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Characterization of Fagin in Oliver Twist

• Fagin is characterized using Jewish stereotypes, portrayed as a "very old shrivelled Jew" with a "villainous-looking and repulsive face".
• His eyes "glisten" as he takes out a "magnificent gold watch, sparkling with jewels", reinforcing the stereotype of Jews as avaricious gold worshippers.
• Fagin's wealth is ill-gotten, obtained through having others do the thieving for him, and some of those others have been hanged for doing his bidding.
• Dickens refers to Fagin as "the Jew" or "the old Jew", making him a representative for all Jews.

Fagin as a Parody of the Protestant Work Ethic

• Fagin represents a harsh parody of the Protestant work ethic, emphasizing the importance of being "actively employed" to avoid "misery of idle and lazy habits".
• He punishes Charley and the Dodger by denying them dinner when they return home empty-handed, exemplifying the punitive nature of the work ethic.

The Poor and the English Legal System

• Victorians castigated the poor for laziness, but the work ethic they preached was partly responsible for creating the perversion of that ethic that Fagin represents.
• Paupers had to choose between the harsh conditions of the workhouses and the harsh conditions of the streets.
• Begging was a punishable offense, forcing those who stayed outside the workhouses to turn to crime to survive.
• Oliver's experience in the courtroom highlights the precarious position of the poor in the eyes of the law.

Oliver's Identity and Powerlessness

• Oliver's inability to speak at his trial, caused by his exhaustion and sickness, metaphorically suggests the lower class's lack of political power and ability to voice its own concerns in a public forum.
• In 1830s England, the right to vote was based on wealth, so the poor had no say with respect to the law.
• The upper classes projected their own conceptions of the poor upon them, redefining poor people's identities with no regard for the truth.
• Oliver's identity has been determined by other, more powerful people throughout his life, including his false name "Tom White" given by a court officer.