The Author of “Looking for Alibrandi”, Melina Marchetta is Australian born but of Italian descent. The novel was written at a time where Australia was embracing different cultures and the Australian government were recognizing migrants for their contrbution to society. Migrants were also beginning to be proud of their heritage. The purpose of the novel is to inform and as well as to entertain. The book is aimed at teenage and adult readers who are interested in issues that are prevalant in contemporary Australia.
“Looking for Alibrandi’ is about a 17 year old girl called Josie Alibrandi. She lives with her mother Christina and her Nonna is a large part of her life. She is battling with illigitimacy as well as racial intolerance at her school.
She meets her father and begins to learn about him and learns to respect and accept others. Many characters in ‘Looking for Alibrandi’ have changing perspectives. In the beginning of the novel, Josie’s initial assumptions, goals and dreams are to escape from her Italian culture and illegitimacy. She is forced out of these assupmtions by a series of experiences which appear unexpected to her e.g. John Barton’s suicide, from this she learns that materialism and wealth do not bring happiness. Jacob Coote is another character that