Looking for Alibrandi

Tuesday, October 30, 2012 Looking for Alibrandi By: Melina Marchette Looking for Alibrandi is the story of Josie Alibrandi’s experiences at school, and her relationships with friends and family during her last year at St Martha’s girls’ school. This is the year her father comes back into her life, the year she falls in love and discovers the secrets of her family’s past. Josie tells us the story of her struggles with her Italian-Australian identity and the highs and lows of teenage life.
It’s the story of a young girl who feels she doesn’t belong. She learns to cope with these feelings of insecurity and learns that everyone has similar feelings at different times. 1. Josie must learn to deal with a whole range of issues. How and why does Josie change? In Melina Marchetta’s novel, Looking for Alibrandi, Josie confronts and resolves a number of problems she has in her life. Josie’s attitudes towards her family and friends alter as she learns more about them and tries to understand them.
Ultimately, Josie is not the same girl at the end of the novel as she was at the beginning. 2. Josie has conflicting feelings towards Jacob. Explain. Josie has conflicting feelings towards Jacob. “I don’t know if he’s my type”. Josie is still initially stuck on John. It is not until after his death that she realises her real feelings for Jacob. 3. Josie’s transformation from school girl to young adult is the result of major events in her personal and school life.

Indeed, without these influences, Josie heightened understanding of herself and others would never have occurred. In reflecting on these experiences and understanding, how do these transformations impact her life? (This question is fit for conclusion – 2 sentences) Josie’s transformation from schoolgirl to young adult is the result of a number of major events in her personal and school life. Indeed, without these influences, Josie’s heightened understanding of herself and others would never have occurred.
In reflecting on these experiences and understanding their impact on her life, Josie’s transformation is complete. 4. Josie says, “I’m not going to be trapped like them. ” Does Josie seem trapped or cursed? 5. Look for examples of tradition in the family and school. In the novel, Looking for Alibrandi, Melinda Marchetta explores how Josie is initially embarrassed about being Italian but throughout the text she becomes proud of her Italian heritage.
She finds Tomato Day suffocating labelling it “Nation Wog day” as she wonders, “How many other poor unfortunates our age were doing the same? ” She also says, “This might be where I come from, but do I really belong here? ” This however changes through hearing Katia’s story and realising the importance of her heritage. 6. Why does Josie react strongly to other characters referring to her ethnicity or using the word “wog”, even though she uses the word and is sometimes critical of her Italian heritage? 7.
How does Michael Andretti appear to be adapting to his role as a father? Josie initially resents her father but comes to love and respect Michael and accept him in her life. “Stop being polite, you’re making me puke. Be angry or rude – but don’t you pretend I’m not here”. Josie rejects Michael at first, but then starts to warm to him. “I’ll ring my father – he’s a barrister”. 8. What impressions of Josie’s family do you form? What reasons does she have for wanting to “burst out of family life? ” Do you sympathize with her feelings?