Looking for Alibrandi by Melina Marchetta

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the law’"- Josie (p. 206) Besides that he has no real ambition in life apart from becoming a mechanic. However this is soon to change Jacob’s path of development physically and emotionally in search for his personal identity in having Josie in his life which "... opened me up to this whole new world..."(p. 251)

Josie was Jacobs girlfriend for 3/4 of the novel, this relationship for Jacob became a very influential aspect of his life in the beginning to find his own personal identity and now knowing "...that there’s more to life."(p. 251) Jacob’s first encounter with Josie was when "...10 of his friends..blocked both entrances of the lane we cut through to get to our bus stop."(p. 27) This perhaps wasn’t the most positive start to their relationship however this bond between them became stronger by the novels end, in the way they overcame many challenges which ultimately shaped there own sense of personal identity. Throughout the novel Josie encourages Jacob to have ambition and the realisation of what life has to offer, by not following in the footsteps of his family. By the novels end Jacob decides to end the relationship with Josie as he believes he has so much more living to do. The impact that Josie had on him was most certainly positive and inspired him to become a better person as he grew in maturity and soon then his sense of personal identity changed.

"I still want to be a mechanic, but I want to step outside my circle and look at the other options. I don’t want to do what other people think I’ll end up doing... I want all things in life that John Barton gave up because he was scared to step out of his circle."(p. 251)

By the end of the novel Josephine Alibrandi and Jacob Coote soon sat the HSC at the end of their schooling life, gaining a different perspective of life and growing in maturity and independence. Throughout there own individual path of development the impact on their relationships, with family and friends and their attitudes, values and beliefs soon changed and became stronger, particularly in Josie’s life with the expectations of her family and culture. However Jacob changed as he grew and the impact of Josie, which ultimately helped shape there own sense of personal identity.