Oliver Twist is the name given to a child of unknown parentage born in a workhouse and brought up under the cruel conditions to which pauper children were formerly exposed, the tyrant at whose hands he especially suffers being Bumble, the parish beadle. Every effort is made to convert Oliver into a thief. He is temporarily rescued by the benevolent Mr Brownlow, but kidnapped by the gang, whose interest in his retention has been increased by the offers of a sinister person named Monks, who has a special interest in Oliver's perversion.
After a time, Nancy, who develops some redeeming traits, reveals to Rose that Monks is aware of Oliver's parentage, and wishes all proof of it destroyed; also that there is some relationship between Oliver and Rose herself. Inquiry is set on foot. In the course of it Nancy's action is discovered by the gang, and she is brutally murdered by Bill Sikes.
A hue and cry is raised; Sikes, trying to escape, accidentally hangs himself, and the rest of the gang are secured and Fagin executed. Monks, found and threatened with exposure, confesses what remains unknown.
Rose is the sister of Oliver's unfortunate mother. Oliver is adopted by Mr Brownlow. Monks emigrates and dies in prison. Bumble ends his career in the workhouse over which he formerly ruled.
Subjects: Literature — Literary studies 19th century. Expectedly, the endless scenes of gloom, of poverty, of sleaziness, of dreariness had been haunting my conception of Dickens. In particular because, in parallel to the text, I have been listening to a brilliant audio edition in which the reader would dramatize very effectively the various voices. Oliver Twist presented as an auditory high relief made me laugh several times. But the humour and the exquisite language were present in the other Dickens novels I have read recently.
What is different in Oliver, and awoke the ghosts of angst from my youth, was the force with which it conveys the feeling of being trapped. No matter what turn of plot lighted a gleam of hope upon poor little Oliver—obviously and easily a projection of my alter ego-- the dreadful encroaching and stultifying doom always hit back.
In addition, the greater tragic elements brought in towards the end before one could attain the restoring Happy End conferred to this novel a greater terrifying resonance. My reading ceremony proved then a harder venture than anticipated. Dec 04, Kelly rated it liked it. Please sir, may I have less? View all 10 comments.
Mar 11, James rated it liked it Shelves: 3-written-preth-century , 1-fiction. It was one of the classic books I'd received as a Christmas present, and I loved Dickens other children's stories, so I had to read this one. It's much more harsh tho, and might be a little difficult for a 12 year old to take in without having a better picture of the world. It's one of those books nagging at the back of my mind I bet you'll like me a whole l Review I only read Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens once, back in 6th grade when I was about 12 years old.
I bet you'll like me a whole lot more. I read a lot of older books, but I should throw in a "classic" or "preth century" book every ten books or so Several key things about the book to help you decide if you want to read it: 1. The catch phrase: can I have so more, may I have another please Commentary about life being poor 3. Written in A happy ending Not a spoiler: I'm just saying Truly understanding what an orphan meant -- they have scissors for hands, right? About Me For those new to me or my reviews I write A LOT.
Leave a comment and let me know what you think. Vote in the poll and ratings. Thanks for stopping by. Note : All written content is my original creation and copyrighted to me, but the graphics and images were linked from other sites and belong to them. Many thanks to their original creators. Interested to see what's said about it in my Victorian literature class! View 1 comment. Feb 06, Merphy Napier rated it really liked it Shelves: four-stars , adult , classics. Review to come!
May 01, Garg Ankit rated it really liked it. Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens is a wonderful classic fiction novel. The child as a protagonist was something which appealed to me for me to pick up this read, and the narration doesn't disappoint.
The journey the character's life takes from its inception till the story ends is mesmerizing. The picture painted of an orphan kid in Victorian-era England is vivid, along with detailed mentions of the status difference among various social classes of the time, and the various atrocities that follow. The book is dark throughout. The happy ending is a much-needed relief.
I am generally not an advocate of impractical happy endings, but Dickens' pure genius can be explained from the fact that even I was craving for a happy end to Oliver's fate - he makes you want it more-and-more as the story progresses. The satire employed in the narration is like icing on the cake. I haven't watched the movie yet, though it is on my list. Verdict: Recommended. View all 4 comments. Charles Dickens was giving people what they wanted, back in You can also tell, by the way it is structured, that it was published in "episodes".
There are some classics which, when you read them, feel like they are timeless, that any era can be their era; they feel modern, always - regardless of the time of publication. Oliver Twist is not one of them. This novel is over-dramatic, sensationalist, tear-jerking, and - let's face it - racist.
Nevertheless, people still read it. There must be something, in the story of this poor, helpless, pure boy, that keeps people glued to the pages - even after almost two centuries. I think that the main reason why this book can still hit you right in the feels is the fact that Charles Dickens wrote from personal experience: his life hadn't been much different from poor Oliver's; he grew up in a workhouse and I am pretty sure he got his fair share of abuse in there too.
There is something inside us human beings, some sort of morbid curiosity, which brings us to read books like this one in which horrible things happen to innocent people - maybe we look for redemption, we hope for a happy ending in which all wrongs will be righted and the bad guy will be punished and everyone will live happily ever after.
Reading a novel like this, feels like reading a fairy tale: it gives us hope in a better future in which maybe our wrongs will be made right too. Oliver was born surrounded by pain; grew up surrounded by pain. But did this turn him into a bad person, into an abuser himself? Old Fagin tried all his life to break Oliver's pure heart, to make him a criminal just like the other boys in the company; but Oliver stayed pure and innocent, and in the end his goodness was rewarded, and the bad guy punished.
Is it realistic? Maybe not. But does it feel wholesome and gives you hope that miracles maybe after all do exist? And that is what fairy tales do. I wish there were more wholesome - and somewhat naive - books like this one today too. Sometimes the cynicism and disillusion of our society is crashing.
Escaping is okay, hoping in a happy ending is okay! We don't have to be extra-critical with this type of attitude towards life. On a side note; Charles Dickens was a genius writer. I mean, look at that prose! One of my favourite classics growing up, and definitely stood the test of time. First of all, Oliver Twist is a shitty book. His second, following the comedic Pickwick Papers, it shows Dickens reaching for new territory: exposing the hopelessness and injustice of destitute life in London.
But it's maudlin, obvious, predictable, lame. Oliver is such a simpering bitch that it's impossible to give a shit about him. Bad people want to use him; good people want to pamper him; you are bored.
Dickens will write great books, but not yet. Second, Oliver Twist is a hateful book. Dicke First of all, Oliver Twist is a shitty book. Dickens has created in Fagin an embodiment of bigotry; a leering, black-nailed, money-grubbing Jew who's nearly always referred to as The Jew, as though Dickens wasn't sure we'd get it.
Fagin is the most memorable character in Oliver Twist, and he's inexcusable. Look, I've read a lot of Victorian novels; I'm familiar with the casual anti-Semitism that's nearly unavoidable in them; I understand the context of the time. Dickens is well beyond that context. For his time, Dickens was a hater. Nancy and Sikes suddenly take over the book, although I doubt Dickens knew they would, in a climax of terrific power; and Fagin's last scene is equally powerful.
But it's way too little, way too late. This is a shitty, hateful little book. It makes me think less of Dickens. I wish he'd done better. View all 59 comments. Aug 23, Chris Horsefield rated it it was amazing. Dickens' famous story of a young orphan's struggle to survive on the streets of London is rightly one of his most remembered. Two outstanding characters have been contributed to literature - Fagin and Jack Dawkins the Artful Dodger.
Dickens writes Fagin as a puppet master, controlling the orphaned children as pickpockets and the adults like Bill Sikes as thieves. His subterfuge of a penniless pauper with a kindly approach are at odds with the moments he steals gazing at his hidden stash of jewels Dickens' famous story of a young orphan's struggle to survive on the streets of London is rightly one of his most remembered.
His subterfuge of a penniless pauper with a kindly approach are at odds with the moments he steals gazing at his hidden stash of jewels and his barking moments of brutality. Though his name is Fagin, Dickens refers to him more often than not as "the Jew", a label quite jarring in today's culture. Fagin is sinister though and many see him as a devil like character. His many schemes, plans, and selfishness all contribute to the image. The Artful Dodger is a whirling dervish of charisma and charm, teaching Oliver the tricks of the trade and leading the cohorts of youngsters as the ultimate example they should all be aspiring to.
Dickens chooses to have the Dodger answer for his crimes as he is finally caught and sent to jail. Tantalisingly, Dickens implies that the Dodger will be deported to Australia though we never see Dodger again after he is led away back to jail. Maybe he was thinking of writing a sequel with him as a grown up character? Oliver is by no means a great character but a likeable one. His tribulations put us on his side early on and his base survival has us enthralled and rooting for him throughout.
Bill Sikes isn't also that great a character. A one dimensional thug and bully, his character is indeed menacing and ugly but unfortunately never goes further. Nancy meanwhile is another triumph of characterisation. Dickens shows her kind side, her deceitful side, her desperate life, and ultimately her sacrifice.
She longs to stay with her boyfriend Bill Sikes despite his brutality and maintains a cheerful and optimistic disposition throughout the miserable drama. Her life and desires are complex and is one of Dickens' most enduring creations. When Sikes kills Nancy in Oliver Twist the sordid criminal demi-monde of early Victorian London rises up and allies itself with self-righteousness and denunciation.
I doubt that Dickens wrote anything more compelling or arresting than Bill Sikes's terror strewn 'flight' from Victorian propriety and retribution. But it is not the 'mob' who capture his soul and dash its brains out - Dickens was far too knowing for that. Bill Sikes flees from his final crime against Nancy and finds that he is fleeing himself and that there can be no escape only nightmarish visions without respite.
Every object before him, substance or shadow, still or or moving. Sikes's conscience renders him all too human, almost makes him a lost pilgrim, and like Sikes we find ourselves looking over our shoulder, aware only of the relentless ghost of Nancy's Banquo Sikes's suffering reveals his victimhood as abjectly as his slaughter of his lover Nancy. And once again Dickens's shows us the humanity lurking in even the most monstruous corners of the human soul; 'he wandered on again, irresolute and undecided, and oppressed with the fear of another solitary night.
Suddenly, he took the desperate resolution of going back to London. So he turns back to the city and dies for the sake of any residue of conversation, for a 'last syllable of recorded time'.. All paintings in this review by English painter John Atkinson Grimshaw.
This one is an interesting novel, and not entirely what I expected, despite Oliver Twist being as ingrained into the English psyche as Robin Hood. I remember, as a schoolboy, having to dress up as Victorians to visit an old manor [3rd book of I remember, as a schoolboy, having to dress up as Victorians to visit an old manor from the era in the countryside and us all claiming to be Twist himself, with no knowledge of any other character, or perhaps, of Oliver himself.
We enter the world of thieves, prostitutes and murderers in the backdrop of grimy, dark London streets. I was also surprised by how little Oliver himself is in the novel, especially the latter half. Of the orphans I know so far he has been the weakest one. David Copperfield is perhaps my favourite, then Pip, and lastly, Oliver.
And as said previously, he seems to be removed from a lot of the book. Either way, notwithstanding my feelings towards him, I felt annoyed that the story began spiralling further and further away from him and into the lives of the villains. When the novelist sets Oliver up as the protagonist, indeed, even names the book after him, the scenes without him feel like annoying distractions from the true tale. In the end he was missing for so long that I almost forgot about him and eventually became reinvested in the side characters, who had become more important than Twist.
And although we were with a cast of villains, Dickens kept it loosely based around Oliver and his true identity, and all the mysteries of the novel. The Goodreads system fails here as this stands as having the same rating as David Copperfield , which in reality is not the case.
This is far inferior to that, and more so to Great Expectations. It is a short read though, for Dickens pages odd and only his second novel. We see how far he goes.
Check out my Booktube video that looks at the episode of Wishbone focused on Oliver Twist! Nov 22, Jason Koivu rated it it was amazing Shelves: classics , fiction. Oliver Twist could stand on the strength of its colorful characters alone. Dickens used his insightful eye to take in and store away all the images he was seeing in London's poorer neighborhoods back in the days when his own family found themselves in and out of the debtor's prison, always on the verge of utter ruin.
However, the book is more than just interesting characters. It's a wonderfully enthralling tale to boot, seldom slowing down for long stretches. Certainly there is melodrama, but ev Oliver Twist could stand on the strength of its colorful characters alone. Certainly there is melodrama, but even the most harden heart has to melt just a little for poor little Oliver, his slender shoulders so often put-upon.
The author is sometimes criticized for these characters' outlandishness or dramatic flights of fancy. Cantankerous comedy and theatrical bombast aside, surely colorful personages parade about from page to page, but if that's what Dickens saw on the streets he so often tread in his youth, how can he be blamed for describing them so realistically? More valid in my mind are the criticisms against Dickens' female characters. His heart-of-gold prostitute Nancy feels a bit flat, her lines too scripted.
But perhaps this is an unfair, modern sensibility seeing something old and haggard within something that was not so hackneyed in its day? And since Oliver Twist was one of the author's very first works, the condemnation should be tempered in consideration.
View all 5 comments. This book is worth re-reading again and again! I really love this classic, although it is so miserable and sad. I promise I will write a review for it after exams. View all 9 comments. Oct 29, Andy Marr rated it it was ok. I always thought Carol Reed must have had a pretty easy time of it in making 'Oliver! But as it turns out, the book is pants, and if Reed had stuck with the original story and dialogue I can't imagine it would have enjoyed nearly the success it did.
I had high hopes for this book, having read and enjoyed three Dickens novels in the past. But, as I say, garbag I always thought Carol Reed must have had a pretty easy time of it in making 'Oliver! But, as I say, garbage. Plus, it was disgracefully anti-semitic like, honestly - just It's hard to believe this came from the same hand that had written The Pickwick Papers only a couple of years earlier.
I stuck with it to the end, but only just. A surprisingly poor effort, which deserves to be remembered far less than the musical. So, well played, Carol. Your movie was superior to Dickens' book in every way. Nov 02, Praveen rated it really liked it. I know the doctor must be right, Oliver, because I dream so much of heaven, and Angles, and kind faces that I never see when I am awake. Kiss me,' said the child, climbing up the low gate, and flinging his little arms round Oliver's neck.
Good- b'ye, dear! God bless You! My woolen hat which we used to call a topi there is stuck on top of my head so lightly, that it threatened to fall off every moment, and I, giving my head an abrupt twitch every now and then, bringing my hat back to its proper place on my head. Seeing this, my friend, who is another freaky child playing snow-snow with me is running after me trying to snatch my hat from my head and me running away from him clutching my hat with both hands.
You know! I spent my early childhood in the frequently occurring picturesque snow-capped ambiance in a hill station in the lapel of Himalaya. And Hey! The Merriam Webster defines the word 'hippocampus' something like this a curved elongated ridge that extends over the floor of the descending horn of each lateral ventricle of the brain, that consists of a gray matter covered on the ventricular surface with white matter, and that is involved in forming, storing, and processing memory.
As long as this novel is concerned, I read it only after joining GR somewhere in I never read it in my school. The journey and hardship of this orphan boy and the gruesome conditions of an impoverished London and that poverty leading to those criminal activities. This all with that penmanship of Dickens had proved to be a painful yet charming affair for me. Dickens himself had faced those hardships as a child worker I know and the way he has portrayed it here in this book, has shown an apparent profundity of his experience.
Image courtesy:outsideonline. View all 6 comments. Jun 29, Mark rated it really liked it. I have in my 37 years of life avoided reading Charles Dickens. My reason: after having suffered through trying to read the so-called English literature of his era--think Thomas Harding, Emile Bronte and Mary Shelly--I figured Dickens would be no better. I chose Oliver Twist. And was immediately hooked. Far from the boring narrative one finds the works of the other English writers I've already mentioned, Dickens has a very pe I have in my 37 years of life avoided reading Charles Dickens.
Far from the boring narrative one finds the works of the other English writers I've already mentioned, Dickens has a very personable, simple, attractive writing style.
As its title suggests, the book itself is about Oliver Twist. He's an orphan who, constantly abused, finally runs away and goes to London for there he figures he'll never be found. During his trip to that city, he meets a youth of perhaps thirteen years who calls himself the Artful Dodger. He's a pick pocket, and he brings poor Oliver into a den of thieves, one headed by a fence named Fagin. Here is a character of very bad reputation.
Despite this flaw, Dickens nonetheless makes him a compelling villain. His other primary rogue, Bill Sikes the housebreaker, is even more dangerous and more terrifying. Poor Oliver is soon used as a decoy while the Artful Dodger and his fellow pickpocket, Charley Bates, steal from a gentleman looking at books at a bookstand. Oliver is caught, taken to the magistrate, then befriended by the very man who thought Oliver had picked his pocket: Mr.
Along the way he learns that not all the adults in the world are as compassionless as those who ran the Parish orphanage from whence he came.
This book is more than a compelling tale: it is biting social commentary, attacking the terrible conditions that the English masses had to endure in the first half of the 19th century; it is especially critical of the unfair Poor Law. Oct 11, Michael Finocchiaro rated it really liked it Shelves: classics , novels , listened-as-audiobook , fiction , englishth-c.
This is one of his more sever criticisms of 19c London society, but also a rags-to-not-exactly-riches story for the eponymous protagonist.
Entertaining and highly descriptive, as to be expected in Dickens, it remains in the upper end of the English lit canon for good reason. What disturbed me, however, was the rather explicit anti-Semitism. I realize that societal mores This is one of his more sever criticisms of 19c London society, but also a rags-to-not-exactly-riches story for the eponymous protagonist. I realize that societal mores have evolved, but given his relatively liberal reading of society, I was disappointed to see Dickens stooping to stereotypes and outright judgement of people based on their appearance big nose, dark countenance, frizzy hair and religion.
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Term » Definition. Word in Definition. Wiktionary 4. Freebase 4. Who Was Who? How to pronounce oliver twist? Alex US English. David US English. Mark US English. Daniel British. Libby British. Mia British. Karen Australian. Hayley Australian. Natasha Australian.
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