aSYNOPSIS

It is a wild and stormy night when five British school children from Mordanger School arrive ahead of their classmates for a week-long field trip at "haunted" Old Harwick Hall. With the aid of flashes of lightning, the two girls Claudia and Pixie and three boys, Robbo, Ralph and Colin find a longabandoned secret room containing a mysterious journal. On the cover, it reads, Richard Clayton Harwick My Story. Read and Weep. From the journal, the children uncover the story of a boy who runs away from the sinister influence of a loveless stepfather. Richard Clayton Harwick's longhidden journal provides an inner tale that triggers off, one by one, each of the stories of the listening children, all of whom also have "steps," or step-parents, to share their own sagas. And what engrossing, heart-rending stories they are: of hurting but still humorous children picking their way through a minefield of embittered or uncommunicative or just plain immature parents, insecure or reluctant step parents and resentful step siblings. However, the lack of a principal plot is of no consequence as the novel main purpose is to serve as a forum for the various stories. "Step by Wicked Step" proves that all pain eventually heals and that we have the power to change things for the better.

PLOT SUMMARY
This novel is really five stories within a story that are induced by a story, like a nesting puzzle. So, we have six stories in the book. There may be a lack of a principal plot here but it is of no consequence as the novels main purpose is to serve as a forum for six various stories of Richard Clayton Harwick, Claudia, Colin, Ralph, Pixie and Robbo. In Step by Wicked Step, five boys and girls find themselves in an old house on a stormy night. In a hidden tower room they discover an old diary, that of Richard Clayton Harwick, who left behind a journal account of his wicked stepfather. Read and Weep, says the spidery writing on the cover of the book. After Richard Clayton Harwicks father passes away, he was sent to Mordanger School for four long years. He wishes to burn Mordanger to ashes as to him, theres no meaner place on earth than this boarding school. When he returns to Old Harwick Hall, he could not get along with his wicked and loveless stepfather, Reverend Coldstone. Being robbed of all his precious tokens from home, Richard makes the decision to leave and become a cabin boy when a great ship strains at the tide. His decision has caused anguish in his mother and sister, who have spent a fortune seeking his return. He did not return to see his mother or sister until he read a square print from Riddle & Flook which requested him to claim his ownership to Old Harwick Hall. By then, Richard knows that his stepfather, mother and sister have passed on. Only then, he realises his decision to leave has changed the lives of his family members. Harwick's story prompts Claudia, Colin, Ralph, Pixie and Robbo to tell their own tales of stepfathers, stepmothers, and stepsiblings, who are in turn eccentric, beloved, unwelcome, and almost always misunderstood. Each vignette* is a wonderful study of human nature. As the lightning flashes, the children begin to relate their own tales of step parents, stories that are full of warmth and humour, yet with a fair share of sadness. At first it seems the children could have nothing in common. Sports-mad Robbo, quick-witted Ralph, sensible Claudia, fiery Pixie and dreamy Colin seem as different to each other as it is possible to be. Yet they soon find they have one thing in common, and that they are all the products of broken homes and they once have a turbulent relationship with a step- or steps- Below are the five stories in steps by wicked steps spin off from Richard Clayton Harwicks My Story. Read and Weep. As Ralph says, Stories dont have to be written, he reminded Claudia. This is the night for stories. Off you go, he reiterated.

*vignette n. /vin-yet, v n-/ descriptive passage within a larger work (French, little vine)

From Wikipedia: Chapter 1

On a wild and stormy night, five students, Claudia, Colin, Ralph, Pixie and Robbo, are sent ahead on a school trip to Old Harwick Hall. Instead of taking the school bus with Miss O'Dell and their other friends, they have to ride on a minibus with Mr. Plumley, one of their accompanying teachers, to their destination. After arriving, they explore the building and find an old, hexagonal tower room with five beds in it. In the dark of the night, with no electricity due to the raging storm, Colin spots a door which leads to an old, abandoned room where they discover a diary of a young boy by the name of Richard Clayton Harwick. Prior to reading the diary, they wonder why they are put together in the minibus. They achieved the answer after eavesdropping on Miss O'Dell and Mr. Plumley's conversation - on Miss O'Dell's list, their names had ticks which indicate that they each had two different addresses on their permission slips, one for their mother's home and one for their father's home. Each child comes from a divorced family. Alas, Pixie reads Richard's diary out loud for the other children to hear.

Chapter 2
Richard Clayton Harwick's father is ill and this worries everyone in Harwick Hall. Before his death, he tells Richard to take care of his mother and sister, Lilith and Charlotte Harwick. After that, Richard not only feels sad for his father's death, but also because his father had only thought of his mother and sister instead of him until the end of his life. Later in the story, Lilith marries Reverend Coldstone, a priest who is cruel towards Richard but is very nice towards Charlotte. Richard is then sent to a boarding school called Mordanger School, where he is treated like a prisoner. He then decides to run away and sail all over the world. He comes back twice to Harwick Hall but never bothers to enter it or meet his mother and sister. He finally returns home after reading a print which states that solicitors have something to his advantage back home, discovering from a letter Charlotte had written before her death, that his family had been searching for him until the end of their lives and how Reverend Coldstone had turned out to be a very bad man. He then runs away forever, leaving his green diary in his room.

Chapter 3 - Claudia's Story: Green Pyjamas

Claudia starts telling her story to the other children: Claudia's parents quarrel a lot until her father decides to take his things and move away to his mother's house. One night, there is a flood of phone calls, and for the first time, Claudia hears the name Stella, her dad's new girlfriend. After that night, Claudia's dad dare not visit nor come near the house anymore, but only talks to Claudia over the phone. On Boxing Day, Claudia meets Stella for the first time and thinks that Stella is a plain and mousy person. After a row with his mother, Claudia's dad then moves into Stella's house. Later, Stella gives Claudia a pair of beautiful green pyjamas as a late Christmas present even though Claudia is always rude and mean to her. One evening, Claudia's dad and Stella holds a dinner party to celebrate his thirty-seventh birthday. During the dinner, Claudia's dad's friends ignores Stella as they think that by doing so they would be loyal to Claudia's mum. Claudia felt sorry and went downstairs to thank her for the green pyjamas and thus making her point to the dinner guests that Stella is a wonderful person.

Here are the brief description of the vignettes of Claudia, Colin, Ralph, Pixie and Robbo. Colins Story: The Bluebird of Happiness
Colin and his mother left his father when he was a few weeks old. His mother takes up with a person whom he thinks of as his father. However, his immature mother also leaves this stepdad after a while. Now he misses him so badly that it hurts.

Ralphs Story: A Tale of Three Stepmothers

Ralph's life, though merry, is as complicated as a maze as he has three stepmothers and many stepfamily members.

Claudias Story: Green Pyjamas

After Claudias parents divorce, Dad finds a girlfriend, Stella. Claudia feels disloyal to her mum whenever she has a good time with her father and his new girlfriend. Even though Stella tries her best to be accepted by Claudia and her daddys friends, she is being ignored. Finally, Claudia realises her rudeness and she comes out of her closet by wearing the green pyjamas given by Stella.

Pixies Story: The Pains in my Life

Pixie has to deal with two really irritating stepsisters and a father who pretends he doesn't notice how difficult things are for her. One day her stepmother (Lucy) and Pixie have a fight. They pour out their frustrations. Only then they realise that it is all because of Pixies father who is selfish, always pretending he didnt notice things, and leaving them for Lucy to sort out the mess.

Robbos Story: Dumpas the Problem

Robbo and his sister, Callie always think that the birth of their stepbrother, Dumpa has caused numerous problems between them and their step father, Roy. When the relationship between Robbos mother and Roy is on the rock, Robbo realises that Roy does not move on because Dumpas the problem. Finally, Robbo realises that his mother is always stuck in between when Callie and Roy quarrel. This has caused mum and Robbos stepfather to be upset.

CHARACTERS
Name of character Robbo Ralph Colin Descriptions/ Attributes/ Personality School pupil, sports-mad especially football School pupil, quick-witted, hardworking and occasionally likes to intercept impolitely during a conversation School pupil, longs to be reunited with his stepdad, dreamy as he drifts through the hours of each school day as if his thoughts were hundreds of miles away and this drove his teachers to despair Steady, sensible, did not get along well with her stepmother at the beginning Fiery, a good reader, selfish

Claudia Pixie

Richard Clayton Harwick Owner of Old Harwick Hall, lost his father at a very young age. His mother remarries the priest, Reverend Coldstone whose wrath Richard cannot stand. He runs away, without knowing that he has made a decision that will change three lives; his stepfathers, mothers and sisters. When he inherits Old Harwick Hall, he has lost his three closest members of the family. Rev. Coldstone Mr. Plumley Miss O Dell Mr. Digby Lucy Charlotte Richard Richards wicked stepfather, strict and cold-hearted A staff of the school who accompanies the children to Old Harwick Hall The school teacher who picks five of the children on a trip after a quick glance at her list. Gardener at the Harwicks household Maid at the Harwicks household Clayton Harwicks sister.

OTHER CHARACTERS IN THE VIGNETTES 1. Claudias Story : Green Pyjamas Dads girlfriend, Stella, who is a cook 2. Colins Story : The Bluebird of Happiness 3. Ralphs Story : A Tale of Three Stepmothers Colins immature mother Colins endearing stepdad (Jack ) who calls him many nicknames. First stepmother, Annabelle Second stepmother, Janet Third stepmother, Flora Stepdad, Howard Pixies stepmother, Lucy Two stepsisters , Sophie and Hetty Payne Pixies dad, whose lackadaisical attitude towards his family makes things difficult for the family to come together as a happy one. Roy ( a.k.a The Beard), Robbos step dad. Callie, Robbos sister who hates The Beard Dumpa, Robbos newly born step brother Robbos mum, Hope

4. Pixies Story : The Pains in my Life

5. Robbos Story: Dumpas the Problem

THEMES
Family unity
The nucleus of moral values, the family unit, is being invaded by outsiders (step or steps) and this causes disharmony.

Dealing with adversities

Young children and adults may find difficulties dealing with frustrations, fears and sadness.

Being happy
Life has dealt us one hard blow, there is no reason for us to be unhappy for ever. For example, Claudia realises it is not fair to hate her new stepmother, Stella.

Think long enough before making a decision

Richard Harwick made a rash decision to run away and that had changed the lives of his stepfather, mother and sister. Sibling rivalry Resentful step-siblings cause burden and hostility in a home. Coping with change All pain eventually heals and that we have the power to change things for the better. Being brave Characters like Claudia and Pixie are brave as they confess to their own rotten behaviour. Dealing with Separation and Divorce It deals with a social phenomenon that many people are experiencing, the idea of a divorce as somehow horrible. Separation and divorce, and the events leading up to them, interrupts the stability and predictability that children need.

VALUES
1. It is important that children should tell their parents about their real feelings and vice versa. 2. One has to be brave when facing adversities. 3. We must not judge someone without knowing all the facts. We should weigh our pros or cons, and study the facts. 4. Adults or parents should be more thoughtful in making decision as it would affect the lives of their children.

LITERARY DEVICES
Anne Fine uses similes to emphasise a certain characteristic of a thing. The comparison made in a simile is often unusual. The listener or reader can form a mental image of the comparison. This increases understanding of what the author is trying to communicate. These are some of the similes used by Anne Fine: Simile 1. Like someone stepping on stones over a river with water raging on both sides (p. 21) 2. When a great ship strains at the tide, and needs a cabin boy, nobody asks the lad who speaks as roughly as a gardeners son, and claims to be Dick Digby, whether his mother knows hes off to sea. (p.25) 3. ... dressed black as a bat (p. 16) 4. She ( Hetty ) is still wary of me, and I still get on with her that bit better when all the lights are out, and I dont have to watch her cocking her one side and fiddling with her hair or rolling the cat like a sausage across the downie (p.103) 5. It was like the Arctic. (p 87) 6. Like leftover shoved in a fridge (p. 2) 7. .as narrow as the ones that archers used (p. 8) 8. over a black and white tiled floor that looked like a huge checkerboard glazed (p. 4) tight little circle, like campers round a (p. 6) 9. She picked her way..like someone stepping .(p. 21) 10. And Id just stare down at my plate on my face that said, plain as day, with a look Why should you? (p. 40) Hyperbole Hyperbole is exaggeration. It puts a picture into the readers mind. Anne Fine occasionally makes a point by overstating an action or object as in the following hyperboles: 1. As the driver swung the minibus (p. 1) 2. Just as if the dull-looking binder on the desk was a delicious birthday cake (p. 10) 3. No tears! I would have found obedience.How many nights my pillow would become a flood (p.17) 4. How many cloudless afternoons I was to water with my private showers (p. 17) Personification Personification is a a figure of speech in which inanimate objects or abstractions are endowed with human qualities or are represented as possessing human form. Anne Fine uses personification to make this novel more dramatic and interesting or to convey a certain mood. By using this literary device, it also helps us to relate more to the object or idea that is being personified because it is easier for us to relate to something with human attributes. 1. Flinching as the twisted fingers of trees scraped at the glass (p. 2) 2. And then another flash shot generously across the sky (p. 7) 3. The wind still whistled through the tree, but in the room the silence is palpable (p. 34) Repetition This device is mostly used in two of the vignettes to emphasise on the subject in hand, as shown in the following: 1. It isnt a story, said Colin. There isnt anything to tell. We just went on. (p.51) 2. There isnt a story, said Colin. (p. 53) 3. There isnt a story, said Colin. We just went on. (p. 56 ) 4. Ive told you, said Colin. There isnt story. Its just that, as we went on, I started getting into trouble at school (p. 57 ) 5. Dumpas the problem (pgs 107,112,119 and 125 )