Compare and contrast 2 characters from a novel you have studied.

With close reference to the text, give reasons

to support your answer.

I choose the novel Step by Wicked Step, written by Anne Fine. I am going to compare and contrast Claudia and
Pixie. There are similarities and differences between them which can be observed clearly throughout the story.

First of all, Claudia and Pixie share similar fate where their parents are divorced and their fathers live with another
women. Claudia's father lives with his girl friend named Stella. Sometimes Claudia spends her time with her dad
and Stella even though she hates Stella. She refuses to enjoy her stay with her dad out of loyalty to her mother and
she also ignores Stella. In Pixie's case, her father marries Lucy who has two daughters, Sophie and Hetty. Pixie
hates her step sisters. Her father promises that she would have her own room whenever she stays with them but
later her step sister, Hetty moves into her room after having a fight with Sophie. This really makes her mad and she
tries many ways to get rid of Hetty. Life is miserable for both Pixie and Claudia.

However, the biggest difference which can be observed between Pixie and Claudia is that they have different
approaches in dealing with their problems. Claudia is fair and sensible. Even though she hates Stella, she does not
blame the lady for her parents' break-up. She is more gentle in her actions. For example, at the dinner party, she
thinks that the guests are rude for not appreciating Stella's hard work. She realizes that ignoring Stella would not
help solving matters between her parents. Feeling sorry for Stella, she decides to help her get accepted by showing
off the green pyjamas which Stella has given to her.

On the contrary, Pixie is more aggressive in her actions. In order to get Hetty out of her room, she creates stories
that her room is haunted and when that fails, she tries to irritate Hetty by asking her to help with her maths.
Finally, she tries the silent treatment on Hetty and that makes the girl tell Lucy everything. When Lucy confronted
her, Pixie refuses to submit but instead she stands up for herself and expresses her feelings. She hates to pretend
that her family is normal and she could not accept strangers as family. However, after they both pour out their
frustration, things become better for them.

In a nutshell, Claudia and Pixie have both similarities and differences between them. I learn many lessons while
reading the story about them and the other children in this novel.
Compare and contrast 2 characters in the novel you have studied. Discuss with close reference to the text.

The novel I have studied is Step By Wicked Step written by Anne Fine. In the novel, five schoolchildren
read the journal of Richard Clayton Harwick which detailed his sad story of family life with a stepfather. The five
schoolchildren who came from broken homes were prompted to relate their own family life story. Claudia and
Colin are the two characters I have chosen to compare and contrast.

Although Claudia and Colin are two differing characters, they also have some similarities. Both Colin
and Claudia come from broken or separated families. They both have step parents.

Colin and his mother left his father when he was a few weeks' old. His mother takes up with a person
whom he thinks of as his father when Colin was just eight months old. This stepfather really cared for Colin. "... you
can talk to him. And he remembers what you say. He'd know the names of all my friends,...". However, his
immature mother also leaves this stepfather after a while because he does not have a proper job.
Now he misses him so badly that it hurts him so much."...I'd hum our favourite song...".
Jack is the only 'father' figure Colin ever knows. However, Colin's mother leaves Jack after a while. This causes him
to miss Jack so badly.
On the other hand, Claudia's father has left her mother for another woman, Stella. Claudia feels
disloyal to her mum whenever she has a good time with her father and his new girlfriend. "... I'd be as much to
blame as him for all the horrid changes I never wanted". Even though Stella tries her best to be accepted by
Claudia and her daddy's friends, she is being ignored.
Finally, Claudia realises her rudeness and she comes out of her closet by wearing the green pyjamas
given by Stella. "These are the pyjamas you bought me. Aren't they beautiful?". Both Colin and Claudia really want
their parents to reconcile as they pine for how it used to be when they were happy.
In retrospect, Colin and Claudia both faced similar and contrasting problems in their
lives.Compare two characters in the novel you have studied. How are they similar and different?
Compare and contrast two characters.
The novel I have chosen is Step by wicked step written by Anne Fine. Colin and Claudia are the two
characters I have chosen to compare and contrast. Although they are two differing characters, they also have some
similarities.

Both Colin and Claudia come from broken or separated families. They both have step parents. Colins
mother has left his biological father and `took up with Jack. Jack is the only father figure Colin ever know.
However, Colins mum leaves Jack after a while. This causes him to miss Jack so badly that it hurts. On the other
hand, Claudias father has left her mother for another woman, Stella. She feels disloyal to her mum whenever she
has a good time with her father and Stella. Both Colin and Claudia really want their parents to reconcile as they
pine for how it used to be when they were happy. And this aspect of unhappy home is the first similarity.

Colin and Claudia also do not adapt to the drastic changes their families undergo. Colins unwavering
loyalty and want for his dad to be back and Claudias misguided loyalty to her mother shows that these two
characters find difficulties dealing with changes. There are frustrations, fear and sadness. Furthermore, both
Colins and Claudias mothers do not take their emotions into consideration. It is as though everything is only
happening to them, and will never have an impact on the children. This is the second similarity; the fact that the
changes take time.

However, Colin and Claudia are markedly different individuals. They deal with the changes in their
respective families differently; Colin is portrayed as a boy always pining for his father even after five whole years.
However, Claudia becomes hostile towards the new lady in her life, Stella, disregarding all the latters efforts to
warm up to her. These different treatments are proof of their dissimilarity.

Both Colin and Claudia have different personalities too. Colin is a dreamer who dreams of an ideal life
where his dad and mother will be together forever and happy. He secretly keeps his fathers tobacco tin and
saves money so that he can look for him one day. This makes him too depending on his stepdad and emotionally
attached to him. This is probably due to the fact that he needs love from a man called father. Claudia is more of a
sensible and rational person. After seeing her dads friends ignoring Stella and judging it as rude, she goes to
compliment Stella on her stellar choice of green pyjamas. Claudia is more independent and is not afraid to voice
her opinions. Unlike Colin, Claudia is brave in coming to terms with her parents separation. She is independent
and not afraid to voice her opinions. These dissimilar personalities differentiates them and hint at a different
future both might face.

Even though they experience broken family relationships and find it difficult to accept changes, the way Colin and
Claudia accept new additional member of the family is different. They have different views in accepting reality and
this has made the story more inspiring and colourful.