End of Innocence??. Review on Oliver Twist - Charles Dickens

Its tough to be a single mother even now. Years ago in England it was no better. Agnes Fleming, Oliver’s mother did not survive the birth of her illegitimate child. Though she had a wedding ring on, as circumstances fell in, all evidence of Oliver’s paternal identity was deleted.

Charles Dickens in his own way has portrayed the dilemmas of an orphan boy. It is in his suffering and experiences does the book achieve a universal significance.

The Story in short

Oliver Twist is born in a workhouse. An orphan, we follow his ordeals along with other orphans who are ill fed. When Oliver asks for more food he is severely chastised. Oliver’s experience as an apprentice to an undertaker is even hideous.

When at that man’s place he fights a boy almost double his age called Noah Claypole, we for the first time realize that Oliver is a survivor.

Oliver runs away and comes across such characters called Charlie Bates and the Artful Dodger. They are actually a part of a ragged gang of pick-pockets lead by Fagin the miser. Thus Oliver becomes Fagin’s protégé. He learns the art of the gang and gets caught one day. Luckily he falls under the care of his real life aunt Rose Maylie and the kind Mr. Brownlow.

But even then its not the end of his troubles as his past catches up with him. Monks his half brother wants to take a revenge. Bill Sikes another criminal, too is after him. But alls well that ends well. The Fagin gang is nabbed, Bill Sikes is killed and Oliver’s true identity is revealed.

Characters

Charles Dickens’ novels generally have a variety of characters. But the one which actually struck me in this book is that of Nancy. Nancy is a criminal much like ‘Moll Flanders’ but her motherly instincts gets the better of her. Her gruesome murder scene still haunts me. Fagin is another study in crime much like the ruthless murderer Sikes and the Psycho type Monks.

Society

You get a picture of the day. The position of women, the condition in the workhouses, child labour, class differences along with the obscure world of crime.

There is also some relief from the tension in the love story of Rose and Harry.

The Author

They say that ‘David Copperfield’ is autobiographical. Well you will find generous amount of similarities here.

The End

You may never know what you may find. Oliver finds that his past is neither so hidden nor so shameful as he has been led to believe. So clouds do have silver linings !