The orphans were not given any education as they were not even given adequate food or money and the beadle and the other officials of the board would pocket the money given for their care.
“somewhat diminutive in stature, decidedly small in circumference”.
Each child was allotted “seven pence-half penny per small head per week” but the so called considerate and caring elderly female felt that it would “overload their stomach and make them uncomfortable”. Dickens mockingly calls her “a woman of wisdom and experience” because “she knew what was good for children”. But she had “a very accurate perception of what was good for herself.” Thus people like this elderly female Mrs. Mann, Mr. Bumble and a host of others go on fattening themselves at the expense of the helpless destitutes.
These orphans were deprived of basic necessities like food and education. They lived a life of slow starvation and young Oliver along with " twenty or thirty other juvenile offenders” “rolled about the floor all day, without the inconvenience of too much food or too much clothing". The expressions “too much food and too much clothing” is Dickens’ sarcastic way of telling his readers that those in charge of these wretched orphans always made sure that they were kept in a state that made them barely survive. These helpless infants “rolled about the floor all day”. This shows the complete lack of humanity of those in charge. They were never ever given the slightest bit of attention or affection and they grew up and starved not only physical sustenance but also for love. Dickens is therefore pointing out the physical and emotional damage done to the children who are unfortunate enough to be born an orphan.
At the age of nine Oliver is a pale thin child. Oliver and his friends at the poor house lived in a state of near-starvation. They were always hungry, always cold. Every morsel of food was consumed.
"The bowls never wanted washing. The boys polished them with their spoons till they shown again. After the food was served and eaten 'They would sit staring at the copper, with such eager eyes, as if they could have devoured the very bricks of which it was composed'. The starved condition of the orphans is clear when 'one boy who was tall for his age' 'hinted darkly to his companions, that unless he had another basin of gruel per diem, he was afraid he might some night happen to eat the boy who slept next him". The orphans in the workhouse are treated badly as they are not given proper food and clothing. They are given gruel mixed with water and only one serving.
Orphans like Oliver have to suffer all their lives because there are many factors that affect them, like what affects Oliver is not having a proper house, loving parents, basic necessities, or even relatives. They are beaten up harshly. The poor orphans in sheer desperation sent Oliver to do something that to the board members and the other officials of the workhouse, is unpardonable. He held out the miserable bowl in which he is served thin gruel with the request “please sir I want some more” this is something unheard of. Oliver is considered as ‘savage’ and one who “is destined for the gallows”. For his impertinence in daring to ask for more he is “sociably flogged as a public warning and example”. The poor unfortunate starving wretch is considered as a criminal of the highest order whose punishment should serve as a reminder to all other wretched and starving orphans never to make such a mistake.
The astounded response of the workhouse officials show that they took up Oliver’s action of asking for more very seriously. Physical punishment was immediate
“The master aimed a blow at Oliver’s head with the ladle, pinioned him in his arms, and shrieked aloud for the beadle. Oliver was ordered into ‘instant confinement’, and a bill was next morning pasted on the outside of the gate, offering a reward of five pounds to anybody who would take Oliver Twist ‘off the hands of the parish”.
The novel very effectively shows the humiliation and resentment that young Dickens felt when he was forced to work in the terrible conditions of the Warren Blacking Company. Dickens was a victim of child labor so was Oliver Twist and thousands of orphans like himself with Mr. Sowerberry Oliver was expected to work all the daylight hours and almost the night. In return he would be given not money but a few crusts of bread. Mrs. Sowerberry is not ay all impressed when Oliver makes his appearance. She is certain that there is
Many of the orphans who turned to crime were trapped by leaders of the criminal world who were like Fagin. The people who worked for Fagin stole and did small crimes but it gets very violent when Bill Sikes kills Nancy and things go wrong. Bill Sikes is a very brutal character in the novel. He likes to beat his dog and his girlfriend, he keeps everyone in fear of what he is going to do next, as when Fagin says,
“You won’t be too violent Bill?” This statement shows that they have no trust in him. Bill Sikes has a problem with alcohol as he drinks a lot of alcohol so some of his brutal actions are because of alcohol. This is shown when he says
“to prevent my standing treat for a pint of so” Sikes is a typical bully who shows no remorse for what he does to others. We see evidence of this when he takes Oliver on the burglary with him and does not care whether Oliver gets injured.
Sikes has no respect for Fagin and you can tell this by the way he speaks to him. You can see Fagin is afraid of him but Fagin does like to have the last word. If Sikes does not get his own way he will turn to violence as we see with the arguments over Oliver,
“… looking sternly at him, and ostentatiously passing a pistol into a more convenient pocket. “That’s lucky for one of us.”
This shows again Sikes is unpredictable and a bully and brings more tension. When Bill Sykes sees Fagin, Fagin changes the tone of his voice at once. Fagin is obviously afraid of the physical strength of Sikes. Sikes is very selfish and does not care how he treats people. An example of this is when Sikes takes Oliver on a burglary when he forces Oliver to climb though the window. When Oliver recognised they were going to burgle a house he tries to escape but Sikes threatened to shoot him with a gun,
“Get up, or I’ll strew your brains upon the grass.”
Sikes is obviously jealous of Oliver and hates it when Nancy gives any kind of attention to Oliver. Evidence of this is clear Nancy receives a beating from Sikes each time she tries to defend Oliver from Sikes. Sikes shows no feeling for those around him and he is thoroughly bad, in the convention of the time, to carry out the cruel murder of Nancy. Sikes alone is capable of beating to death the woman who loves him,
“ …seized a heavy club and struck her down.”
This act of violence shows that he is selfish and shows no help or sympathy to others. Although he shows no feeling towards others Sikes suffers very badly after Nancy’s death as he keeps seeing Nancy’s eyes,
“The eyes again!” he cries in an unearthly screech. He finally comes to his death on the rooftops.
Mr. Brownlow is a respectable and high class personality. He is related to Oliver Twist. He adopts Oliver and promises never to part with him. He is one person who gives love and kindness to Oliver and even though Oliver was blamed for stealing he forgave him and understood what he told him. He even trusted him and sent him with the books and money. Oliver and orphans like him found solace in God. They always prayed to God and were different from other orphans. They had faith in God. Oliver doesn't go into the world of crime because he has moral courage and believes in god and religion. He has faith in god so he doesn't take the wrong way. Oliver shows how love and compassion can change a person. Mrs. Maylie takes Oliver in when he comes injured to her doorstep and heals him back to health. Mr. Losborne cared for Oliver a lot and is shown in the novel.
"Oliver gradually throve and prospered under the care of Mrs. Maylie, Rose, and the kind hearted Mr. Losborne". Mr. Losborne also cared much for Oliver. Mr. Brownlow also had a soft corner for orphans like Oliver. The goodness in his character helps him over come evil. Noah Claypole wants to join the life of crime and lead a life of crime. Fagin trapped Nancy at a very young age and she fears Fagin. She loves Bill Sikes and now she can't leave the life of crime. She is scared of both of them. Oliver doesn't like to join crime and he is happy not to join crime.
I think that the way the people are treating orphans like Oliver this way is very bad as they are also human beings and children. My heart bleeds for them. I hate the people who abuse and discriminate others. I can't see other people and orphans being discriminated.
In 'Oliver Twist' all of this is shown and it is shown perfectly. Oliver Twist represents all the 19th century orphans. He shows how orphans are treated and how all of them are discriminated. He is an important character as the whole story revolves around him to show to the readers what the orphans go through. I think that Charles Dickens has written a good book filled with love, sorrow, miseries, happiness, sadness and at last especially about an orphan named Oliver Twist. It is a great novel and attracts the readers' attention and heart towards the book. It is designed to appeal to the readers and students. It has got many surprises, secrets and revelations that all narratives contain. 'Oliver Twist' is a world-renowned book just because of its pure truth and how orphans are treated because people relate to the truth instead of to lies. This book is famous also because the boy who dares to ask for more gruel is Oliver and how he is treated because asking for more is not a sin so the readers want to know what will happen next in the life of Oliver which is filled with miseries. 'Oliver Twist' is an excellent novel to read to understand 19th century orphans.
