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Oliver Twist- How does Charles Dickens create sympathy for Oliver Twist in the first four chapters?

Judith B Nutakor

11c

Charles Dickens is the author of the much acclaimed book, Oliver Twist. Charles Dickens was born in 1812 at Portsmouth the eldest of eight children two of whom died in childhood. Growing up, he saw his father go to Marshalsea Prison with his mom and five other siblings because he did not manage his money well. He was put into a warehouse since his family had to sell all of their possessions. Here he had to stick labels on boot-black. However he later returned to school for a short while, teaching himself shorthand and was working as a court reporter by the age of sixteen. This gave him the chance to see how harsh the England justice judged; later on he got the job of a newspaper reporter commenting on Parliament giving him more first hand knowledge of London and how the poor and rich lived. Charles Dickens begun writing sketches and stories about life in London in 1832. Sketches by Boz is the first sketch of his that was published in 1833 and the put together in 1883 which sold very well. Most of his publications appeared as a monthly serial. He gained recognition in Great Britain and America. As well as publishing he also gave public readings from his books. From the fruits of his labour he purchased a large house out of London, Gad's Hill where he later died in 1870 because his workload was putting a strain on his health. With such a background we can say Charles Dickens is the best candidate to write a story like Oliver Twist to draw attention to how the poor lived.

Picture two eight-year old boys at night sleeping. The first going to bed with great excitement awaiting tomorrow because he had a new bicycle or toy train set. His soft chubby hands spread widely across the bed, for he lay on its big frame alone, and if ever he was to wake up it would probably be his mum who would come to give him a goodnight kiss or his nanny come to see if he was alright. Even if he was not alright, all he had to do was draw himself closer to his big comforter and soft pillows, completely warm, and totally happy dreaming about the promises of tomorrow. Whereas as the second '...he only cried bitterly all day and when the long, dismal night came on, he spread his little hands before his eyes to shut out the darkness and crouching in the corner tried to sleep, even and anon waking with a start and tremble, and drawing himself closer and closer to the wall as if it to feel even its cold hard surface were a protection in the gloom of loneliness which surrounded him...' (Pg 17-18). Which text would best fit a boy of the Victorian period if he had wealth? Oliver Twist was fated to the second text with harsh social conditions, distressing events that take place in the life of an eight-year old boy unlucky enough to be born in a workhouse in the Victorian age.
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Oliver was born to a young woman who walks into a workhouse, with no information about her life and dies soon after delivery. He seemed unfit and the figures of authority thought he had died. Dickens makes his readers understand that perhaps death would have been a better option for him. A boy born into a workhouse, labeled an 'item of mortality' and whose cry of being alive will be seen as another burden to the parish. After all he had only an old alcoholic nursemaid and a surgeon who wanted to be anywhere but his side, after ...

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