwith no. The first edition of the novel was published in 1971, and was written by beatrice sparks.
It graphically describes the waking hell into which the main character descends, her heartfelt but futile battles to return home and stay clean, her pleas to god to. The ala office for intellectual freedom tracked 347 challenges to library, school and university materials and. But even books that serve as warning signs against the dangers of drugs have been removed from school libraries. The drug use written throughout the book is not appropriate for middle school or elementary, but should be permitted for high school level. Go ask alice unflinchingly and perhaps a bit exaggeratedly illustrates the negative consequences of drug use, including but not limited to homelessness, rape, prostitution, commitment to an insane asylum yes, really, and eventually, death. Go ask alice quotes showing of 55 im not really sure which parts of myself are real and which parts are things ive gotten from books. These books are often removed from schools or public library shelves. Around mid1980s, a supposed editor of the book was uncovered. Yeah, but houdini didnt have these hips go ask alice. Every time after she uses, she feels guilty and low and vows to stay away. Go ask alice by anonymous 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. Go ask alice is still awash in controversy, 43 years after publication. Attributed to anonymous, the book is in diary form, and was originally presented as being the edited.
But, unlike some books and many movies these experiences are not glamorized at all. Book banning based on dangerous political themes and ideas has been routine for a good long while. Sparks, 82, 83 next, another reason go ask alice should be banned is the excessive use of illegal substances. 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. Her fortunes take a sharp turn for the worse when her family moves to a new town and she finds. 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.
Go ask alice by beatrice sparks as anonymous banned books. 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. The book was also challenged as required reading in the buckingham county, va schools that year because of profanity. While pico was the first school library book banning case to reach the supreme court, it was by no means the first instance of book banning in schoolsfrom the 1960s to the 1980s, a pervasive clash of viewpoints led to a rash of book banning in public schools across the country. Go ask alice by anonymous if you purchased this book without a cover you should be aware that this book is stolen property. Its a book, i dont understand how some people go from looking at a book, like go ask alice, and thinking. How the american left and right relentlessly censor each other, nat hentoff writes that the lust to suppress can come from any direction.
The story is a look into a teenage girls life as she gets mixed up in the tragic life of drugs. Some books challenge the perception of everything while others can inspire a whole generation. In several instances, people seeking to have bans revoked turned. Parents and school boards were worried that this book would encourage teens and preteens to try out drugs. Go ask alice is still awash in controversy, 43 years. I picked up this book at our recent friends of the library sale. A photograph is a secret about a secret, diane arbus famously said. Dec 07, 2009 halfway through last nights 2hour premiere of the syfy miniseries alice, the walrus and the carpenter, reimagined as chemists in a vast laboratory of milked human emotions dont ask. Essay about banning books in schools 1066 words bartleby.
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. The most controversial books of all time readers digest. Jul 17, 2016 go ask alice is still awash in controversy, 43 years after publication top 100 bannedchallenged books. From the book ksiazki zakazane banned books by bartlomiej paszylk. Sep 29, 2009 how do you feel about book banning or book burning. Bookbanning now despite the lessons of the past, incidents of bookbanning have continued to the present.
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. The likely authoring of the book by one or more adults rather than by an unnamed teenage girl has not been an issue in censorship. But reasons it shouldnt be banned for high school libraries is because they are a more mature audience and they can handle the content. In that case, the school board attempted to ban a number of books because they were antiamerican, antichristian, antisem itic, and just plain filthy, including titles such as slaughterhouse five, the naked ape, down these mean streets. Books like the harry potter series, go ask alice, or the hunger games series are all on the banned book list. Explain why you think the book was so objectionable and give your opinion on. Go ask alice was first published in 1971 and has since become one of the most banned books of all time. And then theres go ask alicethe most frequently banned book in high school libraries, largely due to its depiction of drug use.
Im sure the book was banned due to its drug use and sex references. The teacher, who had used the book before with huge success, was shocked when it. Sep 09, 20 the book was also challenged as required reading in the buckingham county, va schools that year because of profanity. As powerfuland as timelytoday as ever, go ask alice remains the. The controversies of controversial books censorship and. So many people mistake the words they are reading as a tool to promote what the book is talking about. Go ask alice should be banned to middle school and elementary because it is not appropriate to expose them to the contents in the book. She is a pretty typical teenage girl in the late 1960sshes mostly concerned with school, boys, her hair, and fitting in okay, thats pretty typical for any decade when her fathers new job causes her family to move across the country, alice is thrust into a new school at a time when she is at best sensitive.
Free download or read online go ask alice pdf epub book. There are significantly more disturbing diary entries in the book that deal with rape, prostitution, and violence. But she just cant resist the way the drugs make her feelbeautiful and popular and connected to the world around her. Go ask alice, a diary of a teenage girl who fell into drug use and. Books like the harry potter series, go ask alice, or the hunger games series are all. Go ask alice is based on a true story about a teenager who becomes addicted to drugs. Jul 03, 2014 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. In honor of banned books week, jo asked a few of us booktubers to pick a banned book and make a video on it. Today we feature the year 1993 and go ask alice, by anonymous.
Within a few months after the bookburnings in germany, the landmark federal court decision in united states v. Aug 05, 2019 in his book free speech for mebut not for thee. The book was adapted into the 1973 television film go ask alice, starring jamie smithjackson and william shatner. 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.
Go ask alice by anonymous banned book but was it real. Mar 27, 2008 the american library association listed go ask alice as number 23 on its list of the 100 most frequently challenged books of the 1990s. Unlike film or tv, a book is only limited by an authors abilities as a writer. Go ask alice snatched from students national coalition against. 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. 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. Sep 26, 2014 some of the books to be removed were slaughterhouse five, best short stories of negro writers, go ask alice, and down these mean streets. Go ask alice was a highly controversial book and the subject of banning attempts by parents and school districts. In that case, the school board attempted to ban a number of books because they were antiamerican, antichristian, antisemitic, and just plain filthy, including titles such as slaughterhouse five, the naked ape, down these mean streets, best short stories of negro writers, and go ask alice. While reading adventures of huckleberry finn in school, teachers often spend full class periods discussing a very important issue.
The book was number 8 on the most challenged list in 2001 and up to number 6 in 2003. Go ask alice is still awash in controversy, 43 years after publication top 100 bannedchallenged books. I chose go ask alice and it is certainly the strangest book ive read this year. Go ask alice is my current read for banned books week. Adventures of huckleberry finn is the 4th most banned book in schools according to banned in the u. The supreme court set the standard for banning books in 1982 island trees school district v. Due to its origins in slavery and racism, it is often the topic of disgruntled phone calls from parents. Find images, infographics and more on the free downloads webpage. Go ask alice when the book was first published in 1971, the novel had no known author or editor as the cover stated anonymous. The ala office for intellectual freedom has been collecting data on banned books since 1990. 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. Novel versus the movie adaption of go ask alice essay cram. A high school student named steven pico led a group of students who sued the board, claiming a denial of their first amendment rights. The story starts off like any other book, with a normal day and a normal family.
Go ask alice has also ranked among the most frequently challenged books for several decades due to its use of profanity and explicit references to sex and rape, as well as drugs. At the beginning of the book, alice is a typical, insecure, middleclass teenager preoccupied with boys, diets, and popularity. The american library association ala has tracked book challenges, which are attempts to remove or restrict materials, since 1990. Through out the history of film, many productions have been made based on best selling novels. September 2127 is banned books week, an annual event that highlights the freedom to read and the harms of censorship.
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