Step By Wicked Step

By Anne Fine
Chapter 2 : Richards Story
Our Members : Muhammad Akmal Izzat Muhammad Tarmizie Zahirah Adilah Noorazila Binti Yaziz Nurul Hidayah

Synopsis
Pixie and Claudia creep back into the boys room when Miss ODell and Mr. Plumley dissappear. Ralph takes out the diary from under his pillow. Pixie volunteer to read the diary to all of them since she good reader. Rchards diary entry describe his fathers death due to a fever and how he has to be The Man Of The House. However, his mother, Lilith marries Reverend Coldstone life changes drastically for Richard. Unlike Charlotte, his sister. He cannot get along with his stepfather. He think his house like a tomb. His stepfather decides to send him to Mordanger School, a boarding school. Richard hates Mordanger School. He tries to persuade Charlotte to hate Mr. Coldstone but fails. Richard makes an important decision to leave home.

He takes it to the sea being a cabin boy and later rises to captain. He never visits his home eventhough his ship comes home twice in all that time. Richard finally return home when he receives a note from solicitars, Riddle & Flook. His discovers that his mother has died of heartbreak, his stepfather of fury and Charlotte of childbirth. He regrets leaving his family and now he has to decide whether to stay or leave. Richards story prompts the five children to share their personal stories one after the other.

Setting
Places mentioned :
Old Harwick Hall
Richard lived with his family. Later, his stepfather lived there too after he married with Lily Harwick...

Mordanger School
Mr. Coldstone sent Richard to Mordanger School which is the school that teach how to starve, freeze, bullied and beaten...

Various ports of call during his time at sea

Character
Richard (Dickie) Clayton Harwick

-He impulsively ran away rather than face the problems caused
by his stepfather.

Mr. Coldstone

-Richards stepfather
-Cold and cruel to Richard but loving and caring to Charlotte. -Bullied his wife of his anger towards Richard and eventually died.

Lilith (Lily) Harwick/Coldstone -Richards mother

-Weak woman who could not stand up for their stepfather -She died of a broken heart

 Charlotte Harwick/Devere -Richards sister.

Lucy -A housemaid.

-Accepted her stepfather easily more than her brother did. -Loved her brother and married Charles Devere because he was wealthy and promised to search for her brother. -She died of fever at childbirth.

George Digby -A gardener.

-Soft-hearted person who felt sorry for Richard and was kind to him. -She was afraid of ghosts and was easily frightened.

-Friendly and kind to Richard. -Taught Richard how to whittle wooden animal. -He was hopeful that Richard would return.

Themes
Making decision
-Richard had a difficult time adjusting to his stepfather and so he decided to run away. This impulsive decision caused the heartbreak of the entire family. Richard did not think carefully before making decision and this led to serious consequences.

Lack of responsibility
-Lily harwick was a weak woman. After the death of her husband, she relinquished to her new husband the responsibility of looking after her children. She also did not protect her son from his stepfather. -Richard promised his father that he would look after his mother and sister. However, he ran away and did not return until after their deaths

Moral Values
We have to think carefully before making decision. -Richard had to think carefully before he ran away. His action
caused the heartbreak of the whole family

We have to responsible towards our family. -Lily Harwick had to be responsible towards her children. But

after she married with Mr. Coldstone , she relinquished the responsibility to her new husband -Richard had responsible to his mother and sister after his father died. He promised his father that he would look after his mother and sister

THE END
Thank You For Lending Your Ears

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