Melina Marchetta's "looking for Alibrandi" is a story which resembles change internally and externally. In her final school year, Josephine Alibrandi is confused and angry. She is continuously confronted by issues that question who she is as her true sense of identity is clouded. In the beginning, Josie's attitude to the world is negative as she feels burdened by her Italian ancestry, her social status and the fact that she is illegitimate. She sees these factors as great obstacles in her life that make her an outcast who struggles to fit in. Josie's perception and attitude undergoes dramatic change as she continues to learn the true and deeper meanings of life through her experiences and by learning from others. Her grandmother Nona Katia is at first seemed to be one of the main causes for her confusion and unhappiness but as Josie receives and insight to her life Nona turns out to be one of the people who act like the key to the door of realization. Meeting her father, Michael Andretti, is as an important external event in Josie's life as he gives her a sense of belonging and hope. Josie absorbs the definition of life by learning from her suicidal friend John Barton and she allows her self to see beyond her restricted world through her relationship with Jacob Coote.
Nona katia plays a great role in Josephine's life as she imposes all the traditional values and expectations on her. Their opposing personalities and their different views on the world lead to their complicated and resentful relationship. Josie is struggling to understand who she is and where she belongs and Nona continues to title Josie as the curse' of the family and aims to make Josie feel guilty about being alive. Reputation and the family name' is a top priority for