Every one of us are in some way or another created, changed and affected by the people around us. Whether they change our thinking in a negative or positive way about the smallest things, such as what's "cool" and what isn't, to bigger things like other people, society and the world, they are able to influence our opinions and actions.
In Josie's case, she is very much influenced by the close ones around her; her mother, Nonna, Michael, Lee, Sera, Anna, John, Ivy and Jacob.
Josie's relationship's with all these people help to create her identity and this essay will focus on that and how these people change and influence her identity.
Christina and Nonna create most of who Josie is. Because they"re her family, it makes them the closest people in her life, which also means they"re her role models. Being the role models, they set the grounds for her, right from wrong. .
Though what Nonna and Christina did in the past may not have been right, and may not affect Josie actions presently, they affect her opinion. For example, Josie's mother slept with the boy next door at the age of sixteen and became pregnant. This does not mean that Josie will follow in her mother's footsteps because her mother is her role model, it means quite the opposite. What her mother did in the past, is something that has made Josie realise she does not want to make that same mistake. .
Through the experiences with Christina and Nonna, Josie has not only found her identity but she has also inherited from potential to be strong and willful.
Sera, Lee and Anna are Josie's school friends. Though they are a very mix matched group; all with different personalities and backgrounds, they all managed to be good friends throughout their six years at high school. .
They all influence Josie in different ways. Sometimes the influence is positive, they persuade her opinion to make her feel better or to reassure her, and sometimes the persuasion is not so good,; they pressure Josie to do things she wouldn't normally do, such as wag the "walk-a-thon" at school.