How Does Looking For Alibrandi Change Throughout The Novel

Looking for Alibrandi is a novel about a teenage girl, and as the main character, she has a lot of what she calls ‘problems’ but they more like small speed bumps along the way and is struggling to cope with her teenager existence.

Throughout Melina Marchetta’s gripping novel, Looking for Alibrandi, many characters face and retell the issues that make being a teenager just that much more difficult. Seventeen year old, Josephine Alibrandi struggles to cope with her strict Italian mother and grandmother, her family background, the ‘John Barton and the Ivy Lloyd’s of this world, and typical teenage problems like wanting a boyfriend and the pressure of just trying to fit in, until she faces some real issues that not every teen has to face. Including

Josie Alibrandi feels suffocated by her Italian heritage and her mother and strict grandmother are there to remind her every day. Growing up in Australia during the 90’s, she is completing her last year in high school, on a scholarship as vice-captain at a prestigious catholic school, St Martha’s in Sydney. Most of Josie’s primary school friends went to public schools while she ended up with a scholarship to a private all girls’ school. Luckily she found a place with Lee, Sera and Anna. They all came together at the start of high school as they felt they didn’t fit in to any other groups. Josie’s illegitimacy hangs a big weight over her shoulders. Josie’s mother, Christina Alibrandi, had Josie when she was a teenager and the father was never to be told or seen again, only to be introduced into the novel as Michael Andretti. This created a huge hole in Christina and her mother’s relationship and she is forever criticizing Christina and how she mothers Josie and it drives them both insane. Her friends have a big influence on her, but not have as big as an impact as Jacob Coote and John Barton. Jacob is Josie’s first boyfriend and first love, while John Barton left an impact on Josie like no

He has always had his pick of the girls. Jacob has always been that popular ‘bad boy’ that always gave people crap but always seemed to get away with it. You know the kind right? Jacob bullied Josie when they were younger, he then developed feeling for her and he becomes Josie’s first boyfriend, first kiss and first heartbreak. Jacob naturally has preconceived opinion against John Barton

John Barton was a very capable teenager and Josie knew that and took an interest in him very early into the book and a lot of readers would agree that he would be a much suitable boyfriend for Josie. John lives in a fancy world and has everything going for him as a smart and wealthy boy. While Josie becomes closer friends with John, he expressed his feelings of depression and confusion over a night out engaging together over pizza. Josie is very surprised when she hears how John really feels on what she thought was the ‘perfect life.’

“A person doesn’t necessarily have to be happy just because they have social standing and material wealth Josie” – Michael