"Feeble Idyllicism"

I was pretty upset at the ending, just because it really doesnt seem to fit with the rest of the novel. The bad characters seem to get outlandish karma, and the good characters live in a perfect town isolated from evil. I am happy that this happened,  something just seems wrong about it. I decided to research to see if others felt the same way, and many feel that the ending has "feeble idyllicism". I fe that this is a great way to word it. The last few lines again offer a hope that the system can change. Despite my anger at the amazing ending, I find I am happy for the characters. I grew pretty attached to them after reading this book!

Movie Trailor

Since everyone is done reading the book, I thought you guys might be interested in seeing the film. I looked up a few trailors, and I added the shortest link to on here. It is only almost two minutes. I just think its awesome that they put this book into a movie! Watch if you want to!

Oliver Twist trailer - YouTube

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&ei=Qj2NU5OdEtGvyATYn4KYDg&url=http://m.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3Dwlt4DOYtL6g&cd=2&ved=0CCgQtwIwAQ&usg=AFQjCNHHeJipVWIPvtzcH6v_hTJPPkou7A&sig2=wbb8UAErxO6BoP7zCt_7rA

Sike's Dog

Bill Sike's has a very mean white dog. The dog is used in several places in the novel, such as when Oliver is taken from Mr. Brownlow's home, to cause fear. I believe that the dog is a mirror of Sike's character. The dog is angry, mean, and very frightening. Sike's must be aware of this, because he tries to drown the dog. He is probably trying to get away from his own terrible self, and his actions by doing this. This idea is reinforced when Sike's dies, and the dog does not make it much longer.

Fagins character

I noticed something pretty disturbing while reading, which is that Dickens often describes Fagin as the devil. He never outright says it, but he does use common symbols of the devil. These include the red hair and beard, and the three pronged roasting fork. These all are symbols of Lucifer. He also refuses to pray before he is hung. We know Fagin is a cruel, evil character, but did Dickens go a step further and intentionally characterize him as the devil? I think the answer is yes. Anyone else have an opinion?

Light and Dark

Oliver Twist has many instances where the archetypes of day and night hold their stereotypical meaning. Have you guys noticed how often Oliver is trapped in a dark space? In the beginning, he is locked in the jail cell and wants to hang himself. The same thing happens after he is in Mr. Spwerberrys cellar. No matter how bad it is for him then, the sun always rises. In the light of the new day, Oliver has a bit more hope. Dicken does a great job with the use of day and night, and light and dark throughout the novel.

Differences

I had seen Oliver!, the musical adaption of Oliver Twist, before reading the novel. Upon finishing the book, I thought I would watch it again to compare the two. The biggest difference, obviously, would be the music. The music does not take away from the themes of the book, but it seems less relatable. Oliver Twist, the novel, seems much more real than the musical. Though I did not think the music necessarily adds to the story, I think "Where is love?" is a very powerful song. It reaffirms Oliver's loneliness and, with the the actor(s) emotions, adds to that.

In some versions of the musical, the very first scene, Oliver's birth, is skipped. It seems odd that such an important scene is skipped. With the skipping of the first scene and the added music, the musical is not as strong in its message. Some smaller differences include; making Bette Nancy's sister, removing character motives, and Bill Sikes' dog has a better fate. All in all, not much was changed, but it made the adaption less strong.

Character Analysis: Noah Claypole

Noah Claypole is a very typical character in Oliver Twist, considering that he has an awful character. Noah is also a source of comic relief in the novel, but his humor comes from how he can boss around Charlotte. Noah is a scrawny boy, and Charlotte is described as rather brawny and strong. However, Charlotte lets Noah boss her around. He is very excited that Oliver arrives, because he is someone lower than him in stature. This clearly shows his insecurities about his stature. After Oliver begins to be the favorite of Mr. Sowerberry, Noah becomes very jealous. This also shows his extreme insecurities. Noah cannot stand becoming lower on the totem pole. Noah's terrible actions do not surprise me, and he is just another gruesome, terrible character in Dickens imagination.