Character you like the most?

The novel that i have read is Step by Wicked Step by Anne

Fine. The character that i like the most is Colin.
I like him because Colin shows maturity beyond his age.
Although Colin is perhaps too young to understand the conflict
faced by the adults, he has deep hidden feelings about the
matter. He shows maturity by not telling his mother about his
feeling towards his stepfather, Jack. However, Colin still loves his
mother and accepts the situation. He never blames his mother
like any other children of his age. Instead, he defends his
mother's actions. Thus, his maturity has actually made me like his
character very much.
Another reason why I like Colin is because of
his determination. He is determined to look for his stepfather.
First, he writes a letter to his stepfather in his effort to locate his
whereabouts. Then, he saves every penny whenever he gets the
chance. For example, he always prefer cash for Christmas present
from his mother and does three paper rounds to earn money.
Colin does all this because he is determined to leave home one
day when he is old enough to look for his beloved stepfather. As a
child he does not give up easily but makes a plan to achieve his
dreams. I adore him for his strong will.
Finally, Colin proves to be a very sentimental person. He
remembers everything about his stepfather. He remembers how
his stepfather rolls his own cigarette out of tobacco tin. He also
remembers the many names that his stepfather gives him - 'Col,
Collie, Sonny-Boy, Buster and Bluebird'. He misses the times
when his stepfather walks with him to school and pushes him up
the swing in the park. In fact, he keeps an exact account on how
long his stepfather has been gone which is five years, eight
months and seven days. The sentimental values in Colin is the
reason why he can stay loving towards his stepfather after so

many years. He treasures all all the good things Jack does for him
and that has given him strength. Therefore, i also admire Colin for
being a sentimental person.
The above reasons are why I like Colin the most.

Character that you sympathize ?

The novel that i have read is Step by Wicked Step by Anne Fine. The
character that i sympathize in this novel is Richard Clayton Harwick. He is a
young boy who feels trapped in very unhappy circumstances. He loses his
father to sickness. His mother remarries a very cold and hard man and this
causes much unhappiness to Richard. His new stepfather makes life hard for
him.
Reverend Coldstone is a harsh man who is strict and hard towards
Richard. He believes that Richard is too wild and needs to be taught
manners. He shows no love for Richard and sends him off to Mordanger
School where Richard is treated badly. This adds to his misery. There he is
bullied and beaten. At home he was beaten by his stepfather for every small
mistake and the school experience makes him more bitter about life. He
is miserable and decides to act.
Richard realises that his mother will not take his side and his sister,
Charlotte makes herself happy by being nice to her stepfather. Therefore,
Richard runs away to a life at sea and does well there rising to the position of
Captain.
When he returns, he finds that his mother has died of heartbreak. His
stepfather too had passed away and his dear Charlotte had died in
childbirth. I feel sorry for Richard for all he wanted was his family and love.
He loved his parents and sister and loses them all. Children become victims
when families breakup.
Richard is a victim of breakdown in his family. He experiences much

misery and loss and these are reasons why I sympathize with him.
Character you admire because of the positive qualities?
The novel that i have read is Step by Wicked Step by Anne Fine. The
character that i admire because of the positive qualities is Robbo.
Robbo is a kind person. His immense kindness was evident in the way he
sought to protect Dumpa. Even though he wished his parents were back
together, he worried about how it would affect Dumpa. He did not want his
baby half-brother to have to go through the pain and suffering he and his
sister had experienced during his parents frequent arguments and final
separation.
Robbo is also very understanding and sensitive person. He understood
why Roy felt unwelcome in the house and that the only reason he remained
there was for Dumpa. The burden and strain his mother went through while
trying to referee the fights between Roy and Callie was not lost on Robbo
either. He was willing to put himself in his mother's and Roy's shoes and
tried to understand their pain.
Finally, Robbo's best quality is his maturity. Due to his maturity, he was
able to accept his parents' separation and bot be jealous or resentful of
Dumpa and Roy. It also helped him realize that drastic changes were needed
to keep the family together and to come to a solution that would benefit all
parties. He showed a maturity beyond his years when he confronted his
mother and sister directly and dealt with the situation once and for all.
These are some of the positive qualities that Robbo has displayed and
which have drawn my admiration.
Compare and contrast one of the character in the novel with
another character.
The novel that i have read is Step by Wicked Step by Anne Fine. The
character that i have picked to compare with another character is Claudia
and her father. Claudia and her father are as different as night and day.

One of the key differences between them is her bravery. Claudia has the
courage to thank Stella in front of her father's friend so that her father's
friends would be nicer to Stella. Her father, on the other hand, could not
even summon up the courage to properly introduce her daughter to Stella,
opting to make the introduction seems like an accidental meeting.
This brings us to Claudia's intelligence, another character which is very
different from her father. Claudia is smart enough to realize that her father
has set up the accidental meeting to introduce her to Stella. Claudia also
shows remarkable perception, unlike her father. He routinely asks her
whether she and her mother are fine, without realising even once how hurt
and abandoned they felt at his leaving.
Finally and the most importantly, Claudia is kind and forgiving person.
When she and Stella has had a fight, she forgives her and makes up.
Although she wants to be angry at Stella, she forgives and help her out.
However, her father could not forgive or make up with her mother as easily
and he does not stop himself from making harsh remarks about her either.
Based on these characteristic, Claudia is a much better person than her
father. It just goes to show that sometimes children can behave better than
adults.
Comparison : Similarities and Differences
The novel that i have read is Step by Wicked Step by Anne Fine. There
are glaring differences and some similarities between Richard and Robbo.
They both make a good comparison of characters.
For similarities, both are products of a broken home and both have to
adjust living with a stepfather. Their stepfathers are difficult to live with and
so conflicts arise within the family. But this is where the similarities end.
Their differences are more marked. Robbo refuses to let his stepfather
ruin his happiness. He even tries to mediate between Callie, his old sister
and Roy, his stepfather. He loves his half-brother like his own. When
situations prove to be difficult, he chips in to help his mother and stepfather.

On the other hand, Richard handles things differently. His arguments with
his stepfather are so bad that it is impossible for them to love together. He
is too stubborn to compromise or at least try to make things better. He
allows his stepfather to make his home like a tomb as he calls it. He feels
like a stranger in his own home. Not surprisingly, he chooses the cowardly
way of leaving home. This is something Robbo would never do. He chooses
to make the best of a challenging home situation.
These are some of the similarities and differences between Richard and
Robbo.
Important lesson
The novel that i have read is Step by Wicked Step by Anne Fine. The
important lesson that i have learnt from this novel is we have to be patient
when facing challenges. Often, patience achieves better results than
rashness and anger.
Two characters, Lucy and Stella handle challenges with patience. In doing
so, they achieve what they desire. Lucy's stepdaughter, Pixie, is difficult to
handle. She believes that a stepfamily can never be a happy family. Lucy
goes all out to prove her wrong. During a major confrontation,she manages
to reason things out with Pixie. She tries her best to explain to Pixie that a
stepfamily can be a happy one. At the same time, she listens to Pixie, letting
her pour out all her frustrations. Her patience pays off. She and Pixie
have a good cry together. They hug each other like a mother and daughter
would. This removes some of the underlying tension between them and
marks the beginning of a harmonious and happy friendship.
It is the same with Stella. She exercise much patience in trying to win
Claudia over. Initially, all her attempts are rejected but does not discourage
her. In fact, she puts in more effort to make Claudia likes her. She succeeds
in the ens for Claudia stands up for her when she sees how unfairly her
father's friends treat Stella during supper. They simply ignore her, even after
all the trouble she has gone through to make sure that everything is perfect
for them. Claudia comes downstairs and thanks Stella for the green pyjamas
that she has bought for her. This prompts the guests to give Stella a chance.
This is the start of a new friendship and understanding between them.

Therefore, we have to be patient when facing challenges.

Important event
The novel that i have read is Step by Wicked Step by Anne Fine. There are some
event that are so important to a character in this novel.
One of the five pupils who comes form broken families is Pixie whose parents
are divorced. Every weekend she goes to stay with her father and his new family.
She dislikes her stepsisters, Hetty and Sophie and calls them 'the Pains'. When
Hetty moves into Pixie's bedroom, after quarrelling with Sophie, Pixie is unhappy.
She thinks all kinds of ways to get rid of Hetty such as pretending the room is
haunted and giving Hetty the 'semi-silent' treatment.
When Pixie's stepmother , Lucy, hears about her behavior, she has a talk with
her. This event is the turning point in Pixie's relationship with her father's new
family. Both Lucy and Pixie speak truthfully about how they feel about each other
and the family situation. Lucy learns how Pixie hates pretending there is a normal
family and how difficult it is to be caught between her divorced parents. Pixie
realizes that Lucy hates being a step-parent and how hard it is caring for someone
else's child.She also realizes how badly she has behaved. This honest conversation
creates an understanding between them. It ends woth them crying and hugging
each other. The signals the change in Pixie's relationship with her step-family. After
this event, Pixie is happier and gets along much better with her stepsisters.
The honest talk between Pixie and Lucy is an important event to Pixie as it
improves their relationship and they become more like a normal family after that. It
proves that open communication can heal relationships.

POEM
Are you still playing your flute?
When there is hardly time for our love
I am feeling guilty
To be longing for your song
The melody concealed in the slim hollow of the bamboo
Uncovered by the breath of an artist
Composed by his fingers
Blown by the wind
To the depth of my heart.
Are you still playing your flute?
In the village so quiet and deserted
Amidst the sick rice fields
While here it has become a luxury
To spend time watching the rain
Gazing at the evening rays
Collecting dew drops
Or enjoying the fragrance of flowers.
Are you still playing your flute?
The more it disturbs my conscience
to be thinking of you
in the hazard of you
my younger brothers unemployed and desperate
my people disunited by politics
my friend slaughtered mercilessly
this world is too old and bleeding.

1
2

Which lines in stanza 1 tell you that the flautist plays the flute beautifully?
Uncovered by .depth of my heart
In the second stanza, what does the word deserted mean?
Empty / abandoned / neglected / vacant

3
In the second stanza, why are the rice fields deserted?
The farmers have left the fields for the city / better income jobs away from the village.
4
In your own words, explain the meaning of the last stanza.
The persona is feeling anxious because there are political and economical problems in
city and she feels the world is changing for the worst.
5

From stanza 1, what does the persona want to hear?

her

The flautists song / flute music. / The flautist playing his flute.
6
In stanza 2, what does the word here refer to?
The city / town / personas place
7
In stanza 3, why does the persona feel guilty for thinking about her beloved?
She feels guilty because at present people around her are suffering.
8
Suggest two things you would do to stop the world from bleeding.
Spread the message of peace, tolerance and living in harmony
Learn to appreciate what life has offered and be happy with it.
9
How is the rice field?
Sick / unhealthy / infertile / neglected
10

State two activities that I consider luxuries.

i.
ii.

11

12

Spend time watching the rain / gazing at the evening rays

Collecting dew drops/ Enjoying the fragrance of flowers

Why do you the personas conscience is disturbed? Give reasons for your answer.
Thinking of the flautist while feeling worried about the troubled with the situation
around her.
What musical instrument is the poets friend playing?
A flute

13

Describe the village.

It is empty has people have left for the city.
14
Who feels guilty?
The persona
15
While here it has become a luxury!
To spend time watching the rain
Why do you think the persona says it is a luxury to spend time watching rain? Give reasons for
your answer.
Life in the city is so busy that one has no time for simple pleasures and there are other problems to
worry about.
16
17

Why does the persona ask if the flute player is still playing his flute?
She does not know if he is still in the village enjoying his favourite pastime.
How does she feel about his music?
Nostalgic / desirous / wishful

18
Write down the line which shows that the persona thinks highly of his music.
To the depth of my heart
19

In your own words,

i.

What kind of a person do you think is the flute player?

Passionate / Obsessed / An introvert / A sequester

20

Identify two words used to describe the village.

Quiet and deserted

21

What has happened to the village?

It is deserted as the people have left for better jobs.

22
23

In stanza 2, what does the words here refers to?

The city / town / personas place
In your own words,
i.
What do you of the things the persona consider luxuries?
Rain, sunset (evening rays) / dew / fragrance of flowers
ii.

What would you enjoy doing for pleasure?

24

Why does the poet feel guilty?

To be longing for the flautists song

26

How is the situation in the village?

Quite bad as it is empty because the villagers have left the village for better jobs and conditions.

27

Why do think the poet is surprised that the flautist is still playing his flute? Give reasons for
your answer.
She thinks that he is undisturbed with the turmoil in the nation and the world.

28

Why is the village so quiet and deserted?

The villagers have left the village for better jobs and conditions.

29

Which phrase in stanza 1 implies how much the music affected the poet?
To the depth of my heart

30

What does the poet mean by using the words concealed anduncovered to describe the
music?
It means that the melody is in the bamboo and will only be heard when the flautist plays the flute.
31
What could the poem be about?
It is about upholding values, accepting changes in life and appreciating simple pleasures of life.