There are critical periods or turning points in everyone's life. Discuss the way Alex's Coloundra vacation affects his life. This is the topic question asked for this essay. This topic is a key theme of the novel After January because it is a time of change or a turning point in Alex's life and highlights the decisions we all have to make.
             Before the book has begun Alex has received his TER and has now begun the long wait for his acceptance into the course he wants to study. The TER has the potential to change Alex's life dramatically. If he isn't accepted into the course he wants, he will have to make another difficult choice and decide what else to do. This decision has the capability to dramatically change his life, for better or worse. "It's as though the future is held here. Held at bay, held at arm's length." This quote seems to best express how these few weeks can be a major turning point in Alex's life.
             Alex decides to take a vacation with his mother to their beloved beach house in Caloundra. Alex waits out his days in Caloundra for his university acceptance. He then meets Fortuna through a car failure and they begin a friendship. This friendship grows into a love of Fortuna and of her family. This changes Alex's whole mindset, he's not just waiting out the summer for his acceptance, and he doesn't want to leave Caloundra because he feels that things are going right for once. For the first time a girl has really liked him back and this changes Alex a great deal, his confidence is boosted and he is truly happy. Fortuna's impact on Alex signifies a major turning point in Alex's life.
             Alex and Fortuna do many things together throughout the summer, they go to markets together and Alex has Fortuna's family over and they have dinner with Alex and his mother. I think this is around the time Alex realizes that the he really does love Fort
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