40 Questions
Where was Oliver Twist born?
A workhouse in 1830s England
What leads to Oliver's transfer from the home for young orphans to the workhouse for adults?
He reaches the age of nine
Who offers five pounds to take Oliver away from the workhouse?
Mr. Bumble, the parish beadle
Why does Oliver attack Noah Claypole?
Noah makes disparaging comments about Oliver's mother
Where does Oliver meet Jack Dawkins?
Outside London, while traveling
What does Fagin train the orphan boys to do?
To pick pockets
What happens to Oliver when he is caught by the authorities after the pickpocketing mission?
He narrowly escapes being convicted of the theft
Who takes the feverish Oliver to his home and nurses him back to health?
Mr. Brownlow, the man whose handkerchief was stolen
What is the item that the two boys steal from the elderly gentleman during the pickpocketing mission?
A handkerchief
What is the occupation of Mr. Sowerberry, the man who apprentices Oliver?
A local undertaker
What does Brownlow notice about Oliver?
Oliver's resemblance to a portrait of a young woman
Where does Oliver spend an idyllic summer?
In the countryside with Mrs. Maylie and her niece Rose
What does Monks obtain and destroy?
A gold locket left by Oliver's mother
What is the reason behind Monks' pursuit of Oliver?
Because Monks wants to ensure Oliver is deprived of his share of the family inheritance
What is the relationship between Rose and Oliver?
Rose is Oliver's aunt
What happens to Fagin at the end of the story?
Fagin is hung for his crimes
Who adopts Oliver at the end of the story?
Mr. Brownlow
What happens to Sikes?
Sikes hangs himself inadvertently while trying to escape
What does Nancy do secretly?
Nancy secretly meets with Rose to inform her of Fagin's designs
Who brings Oliver to Fagin's gang?
Bill Sikes and his lover Nancy
What was the primary goal of the government workhouses under the Poor Law of 1834?
To inspire the poor to better their circumstances through harsh conditions
What was the consequence of the economic dislocation of the Industrial Revolution on the poor?
It made it impossible for many to improve their circumstances
What was the attitude of the charitable workers like Mr. Bumble and Mrs. Mann towards the poor?
They were greedy, lazy, and arrogant
What was the effect of the workhouses on the poor?
They reproduced the awful conditions in which the poor lived anyway
What was the purpose of the labor required in the workhouses?
To inspire the poor to better their circumstances
What was the consequence of the Poor Law of 1834 for families in the workhouses?
They were separated and received meager rations
What was the attitude of the government towards the poor during Dickens' time?
They believed poverty was a consequence of laziness
What was the main criticism of the charitable institutions in Dickens' time?
They reproduced the awful conditions in which the poor lived anyway
What was the role of the officials who ran the workhouses?
They were greedy and corrupt, violating the values they preached
What was the main challenge faced by the poor in the workhouses?
They were not able to improve their circumstances due to the economic dislocation
What is the primary focus of individualism in the Victorian era, according to Fagin?
To prioritize personal interests and self-gain
What is the contrast between Fagin's family and the group formed by Oliver and his friends?
One values selflessness, while the other is built on self-interest
What is the impact of the urban environment on the characters in the novel, according to Dickens?
It has a corrupting influence on their moral sensibilities
What is the significance of the countryside in Oliver Twist?
It represents a place of idealized rural life and purity
What is Nancy's ultimate sacrifice, according to the novel?
She sacrifices her own life to save a child she hardly knows
What is the comparison between the two groups in terms of their relationships?
One is based on strong affection, while the other is based on self-interest
What is the outcome of individualism, as demonstrated by the characters in the novel?
It leads to a sense of moral decay and corruption
What is the significance of the rural environment in the novel's portrayal of social class?
It idealizes rural life as a place of purity and simplicity
What is the implication of Dickens's portrayal of urban life in Oliver Twist?
It suggests that urban life is inherently corrupting and morally decaying
What is the contrast between Sikes and Charley Bates in terms of their moral development?
One is morally corrupted, while the other has a sense of decency
Study Notes
Oliver Twist's Life
- Oliver Twist is born in a workhouse in 1830s England, and his mother, whose name is unknown, dies soon after his birth.
- He spends the first nine years of his life in a badly run home for young orphans and then is transferred to a workhouse for adults.
- Oliver is apprenticed to a local undertaker, Mr. Sowerberry, but runs away after a fight with another apprentice, Noah Claypole.
Meeting Fagin and Getting Entangled in Crime
- Oliver meets Jack Dawkins, a boy his own age, who takes him to Fagin's house in London.
- Fagin is a career criminal who trains orphan boys to pick pockets for him.
- Oliver is sent on a pickpocketing mission with two other boys but is caught and narrowly escapes being convicted of the theft.
Meeting Mr. Brownlow and the Maylies
- Oliver is taken in by Mr. Brownlow, who nurses him back to health and is struck by Oliver's resemblance to a portrait of a young woman.
- Oliver thrives in Mr. Brownlow's home but is eventually captured by Fagin's gang and returned to Fagin.
- Oliver is sent to assist Bill Sikes in a burglary, but is shot and taken in by the women who live there, Mrs. Maylie and her beautiful adopted niece Rose.
The Pursuit and Arrest of Fagin and Monks
- Fagin and Monks are set on recapturing Oliver, and Monks obtains and destroys a gold locket that Oliver's mother left behind.
- Nancy, a member of Fagin's gang, meets secretly with Rose and informs her of Fagin's designs, but is overheard by another member of the gang.
- Sikes brutally murders Nancy and flees London, but is eventually caught and hangs himself while trying to escape.
- Mr. Brownlow confronts Monks and learns the truth about Oliver's parentage, and Monks is forced to sign over Oliver's share of the family inheritance to Oliver.
Themes and Social Commentary
The Failure of Charity
- The novel challenges the organizations of charity run by the church and government in Dickens's time.
- The workhouses operated on the principle that poverty was the consequence of laziness and that the dreadful conditions would inspire the poor to better their circumstances.
- Dickens describes the greed, laziness, and arrogance of charitable workers like Mr. Bumble and Mrs. Mann.
The Folly of Individualism
- The novel critiques the philosophy of individualism, which was prevalent during the Industrial Revolution.
- Fagin's philosophy is that a regard for "number one" holds people together, but this is shown to be a flawed philosophy.
Purity in a Corrupt City
- The novel explores the question of whether the terrible environments it depicts have the power to corrupt individuals permanently.
- Dickens suggests that even in a corrupt city, characters like Nancy can maintain a sense of decency and make sacrifices for others.
The Countryside Idealized
- The novel portrays the countryside as a place of purity and idealized rural life.
- Dickens suggests that the countryside has the potential to "purify our thoughts" and erase some of the vices that develop in the city.
Test your knowledge of the early life of Oliver Twist, from his birth in a workhouse to his struggles as an orphan. Learn about the challenges he faced and the characters that played a significant role in his life. Explore the world of Charles Dickens' classic novel and see how well you know Oliver's story.
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