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| Sunday, 20 March 2005 |
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Editorial
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English Literature made easy :Oliver Twist - by Charles Dickens Charles Dickens (1812-70) was a great novelist who created an awareness
of the social evils that prevailed in Victorian London. Oliver Twist is one
of his famous stories that reveal the injustice and cruelty thrust upon the
poor, especially the orphaned innocent children. Brought up in the indecent
condition of 'poor houses'. They were half-fed and ill-treated, thus fanning
the flames of hatred in the hearts of the children. The incident revealing
how Oliver Twist asked for more food is one of the most moving incidents in
English Literature.
Charles Dickens takes his readers to the vicious and shady places of Victorian London, where little boys and taught to do nefarious activities, by the elders for a living. This story is woven around Oliver Twist and how he wins over irrational obstacles, though bereft of a mother's love and affection, care and security. He is subjected to mental affliction, having to grow up among rascals. Yet, Oliver triumphs in maintaining the good qualities bestowed upon him by parentage. Chapter I - Oliver Asks For More In 1837, in a certain English town a baby boy is born in the local 'Poor House', maintained by the Local Town. The baby is weak, however when he makes his first cry, his mother is anxious to see her baby. Having kissed her infant son, she falls dead. The doctor learning that the baby's mother had walked a longway and seeing that she wore no wedding ring, he concludes the worst. Poor House babies are despised and pitied by none. Oliver gets the surname Twist, according to alphabetical order, as he had reached the letter "T". The official is a stupid, fat and self-important man having great power over the miserable lot. Oliver spends his early childhood with Mrs. Mann, who keeps destitute orphans on a payment by the town authorities. She does not feed them adequately and some of them die. When the authorities visit the house, she keeps the children neat and clean by the time they see them. When Oliver is nine he is thin and pale. He celebrates his birthday, locked up in the coal cellar with two other boys for being bold enough to say that he is hungry. Mr. Bumble wants to take him back to the Poor House. Mrs. Mann gives him a slice of bread, tends his hair, thus showing false affection and hands him over to Mr. Bumble. At the 'Poor House' he is to be trained for a trade. He is to start picking "'oakum'. Oliver faces the same miserable experience bereft of even a kind word. They are given three meals a day with the master serving them a watery porridge, which is hardly sufficient. Since the other boys push Oliver to ask for more, he moves forward and say, Please Sir I want some more. Oliver gets a blow from the master and ultimately is locked up in a room. From there he is sent to Mr. Sowerberry, the Local Undertaker, where Oliver is cursed, beaten, fed on scraps and made to sleep under a bench among the coffins. That night, Oliver weeps bitterly and at dawn he creeps out into the empty street and out of the little town. Chapter 2 - Fagin And The Boys From Mr. Sowerberry's, Oliver walks wearily into the little town, Barnet, near London. He sits on a cold doorstep with bleeding feet. No one bothers even to look at him. A little boy comes over to him and leads him to a nearby public house (inn) and gives him a hearty meal. Then he takes Oliver to Fagin, a jew, shrivelled and villainous looking. However Oliver is given his supper and sent to bed. Mrs. C. Ekanayake, Retd. Specialist Teacher Eng. Lt., St.
Anne's College, Kurunegala. |
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