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