In this essay I am hoping to show the similarities between the novels 'Oliver Twist' and A 'Kestrel for a Knave'.

The first set of character I am going to compare is Mrs Mann and Mrs Casper.

Mrs Mann and Mrs Casper are in many ways similar; they both fail to bring their children up in a safe and sanitary environment and give them the TLC that a young child needs. Mrs Casper is always in the company of other men, she is always out and when she decides to come home she will bring one of her boyfriends back. This will confuse Billy if she is bringing different men home each week. 'Is that you Reg' Mrs Casper says as Billy enters the house. Reg is one of her boyfriends that she brought home one night. When Billy asks about Reg Mrs Casper ignores him or changes the subject, this shows her ignorance and doesn't listen to Billy. Billy is teased and bullied about his mum being a bit of a tart There is never any decent food in the house 'and opened the pantry door. There was a packet of dried peas and a bottle of vinegar on the shelves. The bread bin was empty'. Mrs Casper doesn't give Billy any money for food although one day she gave him a couple of bob to get some pop and crisps, (she must have been busy the night before). Mrs Casper never asks if Billy is ok, when Billy asks for support or someone to talk to she shows no interest in Billy. 'Billy rushes round the table to his mother and tried to bury his face in her. She held him off,' Mrs Casper didn't even turn up to Billy's careers meeting to discuss his future, this show neglect ion. Judd his older brother is always beating Billy and Mrs Casper is never there to stop it and when she is she pretends nothings happening. Mrs casper is only interested in her own business, no one else's not even her sons. Mrs casper carn't even be bothered to provide her son with clean underwear clothes and a P.E kit.

Mrs Mann is Oliver's meant to be carer and runs the ware house where Oliver spent nine years of his life; Mrs Mann is fond of gin and pays no concern towards Oliver she also subjects Oliver to violence 'Mrs Mann who had got behind the beadles chair and was shaking her fists at him with furious countenance'. Mrs Mann is a very uptight woman and spends all the money she gets for the children's benefits on herself to buy her the alcohol.

This shows that Mrs Mann and Mrs Casper are alike and don't care about their child's well-being and only do things for their own benefit.

The second set of characters I am hoping to show a comparison between are Mr Sugden and Mr Bumble.

Mr Sugden is Billy's P.E teacher. He treats the pupils with disrespect especially Billy, he bullies the students physically and verbally when they do something wrong even if its something stupid like not saving a goal. There is apart in the book where they're in a P.E lesson and billy is choose to be in goals like always, billy isn't a good sportsman and doesn't like to be a goalie. billy tries to explain to Mr Sugden that he is no good in nets, Mr Sugden just ignores the point Billy is trying to make and tells him to get in goals. Out on the football pitch Billy starts swinging on the goal posts and doesn't realise that the other team are about to score. The goal is scored and Sugden starts going on one. When the P.E lesson is over they go inside and have a shower apart from Billy. Sugden wants to know why Billy keeps giving him excuses to get out of showering this time it doesn't work and Billy is made to borrow a towel and get in the shower. Sugden switches the temperature down to ice cold and gets a couple of lads to stand at either end of the shower unit whipping Billy with wet twisted towels leaving red marks all over his body. This show neglect towards Billy off someone you would have expected to be a good example, this also shows how thoughtless he is and how he won't do anything unless it's for his own profit.

Mr Bumble is the man in charge of the workhouse in the Charles Dickens novel Oliver Twist. He is big; self-caring man who doesn't have many interests in the boys health and hygiene who are in his care. One of the scenes in the book prove this when a group of lads including Oliver are playing like a dares game where whoever picks the shortest straw has to do the dare. Oliver picks the shortest straw and is dared to approach Mr Bumble at mealtime and ask for more food, Bumble is taken aback from this boys request and begins to roar at Oliver whilst he his stood their shaking with fear. Mr Bumble tries to grab Oliver but he runs off, once Bumble has caught him he punishes Oliver. 'Mr Bumble gave him a tap on the shoulder with the cane ... and on his back to make him lonely. This proves that he has no care for the children's well-being and has his own interest at heart. While the children are sat eating their groul, Bumble and other employees are sat eating turkey and drinking wine.

Emma shepherd