Looking_for_Alibrandi_Changing_Perspectives

A baby crawling to his mother, a little boy chasing a ball, a teenager kissing his girlfriend passionately, an adult walking his children to school; we all change. Change is an inevitable part of life; we must change in order to survive. If one does not change intellectually as well as emotionally they will not be able to move forward in life and experience the feelings and thoughts other humans experience. Through the novel ‘Looking for Alibrandi’ we are taken on a journey into the life of several key characters, we see how their ideas and beliefs change and how this impacts them personally and socially. The protagonist, Josie, changes mentally and emotionally towards several other characters in the novel, we see how her once biased perspective changes and she develops into a more mature lady who is no longer as arrogant or obnoxious as she was earlier on in the novel. Some characters in the novel embrace this change and continue on with life normally, while others force themselves to make decisions which are beyond their mental capability. The author Melina Marchetta depicts this concept of changing perspective through the use of several language techniques such as characterisation and plot development. This novel makes it evident to the audience that change is a vital part of life, if one does not change overtime, they will suffer severe stagnation whether it be physically, emotionally or intellectually. Marchetta’s use of characterisation plays a vital role in depicting the concept of changing perspectives. Two of the key characters who have changed in this novel are Josie’s long-time crush John Barton and the Captain of Cook High, Jacob Coote. After meeting Josie, Jacob’s window to life widened. He began to see the opportunities waiting for him; he could have easily had the life he wanted, it was just inches away now but he did not want that life anymore, for Josie had made him see the world through different eyes, the world along with himself. Throughout the novel Jacob Coote was depicted as a shallow boy who was unintelligent and came from a lower social class compared to the majority of the characters. Towards the end of the novel we see Jacob change from a daggy school boy to an intelligent and passionate young man who is not as narrow minded as he used to be. Jacob embraces this change but his change of perspective forces him to leave Josie as he feels that he can never live up to her, but will always keep trying nevertheless. The decision Jacob made was due to his changing view on life, his expectations and dreams began skyrocketing after Josie opened his eyes wider to take in a lot more of his surroundings. Josie’s crush John Barton also changed throughout the novel; however he did not embrace this change the way Jacob did. At the beginning of the novel, we see John as a rich kid who did not have any complications in his life, he was happy and content. John later began to confide in Josie and tell her that he did not want to live the life his father drew out for him; he wants to live the life he draws out for himself. John knew that his father would only love him if he continued to win in everything whether it is winning a competition, coming first in exams or sports. It was here that we see the true John: a sad person who wanted to feel free, smell freedom at the very least. John did not try and stand up to his father, or try to choose his own life but instead decided to cut his life short and die at the tender age of 17. By committing suicide, John ran away from it all. Unlike Jacob, he refused to embrace change. The technique of characterisation plays an important role in portraying to the audience how the different characters’ perspectives change as the plot develops. As the plot develops, the audience is able to follow the development of the key characters in the novel. At the beginning of the novel, the audience is given a brief insight into each key characters personality and appearance. As the novel progresses, a combination of events make the responder see these characters differently to the way they saw them at the beginning of the novel. As the novel progresses, a combination of events make the responder see these characters differently to the way they saw them at the beginning of the novel. Ones opinion continues to change as the events increase in number. Marchetta has structured the narrative in such a way that each event links to the other, and allows the responder to develop their own idea of each character and the way they have developed from the start of the novel till the end. Events such as the time when Josie wanted to visit her Nona and when Michael took Josie out for pizza are very important events as they draw the two characters together, hence changing their perspective of the other. NOTE: INSERT STUFF ABOUT HOW SHE DRAMATISES HER LIFE WITH HER ILLIGITACY AND ITALIAN BACKGROUND- ASK SARA!! As the novel progresses, Josie and Michael Andretti begin to bond together and enjoy each other’s company. Initially, before Josie met her father, she resented him as she felt that he abandoned her mother while she was pregnant at the age of 16. Josie first met Michael when they bumped into each other accidentally at her grandmother’s home. Their relationship started off from then and has grown stronger as the novel progresses. The key event in their relationship is when Josie has a fight with Carly Bishop, and Carly’s father threatens to take legal action. Without thinking twice, Josie contacts her father’s office requesting that he come to her aid as her legal representative. Unexpectedly, Michael Andretti arrives at her school, and the issue is resolved. As Josie walks alongside her father, she realises that she likes the feeling of having a father figure in her life. It is at this moment that she has a changed perspective of Michael Andretti. As Josie begins seeing more of her father, she realises that he did not abandon her mother at the tender age of 16 for he did not know that she was pregnant. He did not know that Josie existed until recently. Towards the end of the novel, Josie’s entire perspective of her father changes, she sees him as an intellectual whom she can confide into. She feels his presence as a father. Another example of a change in perspective due to increased knowledge is Josie’s, Nonna Katia. When Josie finds out that her grandmother was in an arranged marriage to someone she did not know and who could not have children, she fell pregnant with an Australian, Marcus Sandford. After her grandmother opened up to her, Josie realised that her Nonna isn’t as bad as she had initially thought. She realises that she is after all only human, and in many ways, was similar to her as a young woman.