Looking For Alibrandi

Discovery A major discovery that Josephine Alibrandi made in Melina Marchetta's Looking for Alibrandi, was about her Grandmother's past life. She discovers many things about her Grandmother, including how she got to Australia, her relationship with her husband and that with Marcus Sandford. At the beginning of the novel Josephine was unaware of these facts about her Grandmother. However as the story unfolds she gradually discovers her Grandmother's history. The author includes at intervals in …

…the same way that Oodgeroo Noonucal saw and agonised over the fact that other people did not treat people of different colour skin with equality. Although other people might not see the value in her multiculturalism or ethnicity, Josephine discovered it and became proud of this aspect of her life. She shows this when she says "[I'll] say that I'm an Australian with Italian blood flowing rapidly through my veins. I'll say that with pride."