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...