SPM 2013: An important decision made by one's life

The novel I chose is Step by Wicked Step by Anne Fine. The character Richard Clayton Harwick made an important decision in the story, which is running away from home. The decision made by Richard has affected three other characters in the story which are Richard’s Mother Lilith, Richard’s Sister Charlotte, and Richard’s Step Father Reverend Coldstone.

Richard was very young when his father died because of fever. Before his father passed away, he told Richard to listen to his mother, to take care of her and his sister, Charlotte. However, he felt that he was too young to be given this responsibility and it was unfair of his father to tell to do so. Things had changed to the worst after the death of his father.  Mr. Coldstone made all the rules in the house and Richard hated him. Richard was sent to Boarding school for 4 years. Here Richard was bullied, starved, robbed, learned to be silent and patient. He couldn’t stand the torturing here and so Richard made a decision to leave home. What he has yet to know is that the decision he made was going to be a big and important decision.

First and foremost, Richard’s Mother, Lilith had died of heart broke. She was depressed just from the idea of Richard running away, she spent all of her fortunes looking for Richard, but he was nowhere to be seen. One day while he was still “running away” he saw a notice in the newspaper, asking him to contact Riddle & Flook for he is now the owner of Old Harwick Hall. When he went back to Old Harwick Hall, he found a letter which was written by Charlotte, in his tower room. From the letter, “First, mother spent a fortune seeking you and all of us suffered Mr. Coldstone’s anger as money slipped steadily away… Lilith! Waste more of your dwindling fortune on this folly and I will make you pay for it twice over! And so he did. Last year she died (of him too close, and you too far.) “. The letter stated that Richard’s decision of running away had made her mother died of heart broke.

Secondly, Richard’s Sister, Charlotte had died from illness of childbirth. After her mother, Lilith passed away; Mr. Coldstone never spent a penny looking for Richard. Charlotte felt that she was the only hope left to find Richard, she had no money to begin with but upon her sixteenth birthday, Charlotte married Charles Devere, a prosperous man who had promised Charlotte that he would continue the search for Richard. And so she died in complications of childbirth as stated in the letter she wrote. “If I die in complications of childbirth, as so many do, and then Charles will send this letter to our old home… “Richard went home after seeing the notice paper from Riddle and Flook that were hired by Charles Devere, and there he found the letter. This all means his sister, Charlotte had died in complications of childbirth.

Last but not least, Richard’s Reverend Coldstone, he had died from fury just by the money spent by Richard’s Mother, Lilith for searching Richard. Mr. Coldstone is a cunning man who took advantage of Richard’s Mother, Lilith for her frail and gullible personality. When Richard’s Father died, he got close to Lilith for all he was seeking was Richard’s family fortune. Richard’s Mother remarries Mr. Coldstone, after that he made new rules and sent Richard to a boarding school because he was in his way of his motives. Richard was bullied in the boarding school and he decided to run away. Before Mr. Coldstone could get the fortune he was seeking for so long, Richard’s Mother, Lilith spent it all to search for Richard, who had run away. He was furious as once again stated in Charlotte’s letter, “What! Yet another costly search! Let the ungrateful boy be lost forever! Lilith! Waste more of your dwindling fortune on this folly and I will make you pay for it twice over!” His death might not be stated in the letter, but even a dim boy could figure out that he died of fury from the fortune spent on searching for Richard.

Therefore, these are the characters affected by the one and only big and important decision made by Richard Clayton Harwick.

Compare two characters

Based on the novel "Step by Wicked Step", by Anne Fine, there are similarities and differences between Richard And Colin which can be observed clearly throughout the story. 

Firstly, the main difference is their love for their dad. Both of them missed his/her fathers. For Colin, his mother moved away with Jack's knowledge because they have marital problems. His father refuses to have a proper job which creates marital problems. After he and his mother left Jack, Colin missed his stepfather so much. He saves his money just to search for Jack. But for Richard, things does not go well. His father died due to illness and he lost his father forever. After his father's death, his mother marries Reverend Coldstone. After this marriage, Richard feels like a stranger in his own house. Life is miserable for both Pixie and Claudia.

Furthermore, both of them did not get any attention from their mothers. Richard's mother did not defend him when Reverend Coldstone treated him badly. And for Colin, his mother is not aware of how much he missed his dad because she is too busy working at the canteen and doing household chores. Both of them did not feel their mothers' love.

Both of them felt sad because they felt that they are no longer a part of their family. So, both of them decided to run away to make things work. Richard had ran away from home with the hope that he would make life pleasant for everyone. He thinks that he is a burden to his family. But he realize that running away does not solve any problems and conversely make things worse. In Colin's case, he missed his stepfather so much and plans to run away to find his stepfather. For instance, Colin does three paper rounds to save money to search for his stepfather.

In conclusion, the two characters suffered much pain and sorrow and no one cares about them causes them to think negatively - run away. Running away does not solve problems, in fact it can affect the people around.

Penang Street Art - Tok Tok Mee

Tok Tok Mee Sculpture, China Street,
George Town, Penang

Tok Tok Mee is the name of a steel-rod sculpture placed at the junction of China Street with Pitt Street, facing the Kuan Yin Teng. Although it is supposed to be for China Street, it is really on Pitt Street.

The sculpture tells how the itinerant hawkers of wantan mee, also known as tok tok mee, announce their arrival, and housewives and children would soon be scurrying out of their homes to buy a bowl or two. "Tok Tok" eventually became the onomatopoeia for the wantan noodle dish. This is captured by cartoonist Tang Mun Kian in the caricature for Sculpture at Work.

How a character has changed due to certain events that have taken place in his/ her life (Lit.)

Based on the novel "Step by Wicked Step", by Anne Frank, Colin has changed due to certain events that have taken place in his/ her life. Colin's father leaves him and his mother when he was a few weeks old. She remarries and Jack becomes his stepfather from 8 months old. They do many things together. He walks Colin to school and back and go to the park in the evenings. His mother and Jack have marital problems since Jack refuses to have a proper job. Mum leaves Jack and takes Colin away from him. 

Colin has changed into a very unhappy and lonely boy after he left his stepfather. He had to join a new school when his mother moved out of their home with him.. He hates it because he has to go through unpleasant experiences, got ignored by his mother and his friends and so on. He has to face the music all by himself because he has no people to complain with. His mother is busy at her job and her household chores, so she had no time to listen to his problems.

Besides, Colin becomes a dreamy boy which causes him to have less focus in class and did badly in school. He missed his dad so much. He missed the time where he was playing the swing with Jack. Every night, he would take the tobacco tin out of the toe of his boot and put it under his pillow. He hope that his stepfather will be standing in front of him once he open his eyes. He will also hum their's favourite song and stay awake for hours talking to his dad. He pretended that his dad was there.

Furthermore, Colin becomes resourceful. It has been 5 years, 8 months and 7 days since he was seperated from his dad. He secretly writes his dad's name and his old address on the forms at school. He also tries to save money - he does three paper rounds to earn money to search for his dad when he is older. 

In conclusion, Colin responded negatively to the changes in his life at first. He felt sad, dreamy and moody. Finally, he decided to do something worthy to search for his dad. his love and longing for his dad motivated him to become optimistic, resourceful ann patient in his mission - search for his dad.

Penang Street Art - Cheating Husband

From my point of view, i think he's the one that got cheated

The "Cheating Husband" sculpture provides a humourous though not exactly accrurate rendition for the name of Love Lane, which is widely believed to be were rich Chinese merchants kept their mistresses. Nearby Muntri Street was the choice address of the 19th century nouveaux riches; it was their practise to house their second wife at Love Lane. The first wife probably had little say in this, at a time when upper-crust women have not yet been emancipated from their cloistered existence.

Penang Street Art - Mr. Five Foot Way

Picture Taken at the juction of Transfer Road with Hutton Lane

Mr. Five Foot Way is one of the few steel-rod sculptures located outside the core zone of the George
Town Heritage Site. Jt is installed at the juction of TransferRoad with Hutton Lane. Based on a caricature by Tang Mun Kian, it is one of two sculptures for Marking George Town that is based on the five foot way, the other being "Narrowest Five Foot Way".

The "Mr. Five Foot Way" Sculpture celebrates the many itinerant traders and vendors who set up small business on the five foot way. Many of these arrived penniless from South China, particularly in 1880's. The few lucky ones rose from rags to riches, perhaps the most famous of which include Yeap Chor Ee and later on Loh Boon Siew.

Penang Street Art (PSA) - Bullock Cart Wheel

Picture taken @ Pitt Street, Penang

Bullock Cart Wheel is a steel-rod sculpture erected on the wall facing Pitt Street, in George Town, Penang. Jt is based on a caricature by Reggie Lee for the Marking George Town project.

The Bullock Cart Wheel sculpture provides two different historical insights. The first with regards the stretch of Pitt Street, which was where bullock carts used to be parked as late as the early 20th century. The second, as depicted with the 50% Straits Settlement coin, in an idiom in Penang Hokkien. Bullock Cart Wheel is a description of a stingy person, whose 50% is the size of wheel of a bullock cart.