Step By Wicked Steps Form 5 English Literature Notes

Step by Wicked Step - SUMMARY Chapter 1

It is raining. Mr. Plumley and five pupil from Stagfire School are going to a haunted house in a minibus.Ralpha, Claudia, Robbo, Collin and Pixie have been picked out by Miss O’Dell and herded into the minibus with Mr. Plumley. When they reach Creepsville, they think it is haunted. The last group tells tales of strangeshadows and footsteps and eerie figures in white gown melting through the walls.

There are no lights and Mr. Plumley is horrified to settle the pupils in pitch dark. They go upstairs as they pass by oil painted portraits of Harwicks of all ages staring at them. As it is a rainy night, Pixie preferredsafety in numbers. They have a rule “each bedroom is for either girls or boys.” Mr. Plumley does not know the rule. He tells the pupils to settle in while he goes to look for the housekeeper.

Robbo decides to explore two or three more stairs. He finds two more beds and a bathroom. The boys takethe present room meanwhile Claudia and Pixie take the other. Colin points at the wall. He insists there is adoor on the wall. When there is lightning, all of them see the wall papered door meeting the wall papered wall.

As they enter the room, cobwebs indicate no one has been there. A tower off a tower. The shelf, desk andchair are filled with dust. Claudia sees a wooden cow balancing on three legs. She strokes its nose.Suddenly, she hears a soft sound behind her. Robbo sets a globe of the world to spin on its axis.

By looking around, they came to a conclusion that the last child who slept in it came from a rich family.They find out it is a boy’s room. Claudia notices a dusty green album in spidery writing on thecover.

 Richard Clayton Harwick – My Story. Read and Weep. 

They hear the faint rumble of the bus. The other children have arrived. The 5 children rush to their roomsand pretend to be fast asleep. They do not want to miss the chance to read the album. Not many get achance to peep into someone else’s life and not many people are brave enough to tell you their story.By the time Miss O’Dell and Mr. Plumley come to the first tower room, they think that the children are fastasleep due to tiredness. Miss O’Dell continues to say that the five children have something in common.

Mr. Plumley is puzzled as nothing seemed to be common in the five. Pixie is a trouble maker. Claudia issensible. Ralph is quick-witted and hardworking unlike Colin who likes to daydream. Robbo is soccer-mad. As Miss O’Dell goes down, the lights come again. She shuts the tower door leaving the five children whohave been listening to their conversation.

Step by Wicked Step - SUMMARY Chapter 2

The five children are waiting in an old house for the rest of their school group to arrive. They come across an old manuscript written by a boy who ran away when his mother remarried after his father’s death.Richard’s Story-Master Richard’s father had a fever. His mother tried her best to coax his father to eat something- but it was of no use. Richard asked George the gardener about his father. Richard calls him Mr Digby. Mr Digby did not answer him but hugged him hard instead.

Lucy the maid sat by Richard’s bedside. When Richard asked if it was going to be today,she placed her finger on his lips and said “Hush! Don’t even speak of it.Little Charlotte called out to Richard and told him that Papa wanted to see him. He dashed as fast as hecould. He came across Reverend Coldstone but did not stop although he was asked to. The reverend wasangry. His mother was waiting at the doorway and reminded him not to cry. His father asked him to begood to his mother and sister. His last words were –“Obey your mother’s wishes to the letter.’ At the chapel, Mr. Coldstone consoled his mother. Richard heard him say -“When you are mine…”. Richardstudied at Mordanger school. He hated it there. Now he was home. Charlotte realized that Richard hatedhis stepfather. Richard accuses that Charlotte had forgotten about their father. Charlotte denied it andadvised him not to accuse Mr Coldstone as the murderer when their father died of fever. Nevertheless,Richard had decided to leave the three of them.

Richard wrote in his diary that he worked in a ship. Whenever he wrote about Mr Coldstone, he refered tohim as the ‘black bat’. Twice his ship stopped at his hometown and he visited his home only to stand like atrespasser. It had been a long time since Richard had been home. Suddenly, he saw a note on the Captain’stable. He found out that his mother and stepfather had died. Charlotte wrote him a letter. In the letter,Charlotte wrote that things had been difficult as their mother spent a lot of money looking for him and they all suffered Mr Coldstone’s anger. Charlotte married Charles Devere although she did not love him becausehe had money and was willing to spend it to look for Richard. This would be the only letter from her.

Step by Wicked Step - SUMMARY Chapter 3

Claudia’s Mum and Dad quarreled a lot.One day, her Dad was gone to Granny’s house. However, hedropped by for tea. Claudia overheard the name “Stella”. Her Mum and even Granny had a row with Dad. Dad usually met Claudia at Granny’s. She missed her Dad so much. The times spent with her Dad keptflooding back. She wanted things back the way they used to be. For the first time, Claudia had a separate Christmas. Later, she was introduced to Stella who was just plain and mousy. Claudia thought her mum was a whole lot better-looking than Stella. Claudia was rude when they went for a walk. Once back, they quarreled and the next day, Dad moved out of Granny’s house straight into with Stella.Claudia met her Dad off and on. Stella stayed out of it. She only made some light conversation with Claudialike asking about her friends and school. Those moments she would be thinking of her mum doing thehouse chores. After talking to her friend, Shreela, Claudia stopped blaming Stella. Dad and Stella arrangeda party for their friends. Claudia was sent there for the day. Politely, she excused herself from the party and stayed in her room. Stella was relieved.


Out of curiosity, Claudia decided to eavesdrop. She wore the green pajamas given by Stella as it was the exact shade of green of the giant fern. She sat beside the fern and listen to everything the adults downstairs were talking.The guests spoke about everything except about Mum, Dad, Stella or Claudia. Nobody praised Stella for thefood nor even spoke to her. Claudia found that very rude as her Mum was not there. Claudia, unable tostand the treatment Stella was getting, made a grand appearance at the party and thanked Stella for the beautiful pyjamas she had brought for her. Finally, everyone started noticing Stella. As for Claudia andStella, this was the starting point.Stella would teach Claudia how to quilt, read maps, change electric plugsand how to skate.

Step by Wicked Step - SUMMARY Chapter 4

Colin describes his stepfather whom he calls dad. He has thought of him as his biological father all the while. His dad looks like him. His dad has dark hair with some grey patches around his ears. His dad usedto roll his own cigarettes out of tobacco in a tin. His dad calls him by many nick names- Col, Collie, Sonny- boy, Buster, Mr Bluebird. Colin’s mum works in a shop. His dad walks him to school and back. His dad gothim his tea and took him to the park.


At the park, he used to swing as high as the bar, he swings back insuch a way that his dad would call him –The Bluebird of Happiness.Then, Colin’s mum took him and moved away. It happened when Colin’s father had gone to spend a day  with his sister. Two friends of his mum came with a van and packed everything. Then they went off. At first,he thought his dad will join them later. Colin was not happy- school mates would snigger when he did notunderstand things. Mum found a job at a canteen. She would be busy doing household chores when shecame home. Mum was too busy to listen to him. He compared her with his dad- his dad used to talk to himand remembered names of his friends and teachers. Colin asked his mother many times about his dad. He wanted to know when his dad will come home.

His mother did give him a hint about his father not having a proper job. He realized later that his motherdid not leave any clues for his dad to follow. He then wrote a letter to his dad. But there was no reply.Every night, Colin would take the tobacco tin out of the toe of his boot and put it under his pillow. Then, he would hum his favourite song which was also his dad’s favourite. He would stay awake for hours talking tohis dad. He pretended that his dad was there. Colin said that it was as if his mother thought that whateveris happening is actually happening only to her. Then one day when he returned home from school, herealized that his mum had thrown away his boots. The boots were too small for him but she did not know that there was a tobacco tin hidden in there. He did not bother to tell her because she wouldn’t have likedit.It has been five years, eight months and seven days and Colin still remembers hit dad. He secretly writeshis dad’s name and his old address on the forms at school. Colin also tries to save money- he does threepaper rounds. He will not try to look for his dad now- perhaps someday when he has enough money.Colin hums slowly and when asked to sing, he says that he is saving the words till he finds his dad. It washis favourite song- The Bluebird of Happiness. His friend Ralph consoled him by saying that someday Colin will find his dad.

Step by Wicked Step - SUMMARY Chapter 5

Ralph has two brothers, two half-brothers, one half-sister, three stepbrothers, one stepsister, three stepmothers, one stepfather, two step-grandmothers and a step-grandfather. Living in a big family is no joke. After school on Mondays and Thursdays, he goes directly to Dad’s place. His mum or his step dad, Howard sends him. On Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays, he goes straight to his Mum’s place. At times, he will be lost not knowing where to go. The lunchboxes help. M for Mickey Mouse and Mum, D for Dumbo and Dad. If he is lost, he has to look at his lunch box to confirm his destination. Edward and George three stepmothers his brothers.


The boys liked Annabel, stepmother No. 1. The only problem was she never left the boys alone with their dad.Edward and George hated this. Dad and Annabel spent all their time kissing and cuddling. Annabel was always on a diet. She disapproved of coffee. So the boys had to drink Dandelion tea every morning. She loved to read out her star sign forecast in the mornings and again in the evenings. Sometimes, she even tried to look at Edward and George to tell their aura. However, the boys would deny anything she said. Yet, their dad would not feel embarrassed.

One day, Brandy, Ralph’s cat was sent over as their Mum was varnishing the hall. The three boys took Brandy in a cage. Edward had made it from a broken milk bottle crate and bits of wire. Annabel was annoyed and blamed them to be cruel as Brandy did not have room to breathe. Dad distracted her by pointing out that they were out of bread. Annabel insisted in baking. The poor boys were starving to death.So, they went to the shops. They boys ate three large loaves and before they came home, they brushed away the crumbs. Dad was praising of how the dough had risen. When Annabel left it on the table, Brandy leapt up on the table and sniffed the dough. Then, Brandy liftedits paw and patted the dough.

Next, Brandy curled himself comfortably into the dough. Annabel went mad.Dad tried to stick up for Brandy. The spell between Annabel and Dad was broken. In the end, Annabel ranoff with someone and Dad searched high and low to get the divorce papers signed.The boys did not miss her as she was more of dad’s girlfriend than a real stepmother.Dad then focused his attention on Janet, who was more keen on rules. However, Dad liked it. Edward andGeorge did not mind as they were able to spend ample time with Dad. On the other hand, Janet was busy rushing her children to the doctors, dentist and school.

Janet’s own children, Tom, Joe and Doug and Ann moved in with the three boys.Tom and Ann could get along with Ralph but not Joe and Doug. Mum and Howard though Janet was wonderful. Janet could draw up proper schedule and Mum hardly bothered as she found Janet was easy todeal with. Due to the rules, Ralph knew he could pick up rules in no time if he was ever anywhere. Finally Janet left. She got fed up withMum and Dad as they were taking advantage of her. Dad kept fixing up work trips on the days the boys were there. He told Janet that she had four children and another three would not make any difference.Mum started sneaking Victor’s romper suit hoping that Janet would come across them and get the stainsout before sending them back. So, Janet left. The boys had a wonderful time after that. Unfortunately, it was only for a short period of time. Stepmother Number 3, Flora, came into the picture. Edward met herlying on Dad’s patio with hardly any clothes on. She had the cheek to tell Edward to cover up as she wasenjoying the sun. George met Flora when they went shopping. Flora was dumping treats like strawberries,kiwi fruits, waffles, Belgian chocolates into the trolley. Dad was looking into the wallet, gloomily. Ralph went the next day. When he rang the bell, Flora opened and enquired. Ralph introduced himself. Flora blew her top as she did want to be a nanny. She took Ralph out for a Chinese Dinner and to watch a film. Thenshe met some friends and went to a coffee bar. At that time, Ralph informed his Dad of their whereabouts.Dad was furious and scolded Flora. Flora was cool and told him not to dump the children on her beforechecking her schedule. Ralph thought she was wonderful although she did all sorts of terrible things to him.Flora was pregnant and she ate only mint sauce sandwiches. Ralph was worried that his half sister or half  brother would not be well taken care off by Flora. She did not know how and Ralph decided to help her out.The others usually teased Ralph. Most probably, Flora would settle in with this family.

Step by Wicked Step - Synopsis

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 novel's 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 Harwick's father passes away, he was sent to Mordanger School for four long years. He wishes to burn Mordanger to 'ashes' as to him, 'there's 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 on a great ship. 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 (descriptive passage within a larger work) 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-'.

Setting:

Time

The novel is set in the modern 20th century.

The story begins on a wet, rainy night with storms raging in the sky as the five main characters make their way ahead of their classmates to Old Harwick Hall for a week-long field trip.

Place

The story takes place in Old Harwick Hall which is a spooky Victorian mansion built hundreds of years ago.

It is described as 'absolutely private' and 'a towering mansion with dunce-hatted turret'. It has 'dark windows' and a 'huge oak and iron door'.

The Tower Room in Old Harwick Hall - a room equipped with beds pointing to the centre. This is the room where the five characters Pixie, Claudia, Ralph, Robbo and Colin first gather when they arrive.

A tiny room (' a tower off a tower') adjoining the Tower Room is where the characters discover a mysterious old diary belonging to Richard Clayton Harwick. The room is hidden by the frame of a bed but a pock-mark reveals its existence. The room is full of cobwebs and dust on the furniture. There are six vaulted windows, a lantern, candelabra, some books, cushions and a tiny carved wooden cow with three legs in the room.

Step by Wicked Step - Moral Values

Family is everything

This is the main message in all the five stories from Claudia, Ralph, Colin, Pixie and Robbo. Love is the factor that binds the family together but sometimes the family unit breaks down due to a lack of understanding between parents. Most of the time, children are not prepared for such a situation and this lands them in an awkward and painful situation. It is important to minimize the impact of divorce on children and to make sure they do not feel unwanted or unimportant. Parents must always try to keep the family together despite the breakdown in their relationship.

Patience is a virtue

It is important to practice a lot of patience in difficult times. No parents would want a divorce if they can help it. Hence, everyone affected by a divorce must be patient and tolerant. Richard Clayton Harwick does not show enough patience when he leaves his family because he cannot get along with his step father. As a result of his action, his mother dies of heartbreak and his sister blames him for being selfish and cruel. In Pixie’s story, she does not show much patience towards her step siblings. She refuses to share her bedroom with Hetty. She is also hard headed and argues intensely with her step mother.

We must learn to adapt to new situations

Children from broken homes have no choice but to learn to adapt to new situations. This may be unfair to the children who seem to be the ‘victim’ of circumstances beyond their control. However, in the five stories told, we learn that adapting is better than resisting although it takes a lot of patience and effort on the children’s part. Claudia shows she is a rational and sensible child to accept her step mother. Ralph, who has three step mothers, gets along with all of them despite their different personalities.

Don’t give up hope

Colin’s story is the saddest of all. He does not give up hope of one day finding Jack whom he accepts as his own father. He saves all his money and plans to look for his dad when the time is right. Colin is a very determined person despite his young age. He knows what he wants. Robbo also hopes his sister Callie will accept their step father Roy. However, Callie resents Roy and decides to live with her real father in the end.