Dickens, Charles - Estratti Oliver Twist

Oliver Twist

Oliver Twist is a boy with unknown parents, he was born in a workhouse and his mother died during his birth and he is brought up in this workhouse in an inhuman way. He committed the offense to ask for a bit of more food, when he was closer to starving. He was later sold to an undertaker but his cruelty led Oliver to escape to London. In London Oliver joined a gang of pickpockets trained by Fagin. Oliver was caught at his first attempt of stealing and the victim was Mr Brownlow, impressed by the unhealthy appearance of Oliver, so he decided to take care of him. Oliver is later kidnapped by Fagin and was forced to commit a burglary, but during the crime he is shot and wounded. Oliver is adopted by Mr Brownlow and he receives kindness and affection, investigations discord that Oliver had noble origins. The gang of pickpockets was sent to Oliver by his half-Brother in order to ruin Oliver's life and receive their father's property.

The workhouse

Oliver was born in a workhouse, but there weren't people who were able to take care of Oliver. So after his birth he was sent to a branch-workhouse ruled by Parish authorities, there were a lot of juvenile offenders looked after by an elderly woman. Dickens used irony to describe the elderly woman, in fact he said that she was a woman of wisdom and experience because she knew what was good for the children and and she also new you what was good for herself. So she used to steal half of the weekly stipend of the children, and she used this money only for herself .
Dickens used a comparison between a great philosopher who fed his horse only with a straw and he died, and the woman who had the role to take care of the children. Every child had to survive with a little portion of food and when one of them died, they hid the real cause of their death. When there was an interesting inquest on parish authorities every child was clean and fed, the beadle knew the day before that authorities were going to control them.
Oliver spent his 9th birthday in a coal-cellar with his friend because they were punished by Miss Mann because they said they were hungry.

Oliver wants some more

The room where the children used to eat was huge. The master was helped to give food to children by two women. Each boy had a bowl of porridge and they were so hungry that they ate everything. In fact after eating the bowl was clean. They watched the pot with the food because they were starving, in fact they would have also eaten the pot.
Children of the branch house decide to rebel and say that they want more food. They chose who had to ask for more food and lots were cast, and it fell to Oliver.
The master was serving food and he said a long-prayer but as always he served a small portion of food so Oliver asked for more food. His action is reckless because he isn't in the right position to ask for more food. In fact he is afraid of his own courage.
There is a contrast between the master and Oliver and everyone was astonished by what just happened. Mr Bumble ran in order to say what Oliver had done to the board. The board was eating a lot of food and when they heard what Mr Bumble said they were horrified. So the board decided to sell Oliver for Only £5 to everybody who wanted an apprentice.