Themes in 'Stuart: A Life Backwards' and 'Once in a House on Fire'

Good Pages in Stuart:

 P21, P119, P195, P222, P230,

Good Pages in House on Fire:

P227, P230, P298, P300

Similarities:

• Both are forced to move schools.
• Both character's education is affected by they abuse they suffer.

Differences: 

• Andrea uses education as an escape, whereas Stuart tries to escape a school he does not suit.
• Stuart has a more wordly education, for example he knows a great deal about drugs and crime.

Good Pages in Stuart:

P119, P125, P182, P202

Good Pages in House on Fire:

P3, P26, P160

Similarities:

• Both Stuart and Andrea have turbulent realationships with their fathers.

Differences:

• As a father, Stuart's relationship with his son reflects the relationship Stuart had with his own father, Rex. On the other hand, Ashworth is a much more responsible mother. 

Good Pages in Stuart:

P12, P195, P203, P223

Good Pages in House On Fire:

P60, P232

Similarities:

• Both Staurt and Andrea attend schools with disabled pupils.

Differences

• Andrea is not affected directly by dsability as Stuart is.

Good Pages in Stuart: 

P52, P115, P119, P143

Good Pages in House on Fire:

P208, P209, P319

Similarities:

• Both Stuart and Andrea's parents show criminal behaviour.
• Both Stuart and Andrea suffer injustice as a result of criminal behaviour.

Differences:

• Andrea doesn't take part is criminal activities herself, whereas Stuart does.

Good Pages in Stuart: 

P119, P182-3, P207

Good Pages in House on Fire:

P11, P164, P324

Similarities:

• Both suffer and witness abuse, especially towards women.
• There is also drug and alcohol abuse in both texts, as well as self-harm.

Differences:

• Stuart's abuse leads him to adopt abusive behaviour himself, whereas Andrea herself is never abusive.
• Andrea escapes abuse, whereas abuse follows Stuart around throughout his whole life.

Good Pages for Stuart:

P2, P58, P210, P167

Good Pages for House on Fire:

P100, P324

Similarities:

• Both Stuart and Laurie opt to become homeless to escape abuse.
• Living arrangements affect both Stuart and Andrea's education and friendships.

Differences:

• Andrea is never truly homeless, although she does move houses many times.
• Stuart is eager to escape his home, whereas Andrea is more hesistant because she feels that she should stay to look after her family.

Good Pages in Stuart:

P116, P163, P175, P202, P269, P285

Good Pages in House on Fire:

P8, P34, P163, P324

Similarities:

• Both family and romantic relationships are turbulent in the two texts.
• Both characters have some supportive relatives or friends to turn to - Stuart has Masters, whereas Andrea has her sisters and her aunties.

Differences:

• Stuart has a good father figure (Paul), whereas Andrea's stepfathers are both abusive, so she is missing a father figure.
• Stuart is abusive in relationshps, whereas Andrea is not. 

Good Pages for Stuart: 

P25, P33, P64, P138

Good Pages for House on Fire:

P220, P244, P302

Similarities:

• Both Stuart and Andrea's parents feel judged by social class.
• Both characters portray conventional behaviour for their social class.

Differences:

• As a child, Andrea is bullied for her social class, but Stuart is bullied only for his disability.
• Andrea's social class becomes higher, whereas Stuart's social class becomes lower as he becomes homeless.

Good Pages in Stuart: 

P112, P129, P191, P195, P231

Good Pages in House on Fire:

P209, P225, P231, P232

Similarities:

• Both Stuart and Andrea feel imprisoned be their home life.
• Both long for an escape from home life and abuse.

Differences:

• Stuart is physically imprisoned, both by his disability and by prison, whereas Andrea is not.
• Andrea escapes her imprisonment by leaving to study at Oxford, but Stuart's disbility means that he cannot escape imprisonment.

Good Pages in Stuart: 

P6, P113, P126, P156, P254

Good Pages in House on Fire:

P1-2, P62, P225

Similarities:

• Both Stuart and Andrea experience death in their family.
• Both consider suicide and experience suicide in their families.

Differences:

• Stuart's death is a main focus in 'Stuart: A Life Backwards', whereas the focus in 'Once in a House on Fire' is Andrea's escape from her home life, and her success.

Good Pages in Stuart: 

P22, P138, P143

Good Pages in House on Fire:

P166, P207, P222

Similarities:

• Both Stuart and Andrea (and her family) feel spied on by The System.
• Both Stuart and Lorraine refuse help from The System.

Differences:

• Stuart is more paranoid about The System than Andrea is.