OliverTwist.doc

Oliver twistAbout the authorCharles Dickens, the greatest representative of English critical realism, was born in 1812 at Portsmouth where his father was a clerk in the Navy pay office. During his lifetime Dickenss works enjoyed unprecedented popularity and fame, and by the twentieth century his literary genius was fully recognized by critics and scholars. His novels and short stories continue to enjoy an enduring popularity among the general reading public. Many of Dickenss novels first appeared in periodicals and magazines in serialized form-a popular format for fiction at the time-and. Unlike many other authors who completed entire novels before serial production commenced, Dickens 0ften composed his works in parts，in the order in which they were meant to appear. Such a practice lent his stories a particular rhythm, punctuated bygone minor “cliffhanger” after another, to keep the public looking forward to the next installment.BackgroundOliver Twist was Dickens second novel and written in the 1830s in London, which marked the beginning of Dickens literary life. In those days, the society was so dark and there was a big gap between rich and poor. At the time of writing Oliver Twist, United Kingdom was in the first Industrial Revolution period. The Industrial Revolution was a time of dramatic change, from hand tools and handmade items, to products. Workers became more productive, and since more items were manufactured, prices dropped, making items available to the poor and the rich. Life generally improved, but the Industrial Revolution also proved harmful. Pollution increased, working conditions were harmful, and capitalists employed women and young children, making them work long and hard hours. The Industrial Revolution was a time for change，for the better, or for the worse. Historians agree that the Industrial Revolution was one of the most important events in history. The English Industrial Revolution, which took place within a capitalist economy, necessarily made working people worse off. It was a disaster for the working classes. Capitalism developed so rapidly that a large number of bourgeois become rich, and Proletariat suffered from cruel exploitation and become very poor. Under this situation, Dickens always stands in the position of the people to observe life. It is so important to choose London as the place where the story occurs in Oliver Twist, Because London has all kinds of the representative characteristics, the upper class living a loose and luxury life, but the lower class having no right. London just like a mirror reflects a variety of contradictions and maladies in social life. Choosing poorhouse as the background of the story testified authors altitude and society sensibility. IntroductionThis is a story about kindness and evil. Every coin has two sides, including our human beings. Nobody can change the natural rule. For example, Nancy in this story is a bad woman at first. She steals things and does so many bad things. Even she pretends to be Olivers sister to catch him to the thieves. But finally Nancy realizes the seriousness and wants to help Oliver. If Nancy would not have met Mr. Brownlow, Oliver would not be rescued. So Nancy is a kind woman, kindness is from the bottom of her heart. After I read the story, not only was I moved by the little children Oliver, but also learned to be a kind person. No matter in the old times or not, the society all the time needs people who are very kind. Dickens exposed and criticized the capitalist society of darkness and kindness. The themes are the description between good and evil, the hypocritical attitudes and behaviors of public institutions, and the ultimately flawed theory of individualism. Dickens uses mistaken identities and familial ties to create a story. PlotOliver Twist is one of Dickens most enduringly popular stories. The story happened in the nineteenth century of England and tells the miserable story of an orphan called Oliver Twist. The poor baby was born in a lying-in room of almshouse. His mother died after his birth without any information of his identity. Naturally, he became a workhouse orphan. The orphans childhood, passed in cruel neglect and emi-starvation. There, he received the cruel treatment by Mr. Bumble for eight years. His spirit was so strong to be probably the reason why he managed to reach the age of nine at all. And because of just an earnest request for some more gruel, he was sold to an undertaker as a cheap good. He worked for the undertaker and his meal was some meat the dog left. As lonely and afraid as he was, treated rough by two made a wicked plan to drive out Oliver. After the plan completed, he couldnt stay there any more, so he escaped there and ran away to London. On his route, he made a friend with Jack Dawkins. The later offered him food and swelling place. However he didnt get rid of misfortune. The friend of his was a member of criminal gang who could easily steal the peoples wealth. He falls into the hands of a gang of thieves and receives an education in villainy from Fagin. There includes the brutal thief Bill Sikes, the famous artful Dodger and Nancy, Bill whore. Though being told to be a pickpocket, Oliver refused. At last, one morning came when Oliver was allowed to go out to work with the two boys. Jack Dawkins put his hand in an old gentlemans pocket, took out a handkerchief, and handed it to another boy. Suddenly, Oliver knew the mystery of the handkerchief, the watches and the jewels. He chose to run away because of his fear. The old man suspect he was the thief and shouted loudly: stop thief!”. Then people in the street joined in the chase with enthusiasm and soon attracted the police. The old man forgave Oliver in the police station and took him to his home. Luckily, Oliver is rescued by the intervention of a benefactor, Mr. Brownlow, and enjoyed a period of real happy life. But the mysterious Monks gets the gang to kidnap the boy again. He schemes to defame Olivers reputation by making him a thief in order to a large property. At this very moment, it was Nancy who was also a member of Fagins and overheard Monks plan informed Olivers urgent danger to benefactors, Rose Maylie and Mr. Brownlow by sacrificing her own life. Nancy intervenes but is murdered viciously by Sikes. The story closes happily and with justice for Bumble and the cruel Monks who have hidden the truth of Oliver parentage out of malice. Oliver is adopted by Mr. Brownlow. Rose married Harry who was Mrs. Maylies son; and the two households entered on well-merited blessing and happiness. And all the bad guys had received their punishments, and our little Oliver lived a happy life ever since.Analysis of major characters 1. Oliver TwistOliver is an affection-starved little boy who will not commit crimes. He was abused as a young child, and only wants to be loved. His adventures make him the best of friends and the worst of enemies. The hero of this novel was Oliver Twist, an orphan, who was thrown into a world full of poverty and crime. In spite of the fact that he was born and brought up in the workhouse and suffered enormous pain, such as hunger, thirst, beating and abuse. He remain wants to be loved. Oliver is not a believable character, although he was raised in corrupt surroundings, his purity and virtues were absolute. Throughout the novel, Dickens use Olivers character to challenge the Victorian idea that paupers and criminals are already evil at birth, arguing instead that a corrupt environment is the source of vice. At the same time, Olivers incorruptibility undermines some of Dickenss assertions. Oliver is shocked and horrified when he sees the Artful Dodger and Charley Bates pick a strangers pocket and again when he is forced to participate in a burglary. Olivers moral scruples about the sanctity of property seem inborn in him, just as Dickenss opponents thought that corruption is inborn in poor people. Furthermore, other people children use rough Cockney slang, but Oliver, oddly enough, speaks in proper Kings English. His grammatical fastidiousness is also inexplicable, as Oliver presumably is not well-educated. Even when he is abused and manipulated, Oliver does not present a complex picture of a person torn between good and evil-instead, he is goodness incarnate.2. Nancy She works for Fagin and tries to help Oliver which eventually leads to her death. She is passionate, caring, and loves Sikes, who eventually kills her. Nancy, for us, must be the weakest character. A major concern of Oliver Twist is the question of whether a bad environment can irrevocably poison someones character and soul. As the novel progresses, the character who best illustrates the contradictory issues brought up by that question is Nancy. As a child of the streets, Nancy has been a thief and drinks to excess. She is immersed in the vices condemned by her society, but she also commits perhaps the noblest act in the novel when she sacrifices her own life in order to protect Oliver. Without her, Oliver may have never had the chance to grow up in a loving home and leave to be proper in his actions and pure in the soul. Nancys moral complexity is unique among the major characters in Oliver Twist. 3. Mr. Brownlow As most of the authors characters, Mr. Brownlow too, is brought out with an indirect presentation but it is not long after introducing him that his wholesome goodness is revealed to us. Though at first he accuses Oliver of the thief, his concern over Olivers welfare on the street is a direct hint of his innocence which successfully helps him convince Oliver to board at his house. A generous and trusting man he was, perhaps too good a man to be true; but with all the malicious characters in the story, a heroic and pure persona was needed to ensure a happy ending, with honesty and great wealth as his prime qualities, he assists Oliver in his times of need and demonstrates to society with an exemplary touch, the attributes of a perfect citizen. As the positive extreme in both social status and benevolence, Mr.Brownlow is a definite aid in the development of the theme throughout the novel.4. Fagin, The main antagonist in the story, “The Jew” takes Oliver under his wing and tries to make a pickpocket out of him. He is a powerful crime leader who has an affection for only money and will kill anyone who stands in his way. 4. Fagin He is ugly, simpering, miserly, and avaricious. Constant connected to his ethnic identity. However, Fagin is more than a statement of ethnic prejudice. He is richly drawn, resonant embodiment of terrifying villainy. At times, he seems like a childs distorted vision of pure evil. Fagin is described as a “loathsome reptile” and as “the old one,” a popular nickname for the devil. Twice, in chapter 9 and again in chapter 34, Oliver wakes up to find Fagin nearby Oliver encounters him in the hazy zone between sleep and waking, at the precise time when dreams and nightmares are born from the mere silent and adult readers alike perhaps most frightening of all, though, is chapter52, in which we enter Fagins head for his last night alive. The gallows, and the fear they inspire in Fagin, are a specter even more horrifying to contemplate than Fagin himself.5. Mr. Sowerberry He is a coffin maker that Oliver was apprenticed to. He generally treated the boy well, but chose his wifes lies over Olivers truths. 6. Jack Dawkins“Artful Dodger” is a young accomplished thief who finds Oliver on the road to London and introduces him to Fagin.7. Mr. SikesHe is another evil character who is a member of Fagins gang. He has a little white dog that follows him everywhere. He threatens Oliver and reluctantly leaves him to die in a field after the boy was shot. He kills Nancy in a rage, and eventually kills himself.CommentaryOliver Twist reflected the actuality of life. Charles Dickens showed the criminals authentic appearance and