Sacred Attachment between Young Adult Girl and Her Maternal Grandmother: A Study of Melina Marchetta’s Looking for Alibrandi

Abstract

Family attachment is the introductory need for every existent, the attachment among the family members shape the family bonds which bring the relationship more comfortable and everlasting. According to the young adult girls, they feel more attached to their parents as well as their maternal relatives. Though the young adult girls being over protected by the elders, they frequently feel more comfortable with generational gap relatives such as aunts, grandmothers and relatives. Despite the pressures of intergenerational gap, granddaughters and maternal grandmothers have pure attachment and produce emotional bonds.
The study emphasizes on the relationship between the maternal grandmother and granddaughter in Melina Marchett’s debut young adult novel, Looking for Alibrandi. The protagonist Josephine Alibrandi had a profound emotional attachment with her maternal grandmother Katia Alibrandi. Though they have argued over ridiculous matters, still Josephine was emotionally connected with Katia. Their difference of opinions never weakened their relationship, yet it strengthened their emotional bond. Compared to parents, grandparents also have a deeper emotional connection with their young adult school going children. Thus the maternal grandparents act as second parents to their grandchildren and provide needful care.