Oliver Twist (Penguin Classics)
by Charles Dickens
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Book Summary Information
Author: Charles DickensBrand: PBS
Edition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2003-04-29
ISBN: 0141439742
Number of pages: 608
Publisher: Penguin Classics
Book Reviews of Oliver Twist (Penguin Classics)
Book Review: "Please Sir, I Want Some More..."
Summary: 5 Stars
Here's something most people don't know about Charles Dickens's most famous novel: it's not actually about Oliver Twist. True, he is the subject of the title and he does act as the centrepiece of the novel around which all the action and intrigue revolves, but as a character he is so bland he becomes a mere storytelling-device, a pawn that the much more fascinating characters surrounding him are constantly fighting over. So naïve, so angelic, so innocent, Oliver Twist is the embodiment of the ideal "nature over nurture", in which a young boy manages to remain essentially good and pure despite drudgery, poverty and ill-treatment. Imagine this if you will; young Oliver has been forced into the service of a burglar, who intends to send Oliver into the house first in order for him to undo the locks. Tired and frightened, young Oliver has only this to say when he realises his part in the crime: "Oh for God's sake let me go! Let me run away and die in the fields. I will never come near London, never, never! Oh pray have mercy on me and do not make me steal!"
A young boy who'd rather die than steal? Definitely something that modern readers will find hard to swallow, but of course in Dickens's day the ideal of the angelic child whose soul had recently been in God's presence was a popular one. And since this novel is Dickens's most scathing critique of the poorhouses and working conditions of the lowerclass, it was essential for a sympathetic protagonist, a helpless boy whose plight would personify the lives of thousands of children in London - dying in the streets, being exploited by unscrupulous employers, or becoming drafted into a life of crime as their only mode of survival. As a symbol, Oliver is a powerful one. As a realistic character he defies belief.
Born into a poorhouse and marked out for a life of poverty, Oliver is noticed by the authorities after his infamous request: "Please sir, I want some more." A catalyst for his young life, Oliver is taken from the orphanage and thrown into a series of adventures: as apprentice to an undertaker, a homeless vagabond on the road to London, thrown in amongst a gang of pickpockets, taken in by a kindly gentleman and victim to a terrifying kidnapping. It all makes for a great read; full of intrigue and excitement, unexpected twists and fortunate coincidences. Dickens creates a startlingly vivid portrait of Dickensian London, with clear images of all its social classes, urban and rural settings, and the orders and conventions that ruled society at the time. Reading "Oliver Twist" (or any Dickens book for that matter), is reading history by a man who was there to see it.
As mentioned, it is not Oliver but the myriad of characters that surround him and vie for possession of him that make up the true cast of the book. Each one is a gem in character study, each one an unforgettable personality; from the cruel and sinister Bill Sikes, the pompous Mr Bumble, the whore-with-a-heart-of-gold Nancy, the kindly Mr Brownlow, the pessimistic Mr Grimwig and the irrepressible Artful Dodger (Dickens cannot hide his enjoyment of this character, despite his best attempts to be disapproving of his chosen line of work). And of course, there's Fagin, the world's most famous literary Jew (with the possible exception of Shakespeare's Shylock). Perhaps the most controversial element of "Oliver Twist" - and perhaps even Dickens's entire career - was his portrayal of this Jewish crook that sends young boys out to pickpocket for him. Often deprecatingly referred to as "the Jew", Dickens was criticised even by his contemporaries at this stereotypical portrayal and is sure to make modern audiences uncomfortable (practically every movie ever based on "Oliver Twist" tones down Fagin's villainy, so much so that first-time readers of the novel may be surprised at how truly unsympathetic he really is, unrepentant of his life of crime to the last).
As the plot twines between the massive cast of characters, each with their own agendas, each turning up again when you least expect it; lies the mystery of Oliver's parentage and the gradual awareness of his birthright. Dickens magnificently highlights the injustices and hypocrisy of the time, with a biting wit that is often glossed over in discussions of his work; in fact many who have never read Dickens probably think of his work as grave and sombre, when in fact it sparkles with irony and droll sarcasm. Describing it does it no justice, you'll simply have to read the book and find out for yourself.
"Oliver Twist" is by no means a perfect novel; in the third act Dickens gets a little sidetracked by the introduction of heavenly Rose Maylie. This character and her romantic dilemma with a young man of a higher-class is exorcised from the famous "Oliver Twist" musical and many other movie adaptations, and for good reason. She serves no real purpose in the novel, slowing the story done considerably (once Oliver enters her custody there is nothing left for him to do but wait for the other characters to resolve their problems), and as a character is about as interesting as Oliver himself. Likewise, the major villain of the piece, Mr Monks (also cut from movie and musical versions), who is manipulating Oliver's destiny is also strangely bland (especially when compared to Fagin and Sikes).
It is fair to say that the first two-thirds of the book are more lively and exciting than the last portion (at least until a major character meets a grisly end, setting off a nail-biting chain reaction), but that shouldn't stop you from reading the whole of this famous novel. Everyone knows the name "Oliver Twist", but comparably few have read of his experiences firsthand - make sure you're not one of them.
Summary of Oliver Twist (Penguin Classics)
The story of the orphan Oliver, who runs away from the workhouse only to be taken in by a den of thieves, shocked readers when it was first published. Dickens's tale of childhood innocence beset by evil depicts the dark criminal underworld of a London peopled by vivid and memorable characters?the arch-villain Fagin, the artful Dodger, the menacing Bill Sikes and the prostitute Nancy. Combining elements of Gothic Romance, the Newgate Novel and popular melodrama, Dickens created an entirely new kind of fiction, scathing in its indictment of a cruel society, and pervaded by an unforgettable sense of threat and mystery.
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