English Essay

Submitted By andreaaaaaa_xo
Words: 1086
Pages: 5

1. Everyone desires to belong and we do, we all belong somewhere whether it be a sporting group, a family, culture or peer group. We all belong, however, as much as we all want to belong it can be fraught with difficulties. This is explored in the films Looking For Alibrandi & My Big Fat Greek Wedding.

2. Both of the main characters form each movie; Josie (LFA) and Toula from (MBFGW) desire to belong within their heavily influenced cultural families but find it difficulty every day to do so as they are scrutinized for everything they do.

3. Looking for Alibrandi tells us the story of 18 year old Italian girl Josie, a year 12 girl trying to find her way in life, life after school and also fit in with her broken, dysfunctional, loud Italian family. Of course she loves them but they (the elder Italian generation) expect her to live her life in such as way that she finds it difficult to adjust and belong in everyday life

4. The theme of belonging and looking for your own identify is adamant in each movie. For example, in Looking For Alibrandi, the opening we have a technique of voice over narration by Josie and the dialogue between her family and herself on “Tomato Day”. “You may think this is all quirky and cute but I actually find this really embarrassing”

5. The narration is followed by a pan shot of the backyard between the different families who are all speaking Italian to each other. The use of an international language dialogue helps the viewer understand how Josie does not feel like she belongs to her Italian family & culture.

6. Similarly, in MBFGW there is a scene in the movie where Toula is in the family restaurant looking down as she over herd her family talking about her not finding a husband, we see the sisters children running all around Toula and the close up shot of her faces expresses to the viewer that even though that her family wants to have a quote “big Greek family, make Greek babies and feed everyone for the rest of our lives” she, may not want it, but to be accepted in her family (even though she is) to be properly accepted that’s what she needs to do , her facial expression also shows that she is overwhelmed.

7. Toula in MBFGW struggles to belong from a very early age to