Looking For Alibrandi By Kate Woods English Literature Essay
In studying ‘looking for Alibrandi’ by Kate woods, the concept of,” Assumptions An colour ones perspective”, is explored using the protagonist Josie Alibrandi but also this concept can also be observed through my other related text ‘The ugly Duckling’ by Hans Christian Andersen.
Both texts are translucent in conveying that assumptions can ultimately colour ones perspective for the good and for the bad but also identifying that change is a process.
Initially, the protagonist Josie’s perspective upon herself is feeling lost, unsecured and feeling like she doesn’t belong. Wood communicates this at the beginning of the film at tomato day, through the use of voice over technique with the audience are provided with an insight to Josie’s perceptions.
“Do I really belong here?”
“I’ve got to get out of here!”
Wood employs yet another voice over technique to provide us, the audience with an understanding to Josie’s assumptions and ambitions on how she wants her life to turn out.
“I’ve got big plans for this year, I’m going to get Nona off my back, Bltiz all my final exams so I can go to university to study Law and make a man of my dreams fall in love with me. You know what that means, that I’m going to be the first Alibrandi to have a say in how her life will turn out!”
Throughout the film, wood highlights how traumatic or shocking experiences can be catalysts for reconsidering our perspective on other people or ourselves. Woods explores this idea using Josie’s ambitions and perceptions to highlight this idea.
Through the film Josie faces many catalysts of change influence by herself and externally. One of these encounters was first seeing her dad Michael Andretti, in 17 years. Naturally she has felt neglected and angry towards her dad. This is demonstrated through the use of her angry tone used towards her dad.
” Don’t pretend that I am not here!”
This however contrast later to a scene where Josie is having a conflict with Carl Bishop and rings her dad for help and her dad rescue her to get her out of trouble. Her tone towards her dad changes as she is no longer angry or in conflict with him.
“So hows court today dad?”
By Josie also refer to Michael Andretti as dad now, illustrating that she is welcoming him into her life and is accepting of him, thus showing notion of change.
Another event which alters Josie’s perspective is the scene where Josie and Nona are forced to share a bed, which wood uses to illuminate the idea that peoples assumptions can colour ones perspective on another but can also be encourage to change when they realize that they have shared experiences. Alternatively changing ones perspective.
Wood employs the motif of the family photos to investigate Nona’s discussion of the family history, although Josie’s body language and desire to listen to her iPod suggests that she is not interested. Responders become accurately aware that she is affected by the discussion.
Nona’s dialogue “I was in a place where I did not belong”, combined with the reflective music and the close up of Josie’s face all serve to highlight that Josie is forced is emphasized with Nona as they had shared experience.
Among the other experiences, John Bartor suicide reveals a significant point about the need for others support when our perspective have altered. In the scene where Jacob and Josie are on the ferry, wood uses voice over to indicate Josie’s negative perspective after john death. The voice over “…if John Bartor couldn’t be alright, no one can be alight” The hopeless tone used to deliver the voice over combines to reveal the need for Josie to get active support in order it provide a hopeful perspective of her own and others live.
Progressing through the film, Josie begins to realize her ambitions and perspective of her life have began to change, this can be contrast to her earlier statement ” I am the master of my own destiny” and also to her earlier ambitions. This is further more communicated through yet another voice over
“Maybe Nona is right, we really are cursed’
“Why did I think I could change anything, I am sorry Nona, but I am not going to be the one to stop the curse’, conveying that she is accepting defeat thus communicating that assumptions do in fact colour ones perspective.
Finally, Josie begins to find enlightenment and embrace with her heritage as she realises that not everything turns out how you anticipate it, instead you have to learn to be glad for what you have and the people you have around you. This is highlighted through her statement
‘ We both know that you don’t get always get what you want, but god I love your faith’ Illustrating that both her and Jacob have both shared experiences with loss of close ones but also have realizes that their assumptions have in fact, colored their perspective on the life. At the end of the film, wood uses the motif of the family tradition “Tomato Day” to communicate that in fact Josie has altered her perspective towards herself, her family and Nona, but most of all has found out where she belongs.
‘I know what’s important is who I fell I am’
This is also explored by instead of Josie running away with friends to the beach; she invites them in to join in, welcoming them into her family tradition. Contrasting to the beginning of the film where Josie has colored assumptions and ambitions of her life and how others perceive her.
This therefore conveys the notion that change is an ongoing process, not merely from point A to B.
Andersen’s poetry ‘The Ugly Duckling’ depicts change as process. The poem explores change as process of changing not only ones mental perception, but also their physical perception and how assumptions can colour one perspective. To illustrate this, author uses the ugly duckling to highlight this idea. This text makes some resemblance to ‘Looking For Alibrandi’ character, Josie, as both texts explore the identity crisis. (Although some psychological factors with the ugly duckling are different)
Using first person omniscient, author explores the ugly ducklings experience to illumate the idea that ‘You should guide a book my it’s cover’ but also how these assumptions can be colouring to one perspective. As an audience, we are able to observe these changes of perspective from the narrator from young to old.
Andersen identifies the protagonist the ‘ugly duckling’ as having a blurred sense of belonging and understanding through omniscient narration. ‘Quote, why is this true’
The composer then uses the complication of being bullied to illuminate the assumptions of others upon the ugly duckling, but also to investigate how he feels and responds their perceptions
‘What a nice looking children you have’
‘They are all pretty except that one’
This effectively links to ‘LFB’, as it symbolizes a curse, misfortune that can also be seen through Josie’s perspective of herself and the ugly duckling.
Moving through the text, the composer conveys time passing by separating stanzas into seasons and pointing out changes to the ugly duckling e.g. Growth.
‘Then quite suddenly, he lifted his wings, and they swept through the air much more strongly than before’, depicts time as a process of change.
The composer then uses the complication of the pond of the lake freezing for a catalyst of change, resulting in the ugly duckling being taken home by a farmer to be taken care of. First person narration is used to state this ‘ I will take him home to my children, they will look after him’
Andersen identifies the catalyst (time), as a process of change by the use of first person narration of the ugly duckling ‘Goodness! How I’ve changed! I hardly recognize myself’ the use of exclamation marks conveying that a change of tone towards himself is present, conveying a change of perspective towards how accepting he is of himself. Further more, author uses the experience of the ugly duckling meeting other swans to demonstrate that he has found where he belongs and that in fact he is not alone. ‘We’re swans like you!’ ‘Where have you been hiding?’
‘It s along story’ stated the ugly duckling, symbolises the process of change he has went through to change himself and his perspective on himself.
Contrasting to the beginning of the film, the ugly duckling is now beautiful not ugly and is now noticed for who he is. ‘Look at that young swan! He’s the finest of them all!’ This therefore confirms the notion of Assumptions can colour ones perspective on others and how they interact with that person and that change can be express different by everyone.
In conclusion, change is definitely a process that can either be short or lengthy but also conveys how assumptions made are not necessarily true or right, and how these assumptions can be changed over time.
Similar to looking for Alibrandi, the ugly duckling doesn’t know who he is or where he belongs. This is most evident in the text where the duckling is first born and is being bullied by the other ducklings.
‘You don’t understand me!’
This perception is also held by Josie, not belonging.
Progressing through the text, animal