ISU 2 - Oliver Twist

The Cards that are Dealt (Oliver Twist)

Charles Dickens’ award winning novel Oliver Twist is a classic, studied abroad all over the world. Oliver Twist is a harrowing tale regarding the hardships encountered by the orphan boy, Oliver Twist, along his journey. The book follows the boy’s passage from town to town, event after event and blow after blow. This tale embodies a compelling belief that not all people who have had a bad start will necessarily end up bad. Henceforth Oliver Twist is literary proof that the rags to riches story can exist and perhaps may come true if the game of life is played correctly. Oliver Twist was dealt the worst cards possible and despite all odds he manages to turn his life journey into an unbeatable metaphorical royal flush. The metaphorical royal flush was developed through standing up for what he believes in, readiness to learn, perseverance of events, bravery, and his being optimistic in the “rainiest weather”.
Taking all this into consideration, being dealt bad cards is not the end of the world, but rather it gives you the opportunity to change your outcome and prove everyone else wrong. Dickens’ uses poor old Oliver as a means to show the world that our paths are not etched in stone but perhaps written for the time being, capable of being erased and altered as time carries on. Consequently, all this adds to the basis that not all individuals who are given a rough start will wind up bad. They may surprise you and become great and full of the character built up from numerous challenging experiences. Or perhaps be a remarkable person who is a little rough around the edges. No matter how short the end of the stick you draw is, you can make it look tall by your actions.
Oliver drew the short end of the stick from square one on both sides of the spectrum. One side is his life and the other the most memorable moments known to the common person. This unforgettable event was the first stone to be turned over in Oliver’s journey. But before all these “memorable” moments, Oliver’s hard-fought journey commenced from inside an orphanage in England. Orphanages around this time were not very sanitary or fulfilling in any sort of way. The adults would basically starve the children or they would die of disease or infection. The year isn’t accurately known and is not necessarily important in the novel, but the boy’s age was. When Oliver’s ninth birthday arrived his parents had not yet been identified or even found, so the orphanage committee members instructed poor Oliver to the nearest workhouse to study an unfavourable trade. At the workhouse the children were given even less food than previously and even harder work; which drove several to starvation which was soon followed by death. Oliver managed to stay optimistic and persevere throughout these conditions leading to the more monumental moment of the novel.
The more literal sense of Oliver pulling a short end of the stick in this case was pulling the shortest string from a group of children at the workhouse. This resulted in Oliver’s first baby step in his journey. That evening after Oliver had finished his extremely small ration of slop, he began a short, yet brave walk to the front. These acts lead up to this defining conversation:
'Please, sir, I want some more.' 'What!' said the master at length, in a faint voice. 'Please, sir,' replied Oliver, 'I want some more.' 'Mr. Limbkins, I beg your pardon, sir! Oliver Twist has asked for more!''For MORE!' said Mr. Limbkins. 'Compose yourself, Bumble, and answer me distinctly.Do I understand that he asked for more, after he had eaten the supper allotted by the dietary?' 'He did, sir,' replied Bumble. 'That boy will be hung,' said the gentleman in the white waistcoat. 'I know that boy will be hung’ (Dickens, II ).
Oliver knowingly and partially willingly, asked for more even though he knew of the probable outcome. This portrays the bravery which is one of the main components of Oliver’s ability to climb out of a hole that was dug so deep from the get go. This event resulted in Oliver being given out with a cash reward to anyone who was willing to take him as their apprentice and thus resulted in the first step in Oliver’s rise to goodness.
Upon being sold to a passer-by Oliver begins to like this home. He is well fed and given a warm place to sleep. Soon after, he encounters a helper boy from around the homestead who begins to poke fun at Oliver and his mother. The boy keeps poking and poking until Oliver looses it and starts to pound the boys face in. This event lets Oliver’s bravery shine once again. Oliver resolves to stand up for what he believes in because he comprehends that it’s not what an individuals job is, or who their parents are that defines them, but it is rather what they do and how they act. On the flipside the workhouse is being phoned and asked to come take this “troublesome” and “angry” boy, Oliver, back. Later that night Oliver crawls out his basement window and begins unwittingly his long walk to freedom.
This walk has been depicted as over seventy miles in a pair of half-assed leather slippers and for the most part, bare feet. Oliver starts out running which then gradually tapers off into a slow jog. That slow jog turns into and a sluggish shuffling. The hobbling, fatigued Oliver then basically falls to his knees in exhaustion. A gentle elderly lady sees this poor boy fall to his knees and she takes him in to her house until he is better and fed. It’s as if she seen the good in him through all the dirt, the grime and the exhaustion. This illustrates Oliver’s perseverance, he believed that he could do it, and sometimes that’s all it takes. Like good old Thomas the tank Engine saying “I Think I Can! I Think I Can!” The next thing you know the persistent Oliver is in the big city and ready to await his next fate, whether disaster, or happiness.
This foothold starts off with Oliver leaning over the stepping stone at which he is met by an artful young gentleman, who strikes up a quizzical conversation. Soon after all this walking and talking with the man, Oliver is invited up to The Artful Dodger’s (the young gentleman) safe house. This is where Oliver meets several children that thieve for a living, trained by the frail old man, Fagin. Not long after the initial introductions take place Fagin takes special interest in Oliver. Oliver is awoken by Fagin admiring his own personal property, and in effect he starts to stare at Fagin. Fagin then notices and proceeds over to Oliver yelling. As Oliver attempts to prove his innocence Fagin replies with:
Of course I know that, my dear. I only tried to frighten you. You're a brave boy. Ha! ha! you're a brave boy, Oliver (Dickens, IX ).
Again Oliver’s bravery is shown and not only noticed by a reader but brought to your attention by a key foil character. As well, an observer can notice that Oliver is always looking on the bright side of things no matter how rough or frightening life gets. Oliver is never scared because he is able to see light in the blackest of corners. This is described as being optimistic and Oliver has it in abundance.
“Very much, indeed, if you'll teach me, sir…”(Dickens, IX ) are words often heard exuding from Oliver’s mouth. If not heard literally they will be inferred through body language or implied by other words. This is a key to Oliver’s immense intelligence because he is always willing and wanting to learn when opportunities present themselves. This characteristic enables Oliver to get a subtle education that benefits him on the street while striving to survive. While Fagin is teaching the boy how to thieve without being noticed he tells the boy:
…You're a clever boy, my dear… I never saw a sharper lad. Here's a shilling for you. If you go on, in this way, you'll be the greatest man of the time… (Dickens, IX )
Fagin of all people, the dark and mysterious Fagin, realizes the greatness in such a small boy. He recognizes the boy to have great potential and yet it frightens him to death that a safe house may not be a fitting place for a boy with such aptitude and a compass aimed towards good might. Oliver’s rise starts with the first time Fagin releases the boy to begin thieving for the safe house.
A trial, a fever, and a new place to call home later; Oliver’s happiness is finally met. A place where he is loved and looked after and is given immense freedom. This is where Oliver feels most at home. The self developed guardian’s name would be Mr. Brownlow, who just so happened to be the judge who tried poor Oliver for theft but soon after found Oliver innocent. During a between Mr. Brownlow and Oliver, Mr Brownlow had said:
… I hope not,' rejoined the old gentleman. 'I do not think you ever will. I have been deceived, before, in the objects whom I have endeavoured to benefit; but I feel strongly disposed to trust you… (Dickens, XIV)
This shows that Oliver had the abilities within him to do great as long as he looked ahead with optimism and persevered through the worst of the days. People that made Oliver and had merely just an encounter could get this sense off him, that he was destined to be good. Mr. Brownlow had trusted Oliver so much he had let him run an errand that involved money and beautifully constructed books. Off went Oliver to prove to the world that he had at last found a place to call home; where he could be happy and do good.

Thirty steps later Oliver had been snagged up by Fagin’s gang and who took him back to the so called safe house. Once back to this filthy residence Fagin’s group of children began striping Oliver of everything he had. Oliver, so upset and set out to do this task he proposed this:
'They belong to the old gentleman,' said Oliver, wringing his hands; 'to the good, kind, old gentleman who took me into his house, and had me nursed, when I was near dying of the fever. Oh, pray send them back; send him back the books and money. Keep me here all my life long; but pray, pray send them back. He'll think I stole them; the old lady: all of them who were so kind to me: will think I stole them. Oh, do have mercy upon me, and send them back!' (Dickens, XVI)
Oliver set out to accomplish this errand. He had offered his entire life just to prove to the world he could for once do well, but thieves, such as this group were, would not listen and they attempted to keep the unfortunate Oliver there for the rest of his life. ‘Try’ would be the key word; Oliver would persevere and find himself in a run for his life. Shortly after the thievery choke-hold on Oliver was soon fell off the edge along with Bill Sikes the man who started the entire group. The choke-hold and Sikes had been hung before the village for everyone to see. But still one man remained.
Fagin was instantly imprisoned after Sikes death. Oliver was free but yet still felt down, he was not yet happy. Oliver had to make amends with the frail old Fagin. So Mr. Brownlow and Oliver took a journey to the prison to pay Fagin a visit before he was sent to be hung. Oliver asked to if he was coming into the cell,since it was not a sight for children. Mr Brownlow replied:
'It is not indeed, my friend,' rejoined Mr. Brownlow; 'but my business with this man is intimately connected with him; and as this child has seen him in the full career of his success and villainy, I think it as well--even at the cost of some pain and fear--that he should see him now. (Dickens, LII)
This lastly shows the bravery within the now happy Oliver. Oliver was never frightened, no matter what he saw, he knew in order to make himself finally feel that happiness he had to thank Fagin for his kindness, no matter how much harm was caused by the man. The good outweighed the evil, triple fold.
Consequently the word ‘fold’ cannot be associated with Oliver. Oliver did the exact opposite of fold; he did not give up what so ever. Through several series of events along Oliver’s journey there were a number of prime examples where Oliver was optimistic. In this instance, a seventy mile walk with slim to none rations. That would also show perseverance because he never surrendered to fatigue. He also stood up to whoever told him something mean, wrong or just straight up not right. This shows his keen bravery and his ability to speak his mind in a reasonable way. Whatever lay in Oliver’s cards he would never back down to; he was never scared, being very brave for such a small boy. Oliver is always learning from mistakes and his everyday encounters help the mislead boy to find his way. Oliver Twist was dealt a bad hand of cards from square one. The boy could have forfeited and been a worker boy or a thief or a hobo but no, he rose to the occasion. Oliver knew there was something better than being a low life, or a sinner, the poor boy just wanted to do well and be happy. He turned his life around and despite what would happen, he was determined to fight for what he wanted. So fight is what Oliver did, and what he got in the end was worth it. Happiness is what he gained and good is what he did.




Bibliography will be ocming soon my book is snowed in at school