Oliver Twist The Parish Boys Progress

Oliver Twist, Dickens second novel, tells the story of the orphan Oliver set against the seamy underside of the London criminal world Published in monthly parts partly concurrent with Pickwick, the novel was illustrated by George Cruikshank. In this departure from the merry world of Pickwick, Dickens targets the Poor Law Amendment Act of 1934 which renewed the importance of the workhouse as a means of relief for the poor. Dickens was severely criticised for introducing criminals and prostitutes in Oliver Twist.

The novel was well received but not with the adulation of Pickwick.

Mr. Bumble, the beadle, is an unpleasant and slimy guy. His job is to distribute money to the poorhouses.

Mr. Bill Sikes is a criminal like Fagin. But he is unscrupulous and does not shrink from killing a person.

Mr. Jack Dawkins, called the Artful Dodger, is a member of Fagin s gang.

He steals pocket-handkerchiefs and jewellery.

Nancy, a young woman, belongs to Mr. Sikes and Mr. Fagin. She is actually a good girl who wants to help Oliver.

Mr. Monks, a criminal like Fagin, wants to involve Oliver in criminal affairs.

Mr. Brownlow, a friend of Oliver s dead father, is a kind old man.

Miss Rose, a young woman, is, like Mr. Brownlow very helpful, and kind to Oliver.

Summary Oliver Twist is born in a workhouse in a town in England. His mother dies during the birth and Oliver, so called by Mr. Bumble, the beadle, grows up as a orphan in a orphanage. When Mr. Bumble says that Oliver causes too much trouble, the beadle decides to get rid of him and so he comes to the family of an undertaker. They are so unfriendly to him that he decides to run away to London. Arriving there he is nearly starved. A middle-aged Jew, called Mr. Fagin, helps him and takes him to his home. There he meets Jack Dawkins, called the Artful Dodger, and other teens who give pocket-handkerchiefs and sometimes jewellery to Fagin. Oliver firstly does not realise that the group around Fagin is a gang of thieves who steal for their leader. Oliver himself must also learn to steal. One day he wants to go out of Fagin s house and the man says that he can go with Mr. Dawkins and another boy. The two boys steal a handkerchief from an old man who is reading in a book store. Oliver is shocked when he watches the boys stealing. They run away and Oliver follows them.

He gets caught because everyone believes that he is the thief. When the owner of the handkerchief, a man named Mr. Brownlow, relieves him, Oliver collapses. The old man decides to take the weak boy with him.

A few days later he is healthy again because Mr. Brownlow and an old women called Mrs. Bedwin have cared well for the boy. One day Mr. Brownlow requests Oliver to bring back some books to store and pay for them.

When Oliver walks down the street, he meets Nancy, who works for Fagin. She catches him and takes him to Fagin who is really pleased about Oliver s return because he was afraid that Oliver would reveal Fagin s ...