Society’s Attitude Towards Under Privileged Children in the Novel Oliver Twist

Society’s Attitude Towards Under Privileged Children in the Novel Oliver Twist

‘Oliver Twist’ is one of Charles Dickens most enduringly popular

novels. Best known for his host of distinctively cruel, comic and

repugnant characters, Charles Dickens remains the most widely read of

the Victorian novelists. ‘Oliver Twist’, a meek, mild young boy, is

born in the workhouse and spends his early years there until, finding

the audacity to ask for more food, “Please, sir, I want some more.” he

is made to leave. Oliver represents the underprivileged children in

this novel. Dickens shows us society’s attitude towards Oliver and the

under privileged children, they were abused, beaten and “brought up by

hand.” ‘Oliver Twist’ is a criticism of the workhouses, the judicial

system and the criminal world of London society of the time. Dickens

use of satire and descriptive style conveys the pain of the

unfortunate to the reader. His narrative skills are loaded with biting

sarcasm and irony making the novel a chilling revelation of the life

of the orphans.

Dickens was a lifelong champion of the poor. He himself suffered the

harsh abuse visited upon the poor by the English legal system, as he

himself was an orphan. In England in the 1830s, the poor had no voice,

political or economically. In Oliver Twist, he presents the everyday

existence of the lowest characters of English society. He goes far

beyond the experiences of the workhouse, extending his depiction of

poverty to London’s squalid streets, dark alehouses, and thieves’

dens, he gives voice to those who had no voice, showing us a link

between politics and literature with his language techniques and

social commentary. The novel is that of a young individual boy but t...

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...y to make us visualize the19th century London.

Characters such as Mr.Brownlow, Nancy, Ms. Rose, all give comfort to

Oliver’s life but filthy characters such Fagin and Sikes never allow

Oliver to be in peace.

Dickens shows us how society can change the life of a person. The

different classes of society all have good and bad. But in the end we

know that good prevails over evil. The novel has made me realize that

I can survive under any circumstances if I keep hope and keep praying

like Oliver did, have more faith. The novel also inspires me as good

prevails over evil and always will. The novel is also an eye opener

for me as it teaches me to appreciate the comforts of my life as I

have a home to live in, love from my parents, food to eat everyday and

it teaches me to be more understanding and gentle towards younger

people who are less fortunate than me.