Christina Ferguson- Blog 5

Josie	Christina	Katia
Is strong minded and opinionated.   Grew up without a father.   Wants to be accepted in society.   Loves others greatly.   Finds Italian Tradition annoying at times.   Hide’s her culture for fear of being discriminated.	Is strong minded and opinionated.   Grew up with a father that paid her no attention.   Doesn’t know that Marcus Sandford is her father.   Finds her mother’s opinion of her annoying.   Doesn’t care what others think of her.	Is strong minded and opinionated   Grew up with a man that didn’t love her.   Has a secret with Josie about Marcus Sandford being Christina’s father.   Follows Italian Tradition.   Is frightened of what others will think about her and her family.

Pascale Healy- Journal 5

Josie	Christina	Katia
–          Strong and opinionated –          Hides her culture –          Has learnt from Christina and Katia’s mistakes (having children when they are young or having a child with another man, not showing your love to your family) –          Feels like she doesn’t belong –          Dislikes her grandmother –          Wants to be accepted –          Has secret with Nonna about Marcus Sandford	–          Strong and opinionated –          Doesn’t want her life to be controlled by her mother –          Cares for her daughter more than anything –          Raised Josie by herself –          Had Josie when she was young, Michael (Josie’s father) left Christina without knowing about Josie –          Doesn’t know that her actual father is Marcus Sandford –	–          Strong and opinionated –          Worries about what people will think of her and her family –          Proud about being Italian –          Doesn’t think that she is treated with respect and kindness from Josie or Christina –          Tells Josie and Christina what to do and what not to do –          Has secret with Josie about Marcus Sandford –          Keeps Italian traditions

Madeleine Fee – blog post 5

Josie	Christina	Katia
–          Grew up without a father –          Feels like she doesn’t belong –          Close with mother –          Feels pressured by her Italian culture –          Knows she isn’t perfect	–          Grew up with ‘father’ who didn’t love her –          Feels like she doesn’t belong to her mother –          Isn’t close with mother –          Not married –          One child –          Cares about  and wants to be close to her mother	–          Married a man who lied to her –          Feels like she has disappointed her family –          Left her parents to be with her husband –          Had an affair –          Tries to make herself and her family perfect

Blog 5 – Sarah Stockley

Josie	Christina	Nonna
ñ        17 year old school girl. ñ        Doesn’t like spending time with her Nonna. ñ        Has two strong role models who support her, her mother and grandmother. ñ        Quite poor, on a scholarship. ñ        Grew up without a father.	ñ        Young single mum. ñ        Goes against the Italian traditions and has a child while she is unmarried. ñ        Josie is the most important thing in her life. ñ        Doesn’t feel she is missing anything (doesn’t think she necessarily needs a husband).	ñ        Always cautious of what other Italians say. ñ        Connected to her Italian traditions and beliefs. ñ        Loves Josie and Christina with all her heart. ñ        Has made huge mistakes.

Gabby Jeffs- blog post 5

Josie	Christina	Katia
–          High school student –          Growing up without a dad –          Peer pressure –          Very insecure and protective over her ethnicity –          Struggles with cultural identity	–          Young mum –          Growing up as a single mum –          Only does what’s best for Josie –          Doesn’t believe in the Italian traditions –          Strong capable woman	–          Mother and grandmother –          Living with a burden of conceiving a child with a man she didn’t marry –          Still believes in the Italian traditions –          Scared what people think of her

Journal 4 – Ena Beganovic

Christina and her mother are seen to have a negative relationship with constant bickering, although, one fight stands to rise as most meaningful above them all. It is precisely clear that Christina and Katia have highly differentiated views on how a mother should be living her life and to whom her relationships should exceed to. Katia believes that Christina should be married, yet her daughter is more than happy being independent and living without relying on a man. This is seen as defying the typical Italian life style. The intense fight grew on a basis of exactly those individual beliefs stated by the mother and daughter. Christina was rejected the grant of permission by both members of her family, but puts up a demanding fight, despite their strong disagreement on the act. ‘They always talk and it is always me who suffers because of their talk, Christina. Always me.’ (P.95). As can be interpreted by this quote, Nonna has an overwhelming desire to please everyone and stay out of public back-chatter. This Christina differs with, as she feels she’s already hurt and disgraced all of those around her. This fight drew to a mutual close eventually, yet it lead to a truthful discovery of the feelings and thoughts in the lives of both, mother and daughter.

Journal 5 -Ruby van Hamersveld

Josie	Christina	Katia
·       Grown up without a father. ·       Anxious on what people think as well as feeling pressured by her friends. ·       ‘Stuck’ in a zone full of expectation, reckless decision making and academic pressure. ·       Trying to find her way in life with the help of her mum and Michael. ·       Is persuades with the times and struggles to find herself. ·       Very opinionated and easily get protective when people talk about her culture	·       Grown up with a man who didn’t love her as well as not being her biological father. ·       Strong capable woman who has raised a daughter by herself. ·       Wants only for the best of Josie ·       Her ideas about single mother with children have changed, going out with a doctor. ·       Had to learn the hard way through life ·       Doesn’t believe in the Italian lifestyle nor its traditions	·       Married a man who didn’t respect her. ·       Anxious on what people think. ·       Still ‘stuck’ in the Italian tradition (all that she has left?) ·       Loves Christina and Josie very deeply (guilty of not protecting Christina) ·       Doesn’t understand people’s ideas on certain topics e.g. women remarrying, single mothers etc. ·       Very quick to judge other people yet gets offended when someone judges her

Journal 5 – Ena Beganovic

Josie	Christina	Katia
–          A young woman, school girl. –          Unsure about her she feels regarding her Italian background. –          Dislikes spending time with grandmother. –          Gets very offended when people base her on her background/nationality. –          Let’s others get to her head, yet comes across strong.	–          Young Mum. –          Cares a lot about Josie and her up-bringing. –          Believes if you have a child, you do not necessarily have to be married. –          Determined to make a healthy life for her and Josie. –          Doesn’t believe in a strict Italian lifestyle.	–          Thinks strongly of the Italian culture. –          Older woman, mother and grandmother. –          Very passionate about granddaughter and daughter, loves them very much. –          Believes those with an Italian background are destined to live the Italian lifestyle. –          Critical of other mistakes but made very large ones as well.

Blog Post 4- Charlotte Greer

As Cristina and Nona stem from a strong Italian background they hold certain traditions and beliefs, Nona being the mother of all has a very strong perspective towards who her daughter dates. Cristina being a single mother forces Nona to view her as impractical and against Italian tradition. On the other hand Cristina believes that societies prospective on un-married mothers has changed. In the novel a fight occurs between these two characters based on this aspect. The fight broke out because, Cristina informed Josie and Nona that she was going on a date, and however both Josie (her daughter) and Nona (her mother) strongly disagreed with Cristina. Cristina believes that seeing a man isn’t a big deal as she thinks that woman are just as superior as men. Nona begs to differ as in her past men were seen as much more superior than women and the idea of being unmarried was not to known to other and she thought she was protecting Cristina.

Alexis Hogan- Journal 5

 

Josephine	Christina	Katia
·       Illegitimate child of Christina Alibrandi and Michael Andretti ·       Feels as if she is not Italian nor Australian- lack of cultural identity ·       Feels pressured and restrained by her strict Italian upbringing ·       Dislikes grandmother because of the way she treated Christina ·       Believes that her Italian background is affecting the way others view her and her family ·       Italian ancestry affects her relationships with her friends and later boyfriend	·       Illegitimate child of Katia Alibrandi and Marcus Sandford ·       Not married ·       One child ·       Believes women who have children can still marry, and that society has changed its perspective on single mothers ·       Had Josephine at 17, raised her alone ·       Does not believe that her culture should affect what she does or who she does it with- finds it very controlling ·       Loves her child very much	·       Grew up in Italy ·       Strong cultural beliefs- believes women should be married to have children ·       Married to Francesco Alibrandi before his death ·       Had affair with Marcus Sandford- conceived Christina from this ·       Loves her child very much ·       Considered a hypocrite by Josephine for having an affair

Throughout the novel, Josephine and her mother and grandmother are shown to have strong beliefs about how their Italian customs should influence them and their decisions. Katia (her grandmother) grew up in Italy, and as a result has strict beliefs about single mothers and how children need a family and not just a single parent. This view angered her daughter, who believes that women with children are still able to marry and enjoy their lives. When Christina conceived Josie, her grandmother was reportedly very cold and distant towards her, which resulted in Christina not speaking to her after Josie was born. This event likely changed the nature of their relationship, and changed Christina perspective on single mothers, having become one herself. These different views were seen too often create arguments and tension in their relationship, however Katia eventually concedes that her views are stuck in the past and attempts to see Christina’s perspective. This changed perspective is a large part of the novel, as Josie’s view on her cultural identity is influenced by her mother’s blatant disregard for its rules and regulations and her grandmother’s intense belief in the cultural customs.