Oliver Twist

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Zoey

Is Chapter 50 reflective of Oliver Twist?

In Chapter 50, it opens in Jacob’s Island South London, where there are three men, Kags, Crackit and Chitling, hiding in a house in an abandoned area. They are discussing the arrest of Fagin and what will happen to him. Then Bill Sykes’ dog arrives at the house alone. Shortly after, Sykes himself arrives. He asks many questions about Fagin who has recently been arrested: “Is it true, or is it a lie?” A young boy named Charley Bates arrives at the house, he knew about the murder of Nancy and that Sykes’ was the one who killed her. He and Sykes fight, but Charley didn’t succeed in hurting Sykes. A huge crowd of people are heard outside, shouting and screaming. Charley shouts for the police to come and get Bill so Bill decides to lock Charley in a cupboard. Sykes then tries to escape but as he is doing so he sees Nancy’s eyes, then her ghost. Her ghost possesses him: “Threw his arms above his head, and uttered a yell of terror.” He is using a rope so he can tie one end around his waist so he can swing to the side of the houses. However, seeing Nancy’s ghost makes him accidentally put the loop over his head and slips, falling and then hangs as the rope around his neck tightens.

In the novel, names represent personal qualities. The name Twist is the most obvious name, as it shows the twist in fortune that Oliver will come across. The name Bulls eye also represents his personal qualities. A Bulls eye is a target and the name sounds unpleasant and violent. Bills dog has also got the same sort of personality as him. The name Bulls eye makes us think of his eyes which play a big part in making Sykes feel guilty for killing Nancy and is what drives him to his death because he couldn’t escape his conscience when he sees Nancy’s eyes in the dogs’.

So far in the novel, Nancy has been murdered by Sykes because she told Mr. Brownlow where Oliver was and agreed to take him to the bridge to give him back. Nancy’s decision to meet Mr. Brownlow on London Bridge shows the symbolism of the bridge. Bridges link two places that would be separate without the bridge. Meeting on London Bridge represents the collision of two worlds. Nancy is offered the chance to cross over to Mr. Brownlow’s way of life where she would be better off but she turns it down. This is because she loves Bill and was unable to leave her past life behind. When Mr. Brownlow leaves the bridge the opportunity is lost forever and can’t be offered again.

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Characters disguise their identities when it will benefit them. A good example of this is when Nancy pretends to Oliver’s middle-class sister so that she can take him back to Fagin. Clothing also shows us important parts of some characters personalities. When Dickens wants the reader to see a different part to a character and their personality he changes their clothing. When Oliver returns to Fagin, Fagin takes his new clothes from Mr. Brownlow off him.

Before we know that Oliver is related to Mr. Brownlow, we already know how close they are. Mr. Brownlow is already treating him ...

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