Family Relationships In Looking For Alibrandi

Identity is a group of characteristics, data or information that belongs exactly to one person or a group of people and that make it possible to establish differences between them. The consciousness that people have about themselves is part of their identity as well as what makes them unique. According to psychologists, identity is a consistent definition of one’s self as a unique individual, in terms of role, attitudes, beliefs and aspirations. Identity tries to define who people are, what they are, where they go or what they want to be or to do. Identity could depend on self-knowledge, self-esteem, or the ability of individuals to achieve their goals. Through self-analysis people can define who they are and who the people around them

Peer pressure is another aspect of life we see that makes Josie a stronger person. It helps her stand up for herself and do what she feels is right not what other people want of her. “But then when his hands went up my uniform and I felt them between my thighs and I looked up to see a poster of a motor bike that said ‘Get something between your legs’ on it, I realized that I could be losing my virginity in Jacob’s bedroom with his father in the other room, completely without thinking. “

Unfortunately, her father expected her to go to college and earn a degree like her brother Sheldon and sister Bunny. Toni, unlike her siblings, did poor while she was at UH Manoa and had to move back home to Hilo. Her father Harry was extremely disappointed and no longer had high hopes for her. When she moved back, her sexual encounters with family friends Wyatt and Maverick Santos grew and she became closer with longtime Haole family friend Billy who was six years younger than her. Her relationship with Billy blossomed into mutual feelings for one another; however, Toni refused to take it to the next level due to the fact that Billy was younger than her, a Haole, and was considered as family. As months past, Toni found herself pregnant from either one of the Santos brothers with her family deeply ashamed by her actions. She did not finish college, was not married, and now she was pregnant. When her baby was born, things started to slowly change for Toni. Her baby became the joy of her life and her father’s new found joy and hope that had once died when Toni did not meet his expectations. Toni later became the co-owner of her father’s business and finally felt accepted into her own family and community. Toni’s experiences is indeed also reflective of our highs and lows in life and is something that most, if not all of society can relate to.

“Education was her dream of dreams, a passion so strong it was almost a disease, and she infected not only her own children with it but generations of little Morrisons yet unborn” (23). Kate, raised in such a family, naturally considers being intelligent and having education as a symbol of success in life. After receiving her university degrees, Kate realizes that Great-Grandmother’s desire for knowledge is not without reason: “the world was spreading itself out before me; I felt that I could go anywhere, do anything. Be anyone” (188). From Kate’s perspective, no obstacle can obstruct her ambitions from this point onward since success in attaining education is the ultimate goal in life, as believed by the Morrisons. Kate’s faith in education, inherited from Great-Grandmother, is also the major reason behind her admiration for Matt – he is the most brilliant of all four children and resembles Great-Grandmother the most. “It seemed to me that the only time those fierce old eyes showed any sign of softening was when Matt walked into the room.” (27) Kate

She suffered many hardships during her high school years but achieved many of the goals she set for herself at the same time. Sarah was left alone when she was kicked out of her grandfather’s house and had to move to a dimly lit, low-income apartment with two teenage roommates spending nearly every night getting stoned. To sum up, broken families caused problems within the families, making it easier for the government to control

“Parents can only give good advice or put them on the right paths, but the final forming of a person's character lies in their own hands”, Anne Frank. Much like Jacqueline’s parents, they guide her to a certain point and then observe the person she grows into. Jackie was a bubbly baby girl and then she grew into a playful toddler and now she is a teenager looking to make a difference. Jackie built her personality based on how she was raised. Her parents notice this and tried their hardest to understand her and raise her into an intelligent, altruistic person. Through the journey of becoming an independent adult, Jackie acquires characteristics such as compassionate altruism, tenacity, and anxiety.

Identity can be defined in many different ways, for example how you dress, or simply how you as an individual view yourself. Many people in the world we live in struggle heavily with finding out who they truly are as an individual, due to many contributing factors. Family, friends, and the society and what they view as normal and different can make or break a person and their view of themselves and their identity. These instances can be seen in both Cal’s and Anthea’s stories and the struggles they both encounter going through life and realizing who they are as individuals, not only that but what is seen throughout their stories that are similar but also different. In Ali Smith’s Girl meets Boy and Jeffrey Eugenides Middlesex, the characters

She feels he would attack her due to the idea that the village would mock for her leaving him. Josephine stays with him, slowing losing her individualism. She steals things to make up for the abuse at home.

She has hard amount of issues regarding the domination of her parents’ approval on her life. In the beginning, Amal, only speaks about Leila’s problems rarely in the novel, only describing her and her parents trying to marry her off to a man. Days before Leila’s birthday, Amal wanted to celebrate at a restaurant but her religious mother expressed that, “I no want my daughter bring shame on family”. (pg.247) The day of her birthday, they decided to come to the restaurant without her parents’ permission and they were caught by Sam (Leila’s brother) was the moment she couldn’t take her parents anymore when they had an argument and run away.

allows the reader to see Josie's thoughts, which aides in understanding a demented person. The effects of abuse, sexual exploitation, and alcohol are seen in Josie's character. The reader feels pity toward Josie and the outcome of her life. McCabe does an excellent job of characterizing Josie Keenan.

Tara after five children she birthed into this world found a social life. Tara had been looking for social life because a lot of times she would feel left out due to her insecurities of her handicap disability that she was born with. When Tara’s mother was murdered she replayed in the back of her head a million times how she’d smacked and tried to fight her mother because she would get talked about so bad in school, and out of school with strangers and family members, because of it.

her life around to fit in with the crowd . She is soon exposed to drugs, sex and violence. It

“Jo will you be with me for the rest of my life………” asked Laurie. “ No, I’m sorry I can’t,” replied Jo. Laurie, very hurt by this response he walked away in sadness and anger. Lori is a young man that lives next to the March’s. Laurie did not know about the marches until he introduced himself to Joe at one of the medics please. Before he met Joe he was bad tempered, not very sociable, and sometimes very moody. But after spending time with Joe he starts to change and as time goes on the March’s grow very fond of him and like to have him come over.

Another technique used by Woods in order to help you understand the main theme was the use of music. In the opening scene, when Josie feels like she cannot relate to her Italian family, they start to play loud Italian music. Josie protests and starts to play a more contemporary track. This shows the audience that she is not accepting her culture and wants to be different. At the end of the movie Woods has used music again but this time Josie does not want to change the loud Italian music but accepts it and even starts dancing to it with her friends. This helps viewers to understand the theme and how Josie resolved her lack of identity because it shows that she has found who she is and learnt that she can just be herself: and this self is an

Identity in the field of YAL is broad, and that's what makes it so prevalent in so many novels within the field. However, in the YA books that I've read, including the ones for this class, the identity aspect lies in the various different hardships that present them self to the protagonist and how he/she overcomes them. It also exists in how characters view themselves in relation to the peers and everyone around them as well. As cliché as it sounds, the idea of a character finding themselves in the worlds they live in is a vital part of identity in YAL.