Looking For Alibrandi Power Quotes

In the novel “Looking For Alibrandi” Josie gains independence and breaks free from the Italian stereotype by confronting and resolving conflicts with her Nonna, which changes the power dynamic between them. At the start of the novel Nonna holds the majority of power, being able to make Josie do things unwillingly.

Josie going to Nonna’s house every afternoon shows that Nonna holds the power in the relationship. In Chapter 3, the quote, ‘I was force-fed when I arrived. Force-fed like every afternoon of my life. “Eat, Josie eats. Oh, Josie, Josie. Look at your hair, and look at your hair. Why is this a Josie? Why can you not look tidy?” uses some first person language to express how Josie feels powerless within the relationship. The term “Force-fed

In this chapter, Josie and Nonna bond over cooking a meatloaf. This quote “Nonna Katia” was beaming proudly. She thinks its a reflection on her how well I cook.” (Marchetta, 1992, p94) reflects the way Nonna thinks Josie has grown, this is because Nonna believes Josie has taken more responsibility by cooking a meal for the family which has earned Josie respect from Nonna earning Josie more power. The quote shows that Josie thinks the only reason why Nonna is proud of her is because Nonna thinks she did all of the hard work to get Josie to cook, and Josie believes that Nonna had nothing to do with her cooking. Josie believes this because she has felt under-appreciated by Nonna her entire life and she still thinks that Nonna holds the majority of the power in the relationship. Even though it’s clear to the reader using first person language that Nonna is beginning to realise that Josie is more mature than she thought, shifting the power dynamic within the

Throughout the novel, Nonna criticises the way Josie behaves, such as who she dates, or how she dresses. Josie acknowledges more of Nonna's opinion and tries to live up to her expectations, shifting the power dynamic towards Nonna. In Chapter 12, Nonna claims that Sandford was just a “friend” but later in Chapter 25, Josie confronts Nonna accusing her of the affair and leading to an argument. The quote, “Jozzie, stop. . .” “No. You slept with him, he said. You had the nerve seventeen years ago to treat Mama the way you did when all the time you had done worse. You are married to me. You slept with Marcus Sandford while you were married. You’ve gone on about Australians all our lives. Don’t get involved with them, Josie, they don’t understand the way we live, you’d say. What about you, Nonna? Did he understand the way you lived? Did he understand what marriage was?” (Citation). This quote emphasises Nonna’s guilt and Nonna finally admits to being wrong about the situation by telling Josie to stop and breaking down into tears, giving further power to Josie. “What about you, Nonna?” emphasises Josie’s anger that has built up over the course of the novel about her not meeting Nonna’s expectations. “You had the nerve seventeen years ago to treat Mama the way you did when all the time you had done worse.” This bit of the quote shows the main reason for Josie’s anger with