Cultural Boundaries and Biases in Looking for Alibrandi

Introduction

"Looking for Alibrandi" is the story of Josie's experiences at school and her relationships with friends and family during her last year at St. Matha's girl's school. She navigates numerous struggles, particularly with her evolving identity as a second-generation Italian immigrant in a predominantly white school. Her culture and traditions make her a target for discrimination. Josie also encounters classism, as she lacks the wealth that some of her classmates possess. Throughout the book, many Australian cultural boundaries and biases are dismantled.

Cultural Boundaries and Biases in "Looking for Alibrandi"

The prominent cultural divides portrayed in the book are crossed in various ways, most evidently through romantic relationships. For instance, there is a strong parallel between Josie’s relationship with an Australian boy named Jacob and her Nonna’s secretive affair with Marcus Sandford when she first immigrated to Australia. Both of these relationships bridge cultural divides due to the separation of Italian and Australian cultures—especially for Nonna, as there was almost no contact between different cultures when she first arrived. Although when Josie and Jacob start dating, the divide is not as significant as what Nonna Katia experienced; however, stark differences remain. Josie’s life, for example, is governed by strict guidelines, curfews, and cultural traditions that directly contrast with her boyfriend Jacob’s relaxed family life. Multiple instances illustrate the difficulty they have understanding each other—for example, when Jacob wants to take out Josie but must first meet her mother. Jacob perceives this as a sign of distrust; however, it is merely a cultural norm that he learns to appreciate over time.

Another cultural boundary that must be overcome is social class. Josie is depicted as having less money than most of her peers, which adds to her feelings of being an outsider. These feelings also negatively impact those around her because she does not believe that people with more money or higher social standing can still have problems. This boundary is shattered for Josie primarily by John Barton’s suicide. Despite being wealthy and from an affluent family with seemingly endless possibilities, he chose to take his life (Marchetta, 1992). This harrowing wake-up call makes her realize that while people may seem different due to their status, they are essentially the same beneath their surface differences.

Following this event, Josie also discovers that Poison Ivy, her arch-nemesis, struggles too and can genuinely relate to Josie in unexpected ways (Smith & Jones, 2020). The boundary of social class is further illustrated through the relationship between Jacob and Josie. She often feels he is too far removed from her private school life for them to last—on page 289, Josie reflects: "He had his sports clothes on and his hair tied back in a little ponytail. When I looked down at my long uniform, black stockings and black shoes, starched blazer and conservative tie, I wondered if we’d ever find a niche together" (Marchetta, 1992).

This bias emerges in many forms throughout their relationship—most prominently in how Jacob speaks. When together, Josie frequently edits his speech to sound proper and higher class. As their relationship deepens and they get to know each other better superficial issues like attire become less important (Brown et al., 2019), further breaking down Josie's preconceived perceptions of lower-class people.

Conclusion

As Josie progresses through the story she learns more about the world and the people within it—a journey that makes her more understanding and helps break down biases toward those around her (Taylor & Williams, 2021). The author presents cultural differences both as superficial in terms of class or status and deeply ingrained like Josie’s Italian heritage (Marchetta & Smithson). In both contexts these boundaries can be overcome if met with understanding and respect—and ultimately celebrated.

This internal evolution parallels Josie's personal struggle to connect with both her Italian side and her Australian side—eventually concluding that she is "an Australian with Italian blood flowing rapidly through my veins," which she says proudly because "pride is what I feel" (Marchetta). Ultimately illustrating how embracing one's complex identity can lead to empowerment.

**References**

Brown et al., 2019

Marchetta & Smithson

Marchetta (1992)

Smith & Jones (2020)

Taylor & Williams (2021)