Josephine Alibrandi Essay

Josephine Alibrandi
Josie is seventeen years old. She is studying for her final school exam. She has the restlessness of youth about her because she is a young woman wanting her independence. She would like to be free to choose her own path in life and feels restrained by her Italian cultural heritage. Yet to go against one’s family is bound to end in unhappiness, or so she believes.
Josie is at times childish, behaving selfishly when her mother wants to date a new man. At other times she shows the beginnings of maturity, such as when she tells John Barton that he needs to be himself and not what his parents expect him to be. It is the same family restrictiveness, and pressure, that Josie so closely identifies with in John. But her immaturity is still apparent, especially in the cheeky way she approaches her father. She behaves like a spoilt brat, wanting his attention, and asks personal questions about his private life.
An intense young woman, Josie is quick to react or overreact. When she is angry or irritated she lets her thoughts and feelings be known to whoever is at hand. In this way, Josie is an open, demonstrative person. She is an optimist and has plans for a career in law. She is resourceful and easily obtains part-time work at McDonald’s and later proves herself sufficiently competent to work in her father’s legal office. Josie is trying to find out who she is and where she fits in to Australian culture and life. Her Italian heritage makes the path towards self-discovery a doubly difficult journey.