Looking For Alibrandi Character Analysis

Identity is strongly influenced by peer and family relationships

In the novels, Looking for Alibrandi by Melina Marchetta and Wonder by RJ. Palacio, protagonists Josephine Alibrandi and August Pullman’s sense of self is influenced by the people they form relationships with. Both Josephine and August feel that they look different to their peers which distances them from their peers which makes them feel alienated. They show an eagerness to belong and be accepted into their communities. As shown by the need to control the aspects of their lives that they have power over such as dress and image. Both characters worry about their family, with whom they have a close if at times erratic relationship. As Josie and August are incredibly close to their family, they have a desire to protect their family members, sometimes unnecessarily.


Josephine’s relationship with her peers strongly influences her self

perception. Josephine (also referred to as Josie in the novel) an Australian girl of Italian descent attends an expensive Catholic girls school named St Martha’s on an English scholarship. St Martha’s students are largely of “Anglo-Saxon” heritage and they make Josie feel she is an outsider, by calling her derogatory names and tactlessly and unnecessarily drawing attention to her illegitimacy. ”…you’re more than a wog, if you know what I mean.” Carly, a peer of Josie’s at St Martha’s, remarked callously about Josie. Her peers comments profoundly influence Josephine’s development identity as they cause her to doubt her right to the person that she is and had no choice in being. August (also known as Auggie in the novel) also feels that he is an outsider. He is an ordinary ten year old boy, in every way, despite the fact that he was born with severe facial deformities he explains, “I won’t describe what I look like. Whatever you’re thinking, it’s probably worse.” Auggie questions how to change his image towards his peers by carefully considering how to avoid being categorised for the wrong reasons, this is shown when he purchases a new duffle bag, which does not feature star wars “I’m not sure what I want to be known for, but it’s not that.” evidently he wants to fit in but is not sure how. The consequential self doubt similarly shapes August’s identity as he also experiences a fragility of self understanding. Josephine Alibrandi and August Pullman’s identities have been shaped by the need to fit in with their peers and be accepted within school society.

Josephine and August both desire and envy the uncomplicated lives of their peers, and “normal” families. Josie declares “…I want to belong to her [Ivy’s] world… A world where I can be accepted” indicating her jealousy of the seemingly easy life of Ivy, the school captain at St Martha’s. August has similar thoughts on what he wants in life; to fit in and be accepted, but he knows that despite how many surgeries he has had, he will never be considered normal. August says dejectedly, in the opening paragraphs of the novel,“If I could have one wish, I would wish that I had a normal face that no one noticed at all.” This desire to have to a straightforward life impacts the formation of their identities as there is a “Catch 22” because what they want and what they are can never be truly reconciled.

Josie and August see themselves as “ordinary” people, but their peers do not accept them as such because of their diversity of identity. Josie feels that she is not accepted by her peers due to her Italian heritage and illegitimacy. Although Josie has lived in Australia her whole life, owing to her Italian culture, people do not see her as fully Australian nor fully Italian. Josie explains “My mother was born here, so as far as the Italians were concerned we weren’t completely one of them. Yet, because my grandparents were born in Italy we weren’t completely Australian either”, showing her frustration with being caught between two cultures and not fully belonging to either. August similarly feels this lack of acceptance by his peers although it relates to his physical appearance. He explains “the only reason I’m not ordinary is that no one else sees me that way” referring to his facial deformities which make “ kids run away screaming in playgrounds”. August does not think that he is anything other than ordinary, but the prejudice of his peers, means he will not be accepted as normal and his identity will always be influenced by his mien. Josie and August feel the struggles of not being fully accepted by their peers due to their differences this contributes to forming their identity and resilience to negative opinions of their peers.

Josie and August’s identities are influenced by the relationships and events of family. August, though he does not realise it, has caused major changes in the Pullman family’s lives. These changes rebound by affecting August’s behaviour towards his family members thus his identity is changed by his effect on this family. In turn this affects him by changed behaviour of his family towards him. An example of this phenomena occurs when people see August and they run away screaming, and this response causes Olivia, August’s sister, to be angry and to have a negative reaction to the misunderstanding members of the public. Olivia’s efforts to protect August, affect his behaviour and in turn influence the unworldly nature of his identity. Olivia, describes him as “the Sun” and that her parents and her “are planets orbiting the Sun.” this contributes to forming Auggie’s identity by illustrating how he is treated and protected by his family. On the other hand Josie’s family do not recognise her embarrassment and concerns and her identity has not been protected enough . Josie’s constant cultural tension impacts the development of her identity by her questioning who she really is and possibility who she wants to be.

Both protagonists come to a realisation about how their identities have been influenced by family and peers at the end of the novels. Josie realises that her insecurities about fitting in were purely in her mind “…I realised that I didn’t care what they thought and I even began to doubt that anyone… gave a damn either”. She has an “emancipation”, from her mind trap and a realisation that her identity is not exclusively determined by the opinions of others, it is shaped by the way she views herself and handles the thoughts and behaviours of her peers towards her. That is, her self concept and self awareness are also considerable determinants of her identity. Josie realises that her culture will never change and will always be a large part of her identity, her illegitimacy had never been her cross to bear, she had chosen to make it hers and overall she is at peace with her life, “ ‘One day’ came. Because I finally understood”,”…I’m Josephine Alibrandi who was never an Alibrandi, who should have been a Stanford who may never be a Coote.” August has similar realisations about how his identity is influenced by family and peers. He understands that he will never be able to change the way he looks, however, his resilience to spiteful behaviour is more important to forming his identity and sense of self than the words of others.

Josie and August have many experiences with peers and family throughout the novels, which inform their identities.

Their need to fit in,with their peers, leads to a change in identity, from being predominately related to the opinions of peers and family to being majorly influenced by the personal reactions to peers and family. Family life plays a significant role in shaping the individuality of both characters by the heritage, opinions and behaviours of family members. Josie and August finally realise the nature of their identity is more about how they react to others, rather than how others react to them. At the conclusion of the novels each protagonist has a firm understanding of their own beliefs, values and who they are, as demonstrated by the evolving identity throughout the novels. Looking for Alibrandi and Wonder illustrate the importance of peer and family relationships to the protagonists. The final view for both key characters is that identity is formed, not only by the influence of their relationships with family and peers, but also by their sense of

self.