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Looking For Alibrandi Identity Essay

767 Words4 Pages

Year 11 English
Novel Study

How does the novel explore the complexities of navigating multiple cultural identities, and what message does it convey about the importance of cultural heritage and connection?

Looking for Alibrandi is a young adult fiction novel by Australian author Melina Marchetta. The novel gained recognition since its release in 1992 for honestly portraying the challenges that young people face in a multicultural society. The novel centres around Josephine Alibrandi, a 17-year-old girl of Italian descent struggling to find her place in the world amidst the pressures of school, family, and romance. Set in Australia in the 1990s, the novel highlights the challenges of reconciling multiple cultural identities while emphasising …show more content…

Josephine’s search for a sense of identity and belonging drives the plot of the novel, as she battles the pressure to conform to societal expectations of what it means to be Italian or Australian. Josephine's statement on page 40, "I’ll run one day. Run for my life. To be free and think for myself. Not as an Australian and not as an Italian and not as an in-between. I’ll run to be emancipated. If my society will let me," emphasises her feelings of being torn between two cultures and her inability to feel entirely accepted in either because she is subjected to Italian cultural expectations and experiences discrimination from her Australian classmates for being an Italian. She wants to be free from the rules and beliefs that other people expect her to follow, which are limiting her. Josephine’s desire to run away and be emancipated from societal expectations is a reflection of the struggle that individuals face when navigating multiple cultural identities. She is acknowledging the impact that cultural identity has on an individual's sense of belonging; as a result, the struggle emphasises the significance of cultural connections and heritage in shaping an individual's …show more content…

Initially, Josephine is resistant to the idea of embracing her Italian roots, as she feels caught between two cultures and struggles to reconcile the expectations of her family with the pressures of Australian society. However, as she starts to explore her family history and bond with her Italian relatives, she begins to recognise the value and intricacy of her cultural heritage. When Josephine first meets her father, Michael Andretti, she is sceptical of his intentions and hesitant to form a relationship with him. However, as she gains more knowledge about his life and experiences, her perspective of him shifts entirely, leading her to a deeper understanding of her identity. Through her journey of self-discovery, Josephine comes to understand that embracing her cultural heritage is not about rejecting her Australian identity, but rather about finding a way to reconcile the two. She achieves this by learning about her family’s history and culture, ultimately recognising the importance of cultural heritage and

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