Looking For Alibrandi Essays

Themes Of Looking For Alibrandi Conflict Essay

Cultural conflict is something that we will experience, sooner or later in our everyday lives. Both LFA and GUAIA depict characters that find their cultural backgrounds hard to cope with, but they each draw attention to different reasons for these difficulties. In the novel, "Looking For Alibrandi", written by Melina Machetta and the anthology, Growing Up Asian in Australia edited by Alice Pung, we perceive similar reasons why the characters find their heritage subjugating within the broader Australian context. The protagonist of 'Looking for Alibrandi', Josie discovers her true identity and breaks free from her mother and grandmothers cultural boundaries, guidelines and strict expectations. The collection of short stories in 'Growing up Asian in Australia' depict characters that are facing cultural conflict due to having an ethnicity that diverges from the majority. Both of these iconic texts...show more content... Josie rebels against the ridiculous rules and regulations of traditional Italian traditions that her Nonna is devoted to. This demonstrates that Josie being torn between the cultures has led to a rift within her family dynamic. Similarly, in Dancing Lessons' Cindy's aspiration is to become a dancer, but after she hears her father say that 'a school teacher [is] a stupid thing to be', which she aspired to be at a time, she becomes hesitant to express that desire. The cultural tradition of Cindy's father left her feeling as though her future options are limited. Despite the fact that the pressure in one story sterns from a desire to maintain tradition, and in the other, the source is a fathers expectations in regards to his daughter's career, it is clear that both characters experience a resembling struggle. In both narratives, the impact that families attempt to exert is the only ever protagonist. It is clear that the importance of this similarity outweighs the superficial

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Theme Of Looking For Alibrandi

Looking for Alibrandi Interpretive Essay

How does the Author of Looking for Alibrandi explore the themes loss and grief, resilience, and culture and traditions? Looking for Alibrandi is a novel by Melina Marchetta that follows the story of the protagonist Josie Alibrandi, a 17–year–old girl facing family issues and the struggles of adolescence. The film adaptation directed by Kate Woods holds most of the same content of thenovel but differs slightly in the sense that the story is told visually rather than literarily. A plethora of themes and techniques are presented in the film and help to add depth, excitement, and relatability to the story. The key themes in the movie are loss, resilience, and growth. Kate Woods has accompanied the ...show more content...

When first meeting her father Josie is dazed, unable to process the situation. This confusion soon turns to anger as Josie begins to contemplate how being fatherless has impacted her life. By the end of the film, Josie forgives her father, accepting his mistakes and looking at the positive aspects of his arrival. This is evident in the quote, "I remembered the same time, last year when Michael wasn't in my life. It was the scariest feeling in the world." Cinematography is used to complement the development of the relationship. Its primary role is to show the emotions and thoughts of Josie and her father through their experiences. An example of the use of cinematography is seen when Josie sees her father for the first time. A close–up shot is used to show her confusion and bewilderment. The theme adds relatability to the story and gives the audience an insight into Josie's mindset. Perhaps the most significant theme in Looking for Alibrandi is growth. It relates to both mental and emotional growth. At every moment of the film, Josie goes through a different experience, contributing to her growth. Some techniques used to demonstrate growth are colour and sound. The use of colour to show growth is evident through the colours used through the film's stages. Red and green are used at the start of the film to signify Josie's heritage and her supportive family environment. The

Nancy Tran www.boredofstudies.org LOOKING FOR ALIBRANDI– QUOTES (1992 Puffin edition) "My mother was born here so as far as the Italians were concerned we weren't completely one of them. Yet because my grandparents were born in Italy we weren't completely Australian." (p. 7) "It makes me feel I will never be a part of their society and I hate that because I'm just as smart as they are." (p. 8) "The room isn't like the living rooms of my parents... but I like it. Because my mother and I are stamped all over it." (p. 10) "Telecom would go broke if it weren't for the Italians." (p. 11) "We tune into each other very well. Maybe because it's always just been the two of us." (p. 14) "Sometimes I think he is a myth. As far as the world is...show more content... I don't think I could ever handle the silence of the bush in North Queensland. Or of the country. Especially the silence of the people. I hope I never have to live in a country where I can't communicate with my neighbour." (p. 117–118) "And for a minute, no, just a second really, I wondered if he was right [John Barton saying that life is shit]... Americans take their accents so much for granted. Every time I hear it on the radio I think they've managed to involve us all in another horrible conflict. I wondered if I wanted to raise my children with that fear in their hearts... The terrible thing about it is I find the horrible conflicts Nancy Tran www.boredofstudies.org and injustices comforting compared to this place [heaven] where we're supposed to go to one day where everything is perfect. So my second was up and I went back to liking this useless existence." (p. 134) "When I got home I placed his sheet in my jewel–case. Maybe because my jewel–case contained my most worthy items and the soul of John Barton seemed priceless." (p. 136) "Things that worried me a few months ago no longer worry me as much. I can't say that I'm completely oblivious. The gossiping of the Italian community might not matter to some, but I belong to that community. Sometimes I feel that no matter how smart or beautiful I could be they would still remember me for the wrong things. That's why I want to be rich and influential. I want to flaunt my status in front of

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Looking For Alibrandi Identity Analysis

NOVEL STUDY RESPONE– LOOKING FOR ALIBRANDI

Introduction:

Looking for Alibrandi is a true story focused on and about Josephine Alibrandi who finds many struggles of day to day life to fit in, it displays Josie in the novel to struggle with finding her own identity in society, it is her last year of school so it makes it even tougher. It's set in Sydney's eastern suburbs where there are many people who have cultural backgrounds, for Josie she's of an Australian–Italian decent. Josie's father never knew his daughter, she always dreamt of what he'd be like. She got a scholarship in an expensive private school to get a good education that she could barely afford and of course it was full of rich Australians who's were snobs to what they called Wogs. Throughout this intriguingnovel she learns to cope with cultural differences from everyone else and how her life changes. She wants to be free "I'll run. Run for my life. To be free and think for myself. Not as an Australian and not as an Italian and...show more content... She wanted to get away from her embarrassing and old Italian background family and become herself. I believe that Josie has a lot of issues with self–worth and pride, she doesn't really want to fit in as something she wants to free, that's her choice but when people are trying to force things upon her and prohibit her freedom then it can cause problems for not only herself but her friends and family. Throughout the story you see how this changes and she becomes to find her own identity. It is important that teens should feel as if they fit in to society and feel comfortable before they reach adulthood. This movie really tells the audience, mainly teenagers, to just be themselves and it will all work out in the end. It gives them hope and courage to carry along the journey to find their identity until they are fully comfortable in their own skin.

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Role Of Identity In Looking For Alibrandi

In the closely connected society, the differences among societies and families are becoming more and more prominent, even impacting one's identity. At the individual level, identity formation involves the development of both personal identity and group identity (Phinney, 2000). In Looking for Alibrandi, the title of the novel clearly presenting the theme of the work, which is the exploration of Alibrandi'sidentity, since identity is about the question "who am I?". It is impossible to realize one's true identity without an understanding of one's family and culture. Therefore, it is important to explore the coexistence and integration of different cultural differences and identity. Looking for Alibrandi presents both the life and soul trip of a rebellious teenager who is exploring her own identity under the complicated self–identity and other family and social differences. The role of family and culture plays an important role in forming individual identity. I think oneself ,family and culture is a three ways to make a true identity.

Josie has some problem in herself because she cannot make a real identity and she also did not find she is an Italian or Australian. Identity can be effect by herself or friends and family. For Josie herself, she does not know what kind of person she is and what kind of person she wants to be. From the social reasons, it includes elements such as the family, school education and the social environments. In Josie's family, she is illegitimacy and Get more content

Looking For Alibrandi

by Melina Marchetta Essay

Josie Alibrandi goes "looking" for herself she discovers she needs to create herself.

In the novel "looking for Alibrandi, written by Melina Marchetta," there are many different situations and feelings that Josephine Alibrandi goes through, in order to figure out who she really is as a person. Josie also has to deal with the normal up and down roller coaster ride of being a teenage girl. At the end of her journey she has very different views on certain topics to the original thoughts that she had at the beginning. Josephine has to cope with different aspects of peer pressure, religion, sexuality, illegitimacy but also family relationships and secrets and death. She finds out a lot more about herself and her family and friends than she...show more content...

It was a great feeling."

This quote from the book helps us to understand that Josie realized she had a lot in common with him, they got along really well and she liked having him around not only as a father figure but as well as a friend.

"You weremarried. You slept with Marcus Sandford while you were a married woman." This is a quote from Josie when she and her nonna Katia become really close. Josephine starts to understand that Katia knows how she feels more than she thought. She also notices Katia was once a young girl in the world, with problems very similar to the ones Josie is going through. Josephine discovers that Katia had an affair with Marcus Standford, which has been hidden away from the rest of the family for years. Everything Josie originally thought her background was, plain and simple, she now knows that it wasn't the case, all black and white. This incident helped Josephine to grow and not take for granted the family she has that loves and cares about her.

Peer pressure is another aspect of life we see that makes Josie a stronger person. It helps her stand up for herself and do what she feels is right not what other people want of her. "But then when his hands went up my uniform and I felt them between my thighs and I looked up to see a poster of a motor bike that said 'Get something between your legs' on it, I realized that I could be losing my virginity in Jacob's bedroom with his father in the other room, completely without thinking. "

Looking for Alibrandi

The novel "Looking for Alibrandi" by Melina Marchetta explores the life of a seventeen year old Australian/Italian teenager named Josephine Alibrandi. Josephine is attending a upper class private school in the suburb of Glebe, Sydney NSW in her last year of high school. Thorughout year twelve Josephine comes by adolescent events both positive and negative such as racial comments, understanding the secrects and truth of her family, reuniting with her father who has been abscent all her life and finding her first love.

Josephine has trouble accepting that she is a "ethnic" though starts to accept and be proud to be a Australian with and Italian background as the book progresses.

The book is named "Looking for Alibrandi" as Josephine has...show more content...

After a couple of negative encounters in public, the two become very close and start to date, the two are very loyal to eachother but encounter problems when Jacob becomes jealous of other boys or when Josephine doesn't like the way Jacob is dressed. All of these problems are come over and they become closer and closer, the existance of Jacob Coote in Josephine's life is hugely significant and very influential on some of the decisions Josephine later makes.

Later in the book the perfect couple end up breaking up due to the fact that they felt they were not moving forward as individuals in life.

After a stress filled and eventful year she finally finished her HSC examinations, recieveing many qualifications in different subject areas. Though she has not only learned little bits from school but has also learned to be a member of community through the help of her friends and family. She has found her true identity by the end of the novel. Knowing that she is a Australian with Italian blood flowing through her, who is not afraid to be who she is no matter what anyone

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Essay 1 – 'Looking for Alibrandi'

'How are the differences between Australian and Italo–Australian culture displayed by Marchetta and what effects do they have on the protagonist Josie?"

Melina Marchetta's cult text 'Looking for Alibrandi' looks at many issues of growing up inAustralia torn between two cultures. The main protagonist Josie Alibrandi was born in Australia into a family with strong Italian cultural links and her battle to 'find' herself and her ethnicity is one that I will explore further.

Before exploring Josie's ethnicity it is important to outline its meaning. Ethnicity–"A complex amalgam of language, religion, customs, symbols, literature, music, food and, as its core, an internal and external perception of...show more content...

This is very clear through the construction of Katia Alibrandi and her thoughts of a daughter being the refection of a mother. "A daughter's behaviour always reflects on how good a mother is." (p37). Her expectations on Josie to be a 'good Italian girl' weigh heavily on the protagonist but also provide her with a great set of well constructed guidelines to fall back on when she feels the need. Her willingness to drop her Italian heritage when a conflict arose is something that has taken her 17 years to understand and to be able operate but took her mother a much longer period and still is yet to have any effect on Katia as whenever conflict arises or she feels pressure she speaks fluent Italian and is shown to be the total opposite to Josie as she displays traits linked with Australianculture, to the point where Katia is quoted asking Christina 'Where is the Culture?, she (Josie) will marry an Australian and their kids will eat fish and chips'. Again a derogatory comment made by Katia indicating her dislike for the Australian culture after her bad experiences in it. This continual put down of the culture allows Josie to gain an understanding of the importance of the Italian culture. Marchetta uses this tool well as Katia is not only judging Josie and her growing Australian culture but also judges Christina, her

LOOKING FOR ALIBRANDI ESSAY

Looking for Alibrandi does show the different expectations placed on young people. These expectations can be in many different forms due to race or nationality or pressure to pursue a certain career path. In the novel this is shown clearly in Josephine Alibrandi and John Bartons life. Josephine has high expectations to be a stereotypical Italian girl and John Barton has a lot of pressure from his father to become a barrister and follow in his footsteps. Jacob Coote is also another character that has different expectations to family ones, his come from the general view of the public and society.

The main story in the novel is of Josephine Alibrandis life when she is 17 years old and at the end of her high...show more content... as if he has lost lots of weight, his face is blotchy and pale". This is a result of the harassment from is father, in the end it becomes too much for John to handle and ends up taking his life in the middle of his issues.

Jacob Coote has expectations placed on him but in a

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There are many types of change, change in perspective, emotional change, physically change and world change. In Looking for Alibrandi, the author, Melina Marchetta demonstrates, the concept of change not only through the main character, Josephine, but also some other minor characters such as Michael Andretti and John Barton though the majority is shown through Josephine. The poem, "The Door" by Miroslav Holub is very similar to Looking for Alibrandi as it also shows the concept of change but it tells us that change can mean that anything could happen even if that anything is nothing. Change can be good, it can be bad, change can be anything and it can even start relationships. Relationships can be a catalyst for change; it can start...show more content...

As the novel progresses she starts to realize that it doesn't matter where you come from, you're as special as anyone else, she says "I'm an Australian with Italian blood flowing rapidly through my veins. I'll say that with pride, because it's pride that I feel"' (By using repetition of the word 'pride' demonstrates her change in self perception and her confidence in her cultural identity, it also re–enforces that she has pride in herself). After figuring out that being Italian and Australian doesn't matter, she reassures herself, Jacob says 'You people should go back to your own country if you're so confused.' Josie responds ''This is my country,' I whispered.' (The fact that she whispers demonstrates her shock and also her lack of conviction that she truly belongs which shows us that she has accepted her culture and heritage.) Therefore I have learnt that change can show us things that we've never seen before and with change, we learn to accept things for the better. As opposed to positive, change can be negative, negative change can influence the other people around you and change them as well. In the novel, John Barton dies; this death negatively influences the people close to him like Josie. Before John dies, Josie has a crush on him and says to us, 'Picture this. School Captain of St Anthony's. Son of a member of Parliament. Greatest debater who ever lived. Good looking.

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Looking For Alibrandi Identity Quotes

Introduction

'Looking for Alibrandi' by Melina Marchetta, explores the story of Josephine (Josie) Alibrandi, a seventeen year–old schoolgirl, who struggles to discover her identity. By using a range of conflict situations Marchetta explores the issues or growing up, overcoming adversity, and prejudice within the Australian community. With the help of Christina (mother), Katia (Nonna), Michael (father), John Barton and Jacob Coote. Josephine develops maturity, faces hardships and preconceptions in her everyday life.

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Throughout the novel Melina Marchetta allows us to appreciate the issues of growing up by the situations Josie faces. At first Josephine is portrayed as selfish and reckless. Born in the middle of two different societies

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Looking for Alibrandi is a prime example on how young adults can be educated on the stresses and losses of life and through reflection they can set you free. Looking for Alibrandi focuses on one girl and the shame of her family's irresponsibility's have brought on them. Through her difficult school year, her absent father, falling in love, losing friends and discovering the truth about her identity.Melina Marchetta opened doors to the complications of the first generation Australian born ethnic female identities. Marchetta identified the anxieties of being different and acceptance which comes with being unfamiliar. She shows the reader themselves that people who are alike Josie are normal and mainly important and not alone.

The main...show more content...

Secondly Looking for Alibrandi explores the relationships between mother and daughters, fathers and daughters, grandmothers and grandchildren, relatives, girlfriends and boyfriends, and girls together in school. A blossoming relationship throughout the novel is between Josie and Jacob. Relationships can be a catalyst for change. They come from different worlds yet balance each other out in the best ways possible. A main concern explored throughout the novel is the difference between Jacob and Josie. Throughout the novel, individuals who play an important role in Josie's life point out that Jacob isn't her type. Both are shocked to find each other attractive, yet they both inspire each other. They both mutually understand there's more than meets the eye. Jacob is special to Josie, they come from the same class and Josie learns to get rid of bias of identity with his help and better to answer the question of who she really is. This dynamic duo can relate to a lot of young individuals who are in committed relationships. Most individuals look down upon young lovers and become sceptical on how long the relationships would last. Not to mention the backlash Josie got from her peers about her relationships with Jacob. Not to mention Josie would never be able to introduce Jacob to her strict Italian grandmother. An issue a lot of young people face today as they would be shamed out of relationships. Due to their relatives not liking their significant

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Looking For Alibrandi Change Analysis

Looking for Aibrandi

Change is inevitable in life. Everything around us is changing as time flies. That includes our emotions, our actions and our perspectives on things. Looking for Alibrandi is a novel about a teenage girl's struggles in life and how she changes her views on others and herself through a series of events which eventually leads to her 'emancipation' by the end of the novel. Throughout the novel, the author, Melina Marchetta clearly demonstrates the concept of change and changing perspective through the main character, Josephine Alibrandi's actions and thoughts. Some of the most significant changes about Josephine's actions towards herself, her father, Michael Andretti and her Nonna, Katia will be discuss in this essay. ...show more content...

Josie resent her father, Michael greatly at the start of the novel as shown by these quote "I'd rather die than meet my father" (pg164) and "I actually pictured him picking me up as a child and that really got on my nerves, because I didn't want to picture him in such an affectionate way"(pg68). These quotes make evident that Josie despise the fact that Michael is re–entering her life and her mother's after he abandoned her mother alone. However, as the novel continues, readers can see the changes in Josephine where she become more acceptance towards Michael Andretti and how she likes the feeling of having a father figure as shown in the quote "I walked past my class mates with Michael Andretti beside for a few minutes– I knew how it felt walking alongside one's father. It was a great feeling" (pg90). Later in the novel, their relationship was strengthen when Michael wants to adopt her and change her name into Andretti, she also starts to call him dad which demonstrate the significant changes in Josie's relationship with her

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Looking For Alibrandi

By Melina Marchetta Essay

Everyone wants to be in control of their own lives and have a bit of freedom, sadly this doesn't happen for some. I have chosen to look at films,novels and short stories that are to do with being controlled. This includes the novel 'Looking for Alibrandi' written by Melina Marchetta, a short story 'On the sidewalk bleeding' by Evan Hunter and the films 'The Hunger games' directed by Gary Ross and 'The boy in the striped pyjamas' directed by Mark Herman.

In the novel 'Looking For Alibrandi', Josie who is an Italian girl deals with her traumas of everyday life. Since her family is Italian she has a traditional event called Tomato Day which is where the community comes together to bottle tomatoes. Josie always complains about how boring Tomato Day is and tries to explain to her Nonna that she is getting older and more mature so she should be allowed to be like any ordinary teenage girl. Josie 's Nonna is a very strict and controlling woman and is always saying that Josie 's mother Christina is not fit to parent Josie because she isn't strict enough. In the novel we can clearly state that Josie feels like she has no freedom especially with her Nonna in her life. A quote that tells us this is,'I'll run one day. Run for my life. To be free and think for myself....I'll run to be emancipated.' When Nonna finds out that Josie gets an Australian boyfriend she is very disappointed with Josie's choice. This is because Italians are very involved and judgemental people and Nonna doesn't

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Looking For Alibrandi Challenges

Life in general is full of facing challenges. As the saying goes, ""What doesn't kill you makes you stronger." So then why do we all, when faced with an unpleasant situation, try to find the easy way out and not tackle down the obstacles and all the suffering? People stop trying because they believe that their hardship will never end so they put up with it and suffer more than they have to. However they don't understand that there really is a light at the end of the tunnel and that you might be struggling now but it will always be brighter and greater on the other side, you just need to find your way to it. Our society is always changing. Different generations of people include having different kinds of life's, which means that these challenges...show more content...

Descriptive language is been used thoroughly throughout this text and has been able to make a point of Josephine's life and the challenges that adolesces' face throughout their teen years. This novel was also written in first person form so when you team that up with descriptive language it allows the reader to understand Josephine's thoughts, feelings and opinions on the issues, which she faces. Marchetta has done this by using the descriptive language repetitively so the audience gets a detailed idea on what she is thinking and feeling. If this technique wasn't used us as the audience wouldn't have gotten to know what she really was feeling and how important it was for her to overcome the challenges she was faced with for the new phases of her

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"The only journey is the one within." (Rainer Maria Rilke) Why do teenagers love novels on the adolescent mind or the coming of age story or an individual finding their way you may ask? The only thing in common in all these different themes is relatability to every one of those teenagers. Looking for Alibrandi byMelina Marchetta the recipient of The Children's Book of the Year and the Bilby Award; the relatable story of Josie a seventeen–year–old as she goes on her path of self–discovery in her final year of school. As Marchetta asks the questions of Who am I? Where am I? Where am, I going? How do I get there? Her inquisition are the questions that all teenagers ask in their journey to find their way like Josie as she looks for Alibrandi or herself.

Marchetta uses her Italian heritage to capture the effects of ethnicity, pressure,family issues and growing up on Josie throughout her journey. The realistic, relatable and relevant use of racism and ethnic separation as Josie is caught between two cultures. As she fights her culture and her oppressive, deceptive and traditional grandmother. Her search for freedom and acceptance carries through the end as she matures. As she changes her perception of her grandmother from having "no respect for......show more content...

As Josie handle the pressures of high school compared to the contrast of John Barton (her former love interest) who takes his life as pressure consumes him. But it is the resilience and strength Josie shows in the darkest situation of his death defines the coming of age metaphor. "'There's nothing to look forward to if you don't have any dreams,' he [Jacob] said. 'Because dreams are goals and John might have run out of goals. So he died. But we're alive... [there's] something to look forward to" (pg. 239) She merely treats it as an obstacle and continues on her quest to self–discovery as she learns from his heartfelt

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Looking For Alibrandi

The 2016–2017 American school year has already started for most students in the USA. We at Hollywood News Source have stack up with some of must read back to school YA reads. These stories tackle relevant teenage topics. Here are some of our favorites below!

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Looking for Alibrandi by Melina Marchetta

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This book is timeless and should be rendered as classic as it rightfully deserve. Josie's road to self discovery has been a pure delight read. She's a spitfire heroine who are not afraid to voice out her opinion. Looking for Alibrandi are funny, heart wrenching, with a healthy dose offamily dynamics. Even though, it is set in 90's Australia, the feminist message was very much relevant. I can't recommend this enough.

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Interim Goddess of Love by Mina V. Esguerra...show more content... Esguerra nailed everything exquisitely. We have Hannah Maquiling who is a magnet of love problems. She has a knack of attracting anyone to spill their love problems to her. That's because, The God of the Sun is grooming her to be the next Goddess of Love. It is a light, fun read that explores Tagalog mythology. Akin to reading Filipino fables, there are lessons you can always glean in this series.

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Been Here All Along by Sandy Hall

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This YA book is your standardhigh school formula. There's a popular athlete who's dating the most popular girl at school, pop culture nerd, and

more. However, there's a twist, this is a best friends to lovers story but with two boys. If you want an exploration of sexuality and relationship in a delightful manner, you should pick up Been Here All Along.

Also Recommended: Tell Me Again How A Crush Should Feel by Sara Farizan

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There Will Come a Time by Carrie Arcos

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Looking For Alibrandi Identity Analysis

'LookingforAlibrandi'"LookingforAlibrandi"demonstratesarealisticrepresentationofyouthidentityandthefactorseffectingadolescence.Josiefacesissuesthatanadolescentteenwould,strugglingtocopewithteenageexistence.Sheliveswithhersinglemotherandattendsaprestigiousprivateschool,wherehersnobbishclassmatesmockherSicilianheritage.Shecontendswiththedramasofteenromance,dividedbetweenJohnandJacob.Whenher family receivesavisitfromMichael,Josieisoverwhelmedwhenshediscoversthatheisalsoherfather.Itclearlyshowsherchangesinperspectiveonthelifeofanadolescent.Thelanguagefeaturesinthisnovelarerelatabletoteenagelifeevents,theymakethereaderfeelconcernedforthewell

Essay: The film В‘Looking for Alibrandi' traces Josephine's Higher School Certificate year. Select four people and/or events from Josephine's final year and discuss how these people or events changed Josephine's perspective. Melina Marchetta's "looking for Alibrandi" is a story which resembles change internally and externally. In her final school year, Josephine Alibrandi is confused and angry. She is continuously confronted by issues that question who she is as her true sense of identity is clouded. In the beginning, Josie's attitude to the world is negative as she feels burdened by her Italian ancestry, her social status and the fact that she is illegitimate. She sees these factors as great obstacles in her life that make her an...show more content...

This helps Josie accept who she is and to become aware of her identity. Josie's father, Michael Andretti has an important contribution to Josie's changing perspectives. At first meeting he was not a great priority to Josie as she did not really think about him. When Josie's mother tells her about Michael Andrettie's arrival, she reacts to the issue calmly as she says "It's not a big deal, we can handle it". Her mother is worried and nervous and Josie is not really concerned at the time. Josie later says sarcastically that "В…This year is just starting off perfectlyВ…You know I never thought for a second that I'll actually meet my father, they all seem pretty useless to me". This is said at the school gate where the focus is on the fathers who drop their daughters at school. Josie is confused and is angry as she says "At St. Martha's, its all about money, prestige, and what your father does for living". This creates contrast between what is important at her school and what Josie has in her life. She is at first angry at her father and she's annoyed to see him get close to the family. She ironically says "Who does he think he is? Part of the family?" Josie confronts her father about her existence; she wants him to take notice of her. She says "be rude, or be angry but don't pretend I'm not here", her tone of speech is very discourteous and through this she expresses her feelings very clearly. The Get more content

"I'll run one day. Run for my life. To be free and think of myself. Not as an Australian and as an Italian and not as an in between. I'll run to be emancipated." Discuss.

Looking into the distance, an athlete runner can see the finishing line. However what stands before them are many hurdles one will have to jump over to reach the end. Comparing this analogy to an individual's life, these hurdles are like the various challenges that one will have to overcome to cross their finishing line, and in order to come first, one will have to run. Melina Marchetta has written a novel, Looking for Alibrandi (LFA), which portrays the events that can waver a character from their finishing goal, their goal to achieve true freedom. It is situations such...show more content...

Not only does this mean they are running from themselves; considering how society is focused on an individual's class, these characters are running from their true goal also – in becoming an independent individual.

One's identity is about understanding themselves and knowing what they want in life. Jacob Coote had everything planned out in his life, that was before Josie entered his life. "Because I'm fooling myself, I used to be proud of not getting high marks. 'who cares?' I used to say. Because I'm going to be a mechanic, I didn't care what marks I got. But ever since you, it's got to me..." (p.g.249) Jacob was portrayed as a character who lived his lief freely. It was until Josie influence him causing his to think twice about his future. Jacob not being an Italian descent has less stress placed on him. He did not care about what people thought about him, and this is seen clearly through his carefree lifestyle. Through the use of rhetorical question "Who cares?", she was able to display the true thoughts and emotions of the character. To show how much Jacob has grown because of a different cultural belief, through Josie, and to incorporate the reader's empathy towards him. John was always on a run in his life. It was Josie who pulled him

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