Step by Wicked Step

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Step by Wicked Step By: Anne Fine

Transcript of Step by Wicked Step

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Step by Wicked StepBy: Anne Fine

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About the AuthorAnne Fine was born in Leicester, England in 1947 and

possessed a love of books and reading from an early age. She studied Politics and History at the University of Warwick and has worked in various fields, including secondary school teaching and as an information officer at Oxfam.

Anne Fine was awarded an OBE in 2003 and was appointed the Children's Laureate from 2001-2003. She is-a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and lives in County Durham, England.

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Cont …Her first children's book, The Summer House Loon, was

published in 1978. Since then, she has written numerous highly-acclaimed and award-winning books for children and adults, including Flour Babies (1992) which won both the Carnegie Medal and the Whitbread Children's Book Award.

Her books have been adapted for both television and film, notably Madame Doubtfire (1987) which was filmed as the movie 'Mrs Doubtfire'. Her books often feature serious social and political issues, and complex family situations such as parental separation, homelessness and care of the elderly.

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Cont …Anne Fine was awarded an OBE in 2003 and was

appointed the Children's Laureate from 2001-2003. She is-a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and lives in County Durham, England.

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THEMEThis refers to the main message in a story. It often

reflects the author's thoughts about a topic or an issue. The theme is not always stated directly but is implied

through the events in the story. There may be more than one theme in the story and it unfolds as the story is read. The title of the novel usually gives a clue about the theme.

There are a few general themes that run through this entire novel. These themes also appear in each individual story, such as:

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1. Broken HomesThe six main characters - Richard Harwick and the five

children - come from broken homes. This novel highlights the ways the various characters cope with this situation.

Some of them adapted to the new situation while others experienced great difficulties which sometimes led to disastrous consequences.

Richard Harwick made an impulsive decision which resulted in the destruction of his family, while Claudia decided to stickup for Stella which resulted in a better relationship between them.

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2. Getting along with othersThe importance of getting along with others is highlighted

throughout the novel. The characters in each story had to adapt to new situations and it is shown clearly that the characters who were more tolerant and willing to give others a chance had an easier time adapting.

Robbo seemed to get along quite well with Roy but his sister, Callie, hated Roy and in the end, she chose to move in with her dad because she could not accept him. This is also seen clearly in Richard's story where Richard rebelled against his stepfather while his sister, Charlotte, was more willing to accept her new stepfather.

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3. Lack of responsibilityAt least one character in every story showed a lack of

responsibility. Richard's mother did not try hard enough to protect him from his stepfather.

Claudia's dad and Pixie's dad did nothing to help their new families get along better with each other.

Colin's mum did not bother about her son's feelings and only focused on herself.

Ralph's dad flitted from one woman to another and expected his sons to adapt accordingly.

Robbo's mum knew there was a huge problem between Roy and Callie but she just kept hoping that it would resolve itself. It was only when Robbo stepped in that a decision was made and things improved.

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MORAL VALUESThis refers to the lessons to be learnt from a novel. It can

be general or specific lessons about life. It can also include social values portrayed in the novel.

1. We should be tolerant so that we can get along better with others. Do not condemnpeople but be friendly and give them a chance.

2. We should nurture family relationships and not take them for granted.

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Cont …3. We should not be self-centred and think only of

ourselves. Other people areimportant too.

4. Sometimes we need to make sacrifices for the good of the family.

5. We should not make rash decisions especially when we are upset. Always thinkcarefully about the consequences before making any decisions.

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CharactersRICHARD

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CharactersCLAUDIA

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CharactersCOLIN

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CharactersRALPH

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CharactersPIXIE

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CharactersROBBO