"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.

Character Analysis: Charly Bates

Charley Bates has an extremely crucial role in the novel: comic relief, just as The Artful Dodger does. Dodgers comedy comes from the fact that he knows more than he should at his young age, but Charley is more of the dumb sidekick, I think of him as the Crab and Goyle to Draco Malfoy. (Harry Potter connection). However, Charley undergoes a major change after Nancy is brutally murdered. He decides that crime isn't so fun anymore, and he is the only character who does this. It is also good because Dickens explains that Charley goes on to live a happy life at a farm. This major change in his character is a big deal, considering few characters change in Oliver Twist.

Character Analysis: Mr Brownlow

Mr. Brownlow is the first mentor to Oliver Twist. He is the first person who has shown kindness to Oliver, after his terrible life thus far.  I am quite shocked that Mr. Brownlow is not a mean person, because of his troubled life before meeting Oliver. He had a bride to be who died before their wedding, and his best friend also passed before his time. However, the old man loves reading books and still has faith in people. This is apparent in his trust in Oliver, without knowing much about him. Mr. Brownlow is quite an honest man, and his stands up for the good in people. I feel that because of this, Oliver is able to keep some of his goodness. He would not be able to do this without being shown the kindness from another human being.

Charles Dickens promoting Anti-Semitism?

It appears to me that Charles Dickens has portrayed Jewish people quite poorly in the novel of Oliver Twist especially on how he characterizes the main antagonist, Fagin. Fagin is an evil thief who so happens to be a Jew. There are plenty of ethnic stereotypes displayed in the novel especially concerning his appearance with a large ugly nose and also how Jews were usually considered evil in society especially back then. They were highly looked down upon which also characterizes Fagin who is living as a common city thief. There also appears to be constant references to him as "The Jew" indicating that it is his ethnic identity that connects to his negative personality. The portrayal of Fagin as the very manifestation of evil and the devil provides much dark attitude towards Jews especially since the novel states how Fagin is said to appear in the nightmares of children. These supporting evidence in the novel helps show that perhaps Charles Dickens felt a very strong Anti-Semitism view towards the Jewish population.

Subservient or Free?

It seems to be that the main concern in Oliver Twist is how people are unable to handle their social class, government's system of justice and religion, or the "maze" of London. It seems to be that all of these problems are caused by the fundamental expectations and actions put forth by society and the general public. Because of this certain people give in to these overpowering obstacles and give up their free will. This causes them to live a subservient life while abandoning their true self and accept their fate. Sometimes these external influences could even cause them to lead a life of crime which is an emphasized possibility in Oliver Twist. This idea and question Charles Dickens has proposed thinks about idea if everyone is trapped in a system in which they can't make their own choices. This is definitely a reoccurring subject and idea in Oliver Twist that each character has to face.

Who needs a wedding ring?

A wedding ring is a tangible symbol for the union between two lover and their devotion towards one another. However, in Oliver Twist, the union of the lovers Agnes Fleming and Edward Leeford is still incomplete but it does have representational symbol manifested in a locket with two locks of hair instead. Although this isn't what the world represents as a kind of union, but it wasn't completed. The ring only had the Agnes Fleming's first name. This incomplete ring symbolizes an incomplete union between the two parent's relationship. The two locks of hair provide physical essence that a part of each couple will always be together no matter what happens to them. Even though these objects provide an incomplete relationship, it was these physical embodiment of an incomplete relationship that gave Oliver the answer to his parentage and family.

Maze City Imprisonment

There have been examples in the novel Oliver Twist that a labyrinth is a motif of the novel. The novel describes Fagin going into a maze dirty densely populated streets and also when Nancy and Sikes drag Oliver into a labyrinth of dark courts. This was actually due to the fact that the structure of London made it difficult to navigate around, in comparison to that of a maze. In Greek Mythology, a maze was used as prison to confine prisoners. In that sense, the city of London itself serves similar to a prison or confinement area to those of its inhabitants. This would explain the judicial system that confines people to certain laws and social class structures while the parish confines the poor people to do hard labor in the workhouses. The roundabout system of the city as a maze can also resemble the path of criminals. Once a person enters a maze, its near impossible to ever get out. This can be held similar to how if a person enters the life of a criminal, it might be impossible to ever get out of that life as emphasized through Nancy. Nonetheless, Charles Darwin used the architectural structure of his setting to put deeper thinking and analysis into his Oliver Twist novel.

Theme: Identity

It appears to me that many of the characters in Oliver Twist do not have a full name. This loss of name takes away their full identity and true individuality. One of the major theme aspects displayed in Oliver Twist is the absence and lost of identity. A name is what defines a person by what everyone around them describes about them. It is society's way of identifying your role and spot in life. Oliver Twist's own name was arbitrarily given to him by Mr. Bumble off an alphabetical list. This thus effects Oliver by the way he sees himself and the way society and the government in the world views him. There has always been misconceptions and misinterpretations on who Oliver Twist really is and what his character is like. People often wonder if he is an innocent boy or pickpocket criminal. One important way to express Oliver's identity was his face. Whenever Oliver is misunderstood, his face served as marker for showing Oliver's innocence to anyone who can see it such as Mr. Brownlow, Rose, Mrs. Maylie, etc. It is also Oliver's face that bear striking resemblance to his parents allows people to identify his parentage and family tree.

Significance of Water

I've noticed that there appears to be a lot of significant events happening near the water in Oliver Twist. There was the final chase of Sikes in a neighborhood surrounded by the Thames River. At the time of the scene, the Thames river just so happened to have its tide out making the Jacobs island to be surrounded by mud. The mud acts as a sticky medium from the water and the land. This represents the significance of Sikes and how his life is already at the medium or middle point. He has been hunted down for a long time of his life that it seems that hes already become halfway dead. Nancy also meets Rose at the London Bridge which holds a lot of significance because Rose offers Nancy a place to stay and live away from her life of crime. Her offering symbolizes as a bridge for Nancy to crossover to reach to a life similar to Rose and away from her past life of crime. At the beginning Agnes also threw her locket and ring in the river. The river acts kind-of like a halfway point between two areas of land. Agnes herself was at a halfway point in her life being pregnant but not married meant that she was kind-of married but technically also not married. Her ring also only had her first name giving only half of her entire identity.

Symbolism: Man's best friend - Bill Sike's Dog

Bill Sikes's dog Bulls-Eye is actually a crucial character in better understanding the personality of Bill Sikes believe or not. Bulls-Eye symbolizes Bill Sikes's shadow. They both share similar personalities including anger problems and violent temper. Bulls-Eye is always with Sikes no matter where he goes. They act as if they are one in the same. Bulls-Eye can even be read as kind of embodiment or manifestation of Sikes soul. Once Sikes killed Nancy, he felt guilty and remorseful for what he did that he almost went out of his mind. This is when Bulls-Eye leaves him. Perhaps it can be argued that Bulls-Eye symbolizes Sikes's violent personality and impulses and thus because Bulls-Eye left, Sikes is more calmer and remorseful for the actions he did in the past. Sikes even tries to kill his dog because he sees it as reflection of his bad self. But in the end the dog ends up killing himself when Sikes hangs himself. This shows that the dog cannot live without Sikes because the dog is a part of who he is.

Point of View

I have noticed after reading the novel Oliver Twist that the speaker or narrator appears to have a certain pattern in its speaking. The narrator is an omniscient third person observer who foretells the events that are happening in the story and what the thoughts of the characters are. However, unlike most third person speakers, this speaker is not objective. Its appears to be sympathetic towards the protagonists especially Oliver Twist more so than other characters. The narrator's tone becomes ironic or sarcastic when it deals with characters who are hypocritical or who have objectionable morals. The speaker speaks within past tense throughout the whole novel. This point of view is very important for the reader to develop an understanding of the theme of the novel and develop a certain mood through the tone of the speaker.

Character Analysis - Rose

Rose is a very kind sweet-hearted girl who is very mature and understands society very well. She is also very kind to Oliver, refusing to believe that he is a criminal based on the young boy's skinny body composition. She is very caring and sensitive towards Harry's feelings and confessions of love to her, but she is wise and understands that marriage based on love is problematic. She knows about her own limitations, knowing that she is a "nobody" to society especially one who would marry a future member of Parliament. If she were to marry Harry, this would cause suspicion and accusations that she slept with Harry before marriage and was then able to use that to get her hand in marriage. People would then conclude that Rose only married Harry for his power in Parliament. This clearly displays Rose's awareness of the society's standings and expectations in political leaders.So despite loving Harry very much, she knows she must do what is best for Harry and herself, thus showing her mature and understanding personality.

Archetype

I noticed a couple of archetypes throughout the novel, one of those being the contrast between light and dark. Traditionally, light and daytime mean good things, and darkness and night mean danger and bad things, and I think this holds true in many parts of the book. Oliver is born at night, gets arrested at night, and is always seeming to get into trouble at night. However, he is overall a "light" and innocent character, and is even ironically called "White" by the officer who arrests him.

The Love in Oliver Twist

Charles Dickens has decided like many authors to add romance into his novels. The major romance in Oliver Twist is between Rose and Harry Maylie. In this conflict, Harry must decide whether to choose between marrying Rose or pursuing his ambitions as part of Parliament. Dickens thus shows the importance of following your heart over your personal goals. I believe that people should do things that they truly believe is right for them. If Harry feels that being with Rose is more important than being in Parliament, then he should do what he thinks is best for his life. However, he should also be prepared if what he wanted is not what he expects. Many times people choose to fall in love too early or for the controversial reasons. Charles Dickens also probably wrote this romance to indicate criticism towards the Parliament and the public. Showing how public opinion and the standards to be in Parliament causes people to give up people and things that are very dear to them. With this, Charles Dickens provides a counterexample of a person who decided that it was better to be less successful but with someone he loved than to be very successful and alone.

The two kinds of Thievery

Charles Dickens indirectly makes fun of culture and society on how they view and react on the two kinds of thievery. There is the kind of thievery in which it is blatantly obvious that they are criminals and they are trying to steal. This is shown in Oliver Twist with Sikes, Crackit, and Oliver trying to rob a house. This is obvious that they are trying to steal something so people become alert and react by arresting and accusing the thief. However, there is a second kind of thievery in which it is not completely obvious that someone is stealing something. In Oliver Twist, this example is shown with Mrs. Corney who is a matron who gives herself more luxury than the other residents in her building. She gives herself a huge room with a heated fire for the winter. But the other people are forced to live in tiny crammed cold rooms. Therefore Corney is being a thief on taking away peoples lifestyles. However, this is not as blatantly obvious so there isn't much uprise against it. It is merely taking things from a group of people who have nothing, thus the authorities don't bother getting involved. This shows Charles Dickens the mockery of society and the governments lack of judgement and hypocrisy against the crimes in London.

Allusions - Cities

Charles Dickens has commented on many places in London in the novel Oliver Twist. Many of them to be made up but some of them are indeed true places. Apparently Charles Dickens has referenced to about 93 unique locations in London. Some of the places are simply streets while others are actually well-known monuments in London. One example is the reference to Clerkenwell by Mr. Bundle which was a village home to famous parish houses and sessions. Another significant reference was the one of Pentonville which was the city district home to Mr. Brownlow. At the time Oliver Twist was made, this district was of the highest class and in fact the first planned suburb in London. Today, this is now an underprivileged inner-city district with very high unemployment rates. The reference of  Saffron Hill which is the place where Fagin lives, is indeed an area in London. In fact, Saffron Hill was and still is a commercial district in London. However, back in the time of Oliver Twist, this area was home to the black market. But now it is a thriving commercial area with very little crime. These actual cities during Charles Dickens's time must have been used in order to provide a better understanding for readers of the social classes and roles of characters such as Mr. Bundle, Fagin, and Mr. Brownlow in the novel.

Character Analysis - Nancy

The portrayal of Nancy in the novel Oliver Twist is actually quite positive despite being in cohorts with the main antagonist Fagin. Nancy unlike the other members of the pickpocket gang, actually feels remorseful and repentant for the actions shes done. This shows that her conscience has been at dispute with herself. She knows what shes doing is wrong, but its the only way for her to survive. However, she can relate herself with Oliver because she too joined Fagin's group when she was young. She thus tries to help him so that he won't deviate to wrong criminal path that she has taken. Even though she pretends to be Oliver's sister in public, she is actually indeed a sisterly figure to Oliver having always watching him and making sure Fagin doesn't hurt him too much. She was the only one in the gang who defended Oliver when everyone was beating him and locking him up. On the night of the planned robbery at the house, Nancy hopes that Oliver is dead because then she wouldn't have to live with the tortures of working of Fagin. I personally believe Nancy is a very good ethical person who has made bad choices and associated herself to the wrong group of people.

Charles Dicken's religious views

It appears from Charles Dickens biography that he was a professing Christian and very devout to the lay Anglican Church in England. He even spread his beliefs through a book called The Life of Our Lord talking about Jesus Christ. This was primarily written to teach the Christian morals to his children and family. His views on Christianity and evil and good of people can be seen through the characters in his novel. In Oliver Twist, he showed how the purity of Oliver Twist and how if he believed in the right morals and never became a criminal who commits sin, everything will work out in the end. Charles Dickens also expressed his distaste for the Roman Catholicism because of hypocrisy in religious institutions which he stated to be deviations from the true spirit of Christianity. These views are quite similar to the Protestant reformist Martin Luther. Charles Dickens expresses these views through the portrayal of the character Mr. Bundle who was part of a Catholic institution. He portrays him as a very evil and sinister person in order to show readers to fallible personalities of Roman Catholic supporters. An example is when Mr. Bumble flirts and kisses with Mrs. Corney which is a sign of the sin, lust. Mr. Bumble then acts as a hypocrite when he tells Noah and Charlotte that it is immoral to kiss.

Reason for Crime Quote

"In short, the wily old Jew had the boy in his toils; and, having prepared his mind by solitude and gloom to prefer any society to the companionship of his own sad thoughts in such a dreary place, was now slowly instilling into his soul the poison which he hoped would blacken it and change its hue for ever." Chapter eighteen. I feel that this is a very important quote in this novel. It explains a main reason why people may want to steal. This quote says that people may feel like they need to steal because of loneliness. This is very sad to me, considering some of these people may not be so awful, had they had a friend or family member to help them stay less lonely.

Theme: Crime

A major theme of the novel is crime. There are many people in the novel who steal,  including Fagin and his gang, but not limited to them. People such as Mrs. Mann and other parish officials steal from children and other poor people all the time. I believe Charles Dickens decided to make crime such a huge element because he wanted to show the poor that the life of a thief is not a glamorous one. He also may have chose this because he wanted to show that those that are theives did not choose this, they were forced into it. The external pressures in the novel are much more influential than a characters personality.

Guns

In chapter 22, the pickpocket group plans to rob the house while forcing Oliver to assist in the robbery. However, as Oliver tries to leave the plan, Sikes threatens him with a gun to kill him. Personally, I don't like the idea of the government not restricting guns to people. I feel guns will only bring more harm than safety or comfort for anyone. There have been lots of situations when guns have been used mistakenly, cruelly, or inappropriately such as the Sandy Hook shooting. In the story as Oliver was sneaking through the window, the house owner shoots at Oliver without knowing who or what they were doing even though Oliver was innocent and was actually going to warn the family beforehand. These kinds of situations is why there should be more restriction on gun control. I guess that at this period, people were still free to purchase and use guns. This may be why there was so much crime at London. If the authorities had taken the initiative on weaponry restriction, the pickpocket gang may not have been created or at least not as efficient.

Change

After reading about the terrible conditions that are described in Oliver Twist, and very sadly true, I think it is important to find out when conditions improved. It took about thirty years after Oliver Twist was published. In 1866, journalists investigated the workhouses, and found the terrible conditions,  then wrote pieces on it. The public was already shocked because of the book, and this fueled the outrage. Change began very slow, but  things were much better. Overcrowding was better handled, the insane in different facilities, and the sick in hospitals. Still, things were not perfect yet.

Workhouse

I was doing some research to see about the setting in Oliver Twist. I found that the setting is very questionable until lately. Now many people believe that this is the building. It had been protected by british authorites now. This is allegedly the workhouse which is the inspiration of the novel.

Authorites

The authorities in Oliver Twist seem to not care about the situation with the poor. I decided to look into the situation,  to see if the government had actually been so cruel to the poor. I found that this is exactly what they did. Apparently the rich thought that the poor had brought this on themselves. Many have the outlook that the poor need to be punished, rather than pitied. An example of such character would be Mr. Bumble. He believes that the children deserve to be punished, so he often hits them with a cane. I believe that this is true, considering I have found that the workhouses described actually existed, and the authorites must have known about the conditions there. The common outlook that the poor are inferior, and the terrible economy led to the authorites knowing about the mistreatment and ignoring it.

Charles Dickens Past

It appears that Oliver Twist may have been inspired by some of Charles Dickens own past. Apparently Charles Dickens used to work in a workhouse alongside many children, when he was eleven. He made a decent amount of money, but watching the children suffer and being in that enviroment most likely is a reason for him to have come up with the plot of Oliver Twist. Dickens must have seen some terrible things while working there. It helps me to understand why he is so cruel to Oliver, because this is what he would expect. He would not expect a happy story for a boy in Olivers position. I also have heard that Charles Dickens considered his job there so degrading that he did not talk about it to anyone, not even his wife.

Human Contact

Fagin falsely believes that locking Oliver up in a house will teach him a lesson and cause him to be desperate for any human contact. This method may have worked a normal child in which they have been raised with lots of tender care and love, and to have time out to think about what they have done wrong may cause them to repent for their actions. But Oliver was not raised to be a normal child. He was not given any love or support for almost his entire life. The only time he has ever been given any human contact was when someone was beating him. These memories of human violence has made Oliver distrustful of most adults, thus not necessarily making him desperate for human contact but avoiding it at any means possible. Anyways, I believe that violence is not the best method in teaching people, but I do think giving them a time out is indeed an effective method for having them rethink of what they did wrong. However, I don't think that at the severity of Fagin's in which he locked Oliver up for four days in order to make him more loyal.

Character Analysis - Mr. Brownlow and Judgments of others

I am quite impressed with Mr. Brownlow's character. He is definitely my favorite character in the book. He knows how to deal with people and see only the good qualities about him. When he sees Oliver, he ignores Grimwig and Mr. Bumble's judgment on him. He instead judges Oliver based on what he thinks of him and what he knows about his personality. He is definitely the purest, kindest person in the book and I feel Oliver is very lucky to have met him. Perhaps this character resembles a role model Charles Dickens met when he was a young boy as well. Mr. Brownlow's nature can help teach readers that we shouldn't judge people based on how they look or what people say about them. We should only judge others based on how we individually think of them and how we treat each other. False judgments can lead to false accusations, conflicts, and wrong choices. Why should we judge others based on what others say about them, fore we are not them and they are not us. "Do not judge a man until you've walked a mile in their moccasins" - Edward K Morgan.

Behind the name

After reading the book, it becomes clear to me of the strange naming used by the author for most of the characters, especially the significance of the main character Oliver Twist since it is also the title of the novel. In the book, Oliver was alphabetically selected his name during birth by Mrs. Mann. Oliver used to be a common name during the medieval ages in England. However, after the terror and violence displayed by Oliver Cromwell, Oliver was hardly ever named again. Perhaps Charles Dickens used the name Oliver to show how lots of people in society tend to act cruelly and unjust to Oliver in remembrance of the horrors of Oliver Cromwell. His last name "Twist" symbolizes how Oliver had to be sent to many different homes and caretakers in his childhood, never finding the true place to call a home. Thus, Oliver has always been "twisting" from one place to another. The other characters in the book have also had names that symbolize their personalities. Mr. Sowerberry's name sounds like "sour berry" which can describe Sowerberry's home and how its like to Oliver. At first it seems like the life as undertaker's apprentice seems joyful like a berry, but in actuality its quite sour and Oliver ends up getting beat up and locked in because of it. Mrs. Mann is a very cruel and violent person who acts very unladylike. She seems to have qualities that match more for a man. Thus the name Mrs. Mann sounds like "Mrs. Man".

Foreshadowing

This novel does a great job at foreshadowing and providing clues about whats about to happen in the book. While reading the  book I started wondering about some of these clues, and then after reading the ending it was confirmed. While I was reading the part when Oliver first arrives at Mr. Brownlow's house, there seems to be quite the amount of emphasis over the comparison between Oliver and a portrait of a lady in the house. This then came to my attention that this woman is probably related to Oliver because we have yet to find out the whole truth of Oliver's family and why he was left alone when he was born. At first, I thought that this would a picture of his mother, but if that was true then she should have been somewhat wealthy. Then I thought of the possibility that this might be a woman from Oliver's dad side of the story since we yet to have any insight about him. If this is true, that the woman is somehow related to Oliver, then it would make sense that Oliver is supposed to be from a wealthy family. I then predicted that Oliver would either find his family and live with a very wealthy inheritance or live with Mr. Brownlow, because it also seems that Mr. Brownlow is the first and only adult from the book who has shown to have a shred of sympathy and kindness towards Oliver despite hardly knowing him. I thought that Mr. Brownlow could be Oliver's father but apparently I was believed to be incorrect. However, my predictions were still somewhat correct because in the end they did reveal Oliver's true family to be from a wealthy establishment and Mr. Brownlow did end up taking care of Oliver and becoming his father figure.

Ending

I just finished the book, and I was pleased with what happens to the characters for the most part, but I also wasn't that much of a fan.  Firstly, I was very happy for Oliver that he ends up with Mr. Brownlow, and that Fagin is hanged, but the ending seemed sloppy to me. The entire novel is very realistic, and Dickens highlights many of the flaws of London at the time, yet in the end, everything turns out perfectly, which just didn't seem right to me.  Also, I was confused by the last couple lines that talk about Agnes, even though she's dead, and I don't think that people in this time period were very spiritual or thought about the ways that the "spirit" interacted with the world after death, so I was surprised that Agnes comes back and Dickens even says that she may have a place of forgiveness in the Church.

Theme: Social Classes

     I think that one of the main themes in the novel was social class and its unfairness.  This is shown throughout the novel and through many characters who try to control those less fortunate than them.  I think that Dickens was trying to reveal many of the flaws in the Victorian Social System, especially things like the parish home, and workhouse. Another way this theme is very evident is through Mr. Bumble, and I think that Dickens further proves that social class is nearly worthless through this character; at the beginning he is wealthy and powerful as a beadle, then ends up marrying Mrs. Corney for money, is downgraded to the workhouse master, and in the end ends up working there.  This is a huge transformation that I think Dickens intended to show that social class doesn't define a person and anything can change.

Charles Dickens making up historical events?

It appears that Charles Dickens has noted that there was a measles epidemic in England at the time the story took place which was around 1837.  However, after some research I found that there was actually no measles epidemic at this time. But there was indeed a cholera epidemic near this time period which is an infection in the small intestine which causes really large amounts of watery diarrhea. Could it be perhaps Charles Dickens made up the measles epidemic in order for it to better fit the story, or did Dickens mistakenly believed that there was a measles epidemic instead of a cholera one? One of the major reasons for Dickens's writings was to criticize or notice upon the society in his time period. However, does he have to make up cause and effect events in order to better criticize his time period's society and government? This takes away the credibility of criticism against social problems and if these problems indeed existed. What else has Charles Dickens perhaps lied to us about.

Fagin is no different

Fagin is actually no different from the other adults in the story. Even though Fagin isn't a wealthy snob like the other adults shown in the story, he is just as abusive towards children for his personal gain as the rest are. It may seem like Fagin is more supportive to the children than the other adults, acting somewhat like a parent. However, this is all so that the children will do the dirty work for him, and if they fail he will discipline them with violence. He actually probably doesn't care if the children get caught or not, as long as he doesn't get the blame for it. The pickpocket boys are also no different than Noah Claypole. They are underlings of Fagin just as Noah is subservient to Mr. Sowerberry. In the end, the Artful Dodger and Charley Bates both cause Oliver to take the blame just like Noah did. So once again Oliver's life takes a turn for the worse thanks to the affects of trusting adult strangers such as Fagin. In the end, we can see that there are deceitful and cruel adult supervisors who use children for their own personal benefits in both the wealthy and poor classes of society. This thus shows that no matter what their background is, you shouldn't trust people you don't know.

I hate Noah Claypole

I HATE NOAH CLAYPOLE! Noah has just provoked Oliver by making fun of his deceased mother because Oliver was improving well in his work with Mr. Sowerberry. The moment when Oliver's life starts getting better, Noah has to do something to make it worse. Why make fun of a person you hardly know about and his dead mother just out of jealousy. Frankly, I would've hit Noah as well, but in the end it just made things worse. Charlotte, Noah, and Mrs. Sowerberry went and triple teamed against Oliver without even knowing the background of the problem. This really enrages me that a person like Noah can't even handle his own problems and has to get bigger people to help him take out a nine year old starving boy. Nobody even hears Oliver's side of the story as they lock him in the cellar and refuse to give him more food believing that the meat is whats giving him the energy to act violent. But i guess this is just another lesson that you shouldn't take revenge on people because it wouldn't solve the problem but just start a cycle of hatred for other people. And now Oliver has left a home in which he could have had a successful life. By the way, it is quite ironic that Charles Dickens would use the names Oliver Twist and Noah Claypole as characters because in past history in England there was a rule named Oliver Cromwell who had an officer named Claypole helped Oliver in his reign of terror. However, unlike Oliver Twist and Noah Claypole, Oliver Cromwell and Claypole had a good relationship and even had Claypole marry Cromwell's daughter.

18th century relation with Oliver Twist

It appears that despite being sent away from the workhouse, Oliver's life has yet to turn for the better. He is instead sent to Mr. Sowerberry's house. Even there he is treated worse than the pet dog with very minimal servings of food. Apparently, this is quite normal around this time during the early 1800's because there was a huge sudden emergence of people especially towards major towns and cities. This was for reason due to the growth of the Industrial Revolution in which many factories and industries began to grow in populated areas. However with this growth of companies comes the beginnings of poor labor conditions. In this time came the distinguishing of classes of class struggles. The poor were often faced with hard labor and working conditions with minimal pay and food, usually consisting of merely bread. This appears to be the case for Oliver Twist. The wealthy are usually concerned with running businesses and trades with the help from hired servants and apprentices such as the Sowerberry family. The book also talks about the differences between funerals of a wealthy person and a poor person. It makes sense that a poor person who has nothing but his family would be very emotional when one of them dies. Whereas a wealthy individual has been provided with luxury goods, education, and wealth so when losing a family member they would usually feel more calm, especially when it involves receiving inheritance. In the end, I think I would rather be a grateful poor person than a spoiled rich brat.

The generic bad adult - Mr. Bumble

Mr. Bumble reminds me of the generic evil adult who makes children suffer in order to gain something for his own selfish benefit. This kind of character appears actually quite often in stories, especially those directed towards children such as the evil stepmother in Cinderella, the evil aunts in James and the Giant Peach, and White Witch from Narnia. These books gave children readers the idea of evil adults who try to make children's lives miserable. Many children then begin to compare adults in their own lives to those evil ones in these stories. Even myself once thought my 3rd grade teacher was somehow an evil witch in disguise out to make my life unbearable. However, looking back I can see that I was completely wrong. Many children think many adults as the antagonists of their lives but most of the the times we are just too ignorant and ungrateful to understand that most adults are here to help us and we should appreciate their presence. But there is a possibility that there is indeed an adult out there who is just like Mr. Bumble, perhaps Mr.Bumble was a character who resembled someone in Charles Dickens own life. Maybe there was indeed a greedy over-powered adult who didn't give a care about children and that Mr. Bumble was a way to show readers of these people's existence. Nonetheless, Mr.Bumble is definitely a sinister character who thinks only of himself. Also, a question I had while reading is how does the government and authorities not realize the sudden deaths and malnutrition of the children in the workplace? Do they just don't know about it or do they don't care?

Oliver's Birth

The birth of Oliver Twist is definitely a peculiar one, being born with no one near him besides him mom, a parish surgeon, and a drunken nurse. It reveals that Oliver was born a bastard because of the absence of the ring on her finger, but then that makes me question "What happened to the father?" Also, why would there be a drunken nurse and parish surgeon attending the birth of Oliver? A drunken nurse and a parish surgeon (similar to a christian doctor) don't really seem like a good match especially when handling something as important as the birth of a premature baby. There is also question as to why Oliver's mother was found lying on the street the night before. Despite all of these problems, it is still amazing how Oliver Twist was still able to be born. Even though he was a premature baby in the womb of a woman left on the street with no support from the father and was given medical treatment from an amateur doctor and drunken nurse, he was still able to be born as a normal boy. This could perhaps be even a miracle just like Reuben's birth in Peace like a River. However unlike Reuben, Oliver was born alone with nothing...so sad :,(.

Cruikshank illustrations

Apparently, many editions of the book have illustrations of it. They are done by a man with the last name of Cruikshank. I think that they are very interesting. I also think that they may have helped me understand the last twenty chapters a little more. After all, who doesn't love a picture book? I attached some pictures of the illustrations on here, but there is many more! Check them out, just by googling "illustrations cruikshank".

Errors in the Novel?

I noticed a few errors in Mr. Bumble's speech, and I was wondering if you all think it is purposeful on Charles Dickens part. It is in the scene where Mr. Bumble is complaining to Mrs. Mann in chapter seventeen. He says "A porochial (he means "parochial,") life ....... is a life of worry, and vexation, and hardihood; but all public characters, as I may say, must suffer prosecution" (he meant persecution). I only noticed the first one because I did not know the definition of 'porochial', so I looked it up. I found the definition of "parochial", which is to mean working for the parish. I just thought this is interesting, and wonder if Charles Dickens is showing that even the higher class are slightly uneducated?

Important Quote

"... Overpowered by the conviction of the bystanders that he was really the hardened little wretch he was described to be, what could one poor child do?" (Chapter 15)
This quote stuck out to me a great deal. It is incredibly interesting to me that a boy can go from innocent to a criminal, simply because this is how they are treated. It makes me consider if a basically good person can become a bad one because of others opinions of them. What does everyone else think of this?

Thankful for Nice People

If this book has taught me anything, it is that people can be truly cruel and selfish. This applies not only to then, but to now as well. However, the contrast of the terrible people such as Noah and Mrs. Mann, and the kind people, like Mr. Brownlow, makes the good look all the better. Mr. Brownlow and his housekeeper, Mrs. Bedkin, are amazing to Oliver. They nurse him back to health, and it is so sweet that he tears up when Oliver is doing well, and pretends it is because it is cold. I thought I would share what I was picturing Mr. Brownow looking like the whole time.. not really sure why George Clooney came to mind!

Handkerchief

As I read chapter eleven, I feel I have to point out the handkerchief's so far! There has been so many references to these as a symbol of wealth, beginning in the start of the novel when Oliver would have hung himself in the stall, had he had a handkerchief to do so. It also states that of course he does not have one, as they are very expensive. In chapter ten and eleven, Dodger and the other boys steal these, as they are easy to steal and make lots of money. The old man who had his stolen from him realizes it is gone quite quickly. I feel as if these handkerchiefs are akin to something like our phones now. Attached to us, and normally very valuable. Just thought I should point out how much Dickens is emphasizing these!

Olivers Innocence

Im chapter nine,  I think a few things are very well done by Charles Dickens. First, I think the name Charley calls Oliver is cool. He calls him "green", which in the context I believe is referring to his innocence.  Also, it is really cute when Oliver thinks they are playing a game by stealing Fagin's wallet. Its clear Oliver has managed to not lose his innocence while growing up in such terrible times,  which I feel is very admirable.

Important Paragraph

       After reading chapter eight, I went through to find a paragraph which is important. Heres one, paragraph 9. 
       The sun was rising in all his splendid beauty, but the light only seemed to show the boy his own lonesomeness and desolation as he sat with bleeding feet and covered with dust upon a cold door-step.
        This passage leads the reader to contemplate a life which is so lonely, each day serves to illuminate the hopelessness of your situation. This is also still applicable to many hpmeless children in that time period, not only Oliver. I would also like to point out that this passage would be much less effective if it did not have the imagery. Charles Dickens is an amazing author! 

Dickens does a great job with descriptions throughout the novel, but I feel like chapter 6 has some really amazing imagery.
"A minute ago, the boy [Oliver] had looked the quiet, mild, dejected creature that harsh treatment had made him. But his spirit was roused at last; the cruel insult to his dead mother had set his blood on fire. His breast heaved; his attitude erect; his eye bright and vivid; his whole person changed, as he stood glaring over the cowardly tormentor who now lay crouching at his feet; and defied him with an energy he had never known before" (page 41-42). This paragraph creates a really strong mental image for the reader, it also contrasts Oliver's usually composure to his anger. The effect is much stronger than if Dickens had said,"he was angry". "...Set his blood on fire" gives a better image alone. Dickens and his editor also seems to have a deep understanding of grammar...so many semicolons...

Similar Childhoods

I was doing a bit of research on Charles Dickens and found some similarities in his and Oliver's childhoods. When Dickens was twelve, his father was imprisoned due to debt, forcing Dickens to work at a blacking warehouse. He worked there, living in poverty, until his father was realized from jail. Oliver has similar experiences. He's been working for nearly all of his life and is living without his parents. Dickens seemed to be a bit better off, his parents weren't dead. From what I can gather, his mother was still with him while his father was imprisoned. It also seems doubtful that the owners of the blacking warehouse were as abuse as the adults in Oliver's life. The owners were relatives of his mother, so they probably treated his a better. It seems Dickens drew a lot of inspiration for Oliver Twist from his own life.

Feeling sympathy for Oliver

I've just finished reading chapter eight, but I'm still stuck on a quote from chapter four. It is when Oliver is going to Mr. Sowerberry's with Mr. Bumble. Oliver says "Everybody hates me. . . I feel as if I had been cut here, sir, and it was all bleeding away," I can't help but think that no child should feel like this, and it's terrible that so many real children had this experience in the 1800's. Another detail from chapter four that really bothered me is when Oliver is sent to sleep with the coffins, under a counter, after he ate scraps that the dog didn't want. I mean, I thought Harry Potter had it bad, but at least he had a closet under the stairs and some food!

Charles Dickens Other Works

I decided to look up other novels Charles Dickens has wrote, to see if any of them are very familiar. He also wrote "Great Expectations", which sounds very familiar, but I've never known what it is about. In case you're wondering as well, it is about a boy whose goodness saves him from being persecuted. Another novel Charles Dickens wrote is "Nicholas Nickleby", which is about a school where they dispatch bad children. It seems that Dickens likes writing about younger kids! Here is the book covers of these novels.

Researching History Behind the Novel

After finishing the second chapter of Oliver Twist, I am extremely shocked at a few things. First, I did some research to see if places such as Mrs. Mann's actually existed in the 1820's, and I found that they did. Apparently some of them had only 1 out of every 10 babies live. This has changed my outlook on the entire novel. I have so much sympathy for Oliver now, growing up in a place where you only see death! I also decided to look up what a "Beadle" is, because I had no idea at first. Apparently it is basically a person in charge of a workhouse. That definition really helped me understand Mr. Bumble's role in the rest of chapter two.  

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