how does Josie change through out the novel?

Vital to any bildungsroman, or a novel dealing with a main character’s formative years, is self-discovery. From the opening pages of Looking for Alibrandi, when Josie is caught taking a teen magazine quiz designed to inform her “what kind of friend are you,” it’s clear that this is the story of Josie’s journey to self-discovery. Though certainly a humorous way of introducing the novel’s central conflict, the teen magazine quiz effectively demonstrates that Josie is looking for anything and everything to help her figure out who she is.

As various good and bad events in the novel transpire, each one takes Josie further on her path of self-discovery. For example, the appearance of her father in her life teaches Josie how to forgive and give people second chances. John Barton’s suicide shows her that everyone has their demons, and that money, affluence, and success don’t always equal happiness. Finally, her romance and heartbreak with Jacob Coote teaches Josie that life doesn’t always go as planned, but you enjoy things while you have them. These events, along with several others, teach Josie lessons about life and help her realize who she truly is.