5 Questions
What does Oliver wear to assume a new identity?
Expensive new suit
Why does no one at the workhouse ask Oliver about his apprenticeship?
They don't consider his opinion important
What determines a large part of a person's identity in Victorian England?
Their profession
Who buys Oliver an expensive new suit?
Mr. Brownlow
What does Oliver's new clothing represent?
His new identity as a gentleman's son
Study Notes
Identity and Social Class
- Nancy assumes a middle-class identity by changing her clothing, indicating a link between appearance and social status.
- Oliver sheds his orphan pickpocket identity by leaving behind his pauper's clothes, demonstrating the power of clothing in shaping one's identity.
- Brownlow's purchase of an expensive new suit for Oliver enables him to assume the identity of a gentleman's son.
Victorian Era Social Dynamics
- In Victorian England, an individual's professionplays a significant role in determining their identity.
- The workhouse authorities' failure to ask Oliver about his opinion on his apprenticeship reflects the lack of autonomy and self-expression afforded to the poor and marginalized classes.
- The fact that Mr. Brownlow asks Oliver about his future aspirations indicates a sense of agency and control over one's life, which is a privilege reserved for the upper classes.
This quiz analyzes a chapter from Charles Dickens' novel Oliver Twist, exploring Oliver's transformation from a pickpocket to a gentleman's son. It examines how clothing influences identity and social status.
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