Text and Media
Argument
Oliver’s travels through and near London display the plight of the lower-class by the locations where he travels.
By traveling through the land, Oliver shows the plight of the lower class through the specific aspects of where he goes.
By traveling through the land, Oliver shows the plight of the lower class through the specific aspects of where he goes.
Orphanage
Oliver twist is born in a workhouse and readers soon learn that he is an orphan. The modern version of the novel does not explicitly mention the location of the orphanage; however, the original publication makes a brief mention to a fictional town named Mudfog. It is believed that the town is north of London, no more than 100 miles away. Many scholars assume that this fictional town is the location of the Olive Creek Orphanage and is supposed to represent an element of Dickens’ youth. Dickens spent a part of his childhood in Chatham, Kent. Using his life history as a basis for the story of Oliver Twist Dickens begins the novel by depicting a poor child struggling to climb up the socioeconomic ladder. The role of the orphanage can be summarized in the classic scene “please sir may I have some more.” The orphanage is a key element of the novel, but when it comes to socioeconomic status it is a representation of deprivation and struggle. The location is significant because it is rather far from London, the epicenter of wealth for all of the United Kingdom. Moreover, as Oliver sets out on his journey through life he travels closer to the city, constantly struggling to balance his upper class personality with his lower class history. His journey through London is a symbolic struggle for understanding of his role on the socioeconomic hierarchy.
Pick-Pocket's House
The specific location of Fagin’s and thus The Artful Dodger's and Oliver Twist’s house is never mentioned. Dickens merely states that they live in a house on a rather quite street near a marketplace. Implying that the house is not located inside the city of London, but the apparent success of the pick-pocketing operation and the numerous references to the wealth of the Jewish community allow the reader to infer that the marketplace is a wealthy suburb of London. By placing Oliver in this location Dickens depicts the constant struggle Oliver faces concerning his socioeconomic status. Oliver is living close to a rich neighborhood and able to interact with the elite members society, but only because he is a member of the lowest class citizens: thieves. In essence this stage in his journey shows the transition that Oliver goes through, the stage in his life where he experiences both the upper and lower socioeconomic classes.
Gallows
The English gallows are a place of equality and justice. Regardless of social class, those who commit a crime worthy of capital punishment are sent to the gallows. The location of the gallows is not explicitly stated in the novel, however, history leads us to believe that the Gallows were located inside the prison walls and that executions had just shifted from a mobile 12 inmate capacity “new drop” parallel beam structure to a two to three inmate capacity stationary construction. The death occurred the same way, hanging. The inclusion of such a graphic event in the novel leads to one point; a common ground. Executions were a public matter. Individuals from all socioeconomic classes came to watch the executions. In essence, Dickens places Oliver in this scenario solely for the purpose of developing his social class. Only at executions do people of all walks of life come together on a single issue. Only at the execution will Oliver be able to truly compare the walks of life side by side and determine where he truly fits in. The execution is an educational event both morally and socioeconomically.
Workhouse
Oliver’s mother is found lying on the street, exhausted from walking. She is brought into the workhouse to give birth, aided by only a drunken nurse and a rather indifferent surgeon. Oliver’s mother does not survive the birth and Oliver only barely manages to win over death, breathing his first breath. Oliver is wrapped in a blanket and placed on a makeshift mattress as the surgeon casually walks away, leaving him with the nurse. Dickens begins this way yes, to establish Oliver’s upbringing, but also to show the poor conditions in which Oliver’s life begins. Oliver is born probably around 75 miles outside of London, and he remains there until he runs away. He is born outside of society, away from people who can help him escape his lower-class identity. Additionally, by being born outside of London, it gives Oliver a chance to travel to London, and view it in fresh eyes upon his arrival.
Sowerberry's House
Eventually a parish undertaker aptly named Mr. Sowerberry takes Oliver to work for him. Although he treats Oliver better than he was at the orphanage, he is in a failing marriage and because takes a liking to Oliver, his wife hates the boy and never misses an opportunity to mistreat him. The Sowerberry home is slightly farther away from the orphanage, although still in walking distance. What matters though, is that it is farther away from London than the orphanage. When Oliver works as an undertaker, he is farther away from society than ever before, and he is still treated like dirt, even having to sleep among coffins. His stay at the Sowerberry home exemplifies his removal from the lower-class, which prompts his flee to London.
Runaway
As Oliver prepares to finally run away, his surroundings are described as being absolutely still and dead, even the shadows from the trees resemble tombstones. But when he does run away he leaves at morning, symbolizing the departure from the stillness of death and sadness and the opportunity for a new beginning. Oliver leaves the house, following the wagons he had seen travelling to the city. He passes the workhouse, where a dying young boy is seen doing chores for Mr. Bumble. Oliver’s departure from the coffins from Sowerberry’s house and passing of the dying boy while moving toward London show that he can begin a new life in London; he can temporarily escape death by running away. As he arrives in London, he meets a lower-class boy by the name of Jack Dawkins. Although this will change later in the story, Jack meets Oliver with kindness and hospitality, showing that even from Oliver’s first steps in London, the lower-class is treated better. Oliver has begun moving up the socioeconomic status.
Return
While travelling back to his native town, Oliver saw many familiar places that brought back many of old memories. This journey from London to Oliver’s native town echos his initial escape from the workhouse and the Sowerberry’s house. He escaped from this town as a homeless lower-class orphan and ran to London, a symbol of upper class, a city of dreams. Now, Oliver Twist returns with many kind-hearted upper-class people and is of an elevated social status. This return foreshadows the discovery of Oliver Twist’s real identity and symbolizes the transition between classes.
Oliver's Identity
The identity of Oliver was uncovered from the conversation of Mr.Brownlow and Monks. Oliver was the child of Agnes and Edwin Leeford, the father of Monks and an old friend of Mr. Brownlow. Edwin Leeford was forced to marry an elder women due to a family union and had a child called Edward Leeford (Monks). However, they soon separated because they could not live in harmony. While his wife and child went to Paris, Edwin Leeford fell in love with Agnes, and she was pregnant with Oliver. To inherit a fortune, Edwin went to Rome but soon got ill. Monks confessed that he and his mother arrived in Rome to meet his dying father, and they found two papers directed to Mr. Brownlow: a letter to Agnes, and a will for the inheritance, which stated that the illegitimate child will receive the money if the child is a girl or a boy with no act of dishonor. In order to keep the money, Monks’ mother burnt the will and kept the letter from reaching Agnes. Anges’ father learned the shameful truth of her pregnancy, fled out of town with Agnes’ little sister, concealed their original names and eventually died heart-brokenly. This sad family history is a result of a forced and wretched marriage which is driven by economic concerns and family pride that is commonly present among upper class families. Dickens is apparently against this ‘merge’ and uses the dramatic contradiction of Monks and Oliver to show that the consequence of a marriage without love can only produce the wicked and notorious people like Monks while the product of love is virtually good people like Oliver Twist. Some other details of the contradiction of the social classes can be seen from the amount of property, eight hundred pounds annually. Even by relying only on the money inherited, the upper class people can live in a much better life than the lower class people. And it is interesting to note that before Monks started to tell the story, Mr. Brownlow had a paper of Monks’ declaration which have been signed by many gentle men in London. This represents a upper-class way of expelling people from their rank and destroying the reputations.
Rose's Identity
During Monk’s confession, the identity of Rose is discovered. Monks recognized her as the little sister, who was raised by a poor couples, of Agnes. Harry had previously proposed to Rose but was rejected because she feared that her disgraceful family history will shame Harry. However, when Harry revealed that he already given up his position and decided to work as a parson in the country; Rose finally agreed to marry him. This is a happy ending, but it also uncovers the huge gaps and prejudice between the upper and lower class in England. Only by giving up the social status could Harry be able to live with Rose because any association of lower class is considered a shameful stain.
Jail and Courthouse
Oliver is locked in a jail cell to await his trial before the judge. He appears before the judge and is unable to defend himself properly due to his exhaustion and sickness. He is given a false identity and is sentenced to three months of hard labor. Mr. Brownlow, the gentlemen who was pickpocketed, protests and doesn’t want Oliver to face charges. The owner of the bookstall rushes into the courtroom to tell the judge that Oliver wasn’t the culprit and Oliver was let off.
Oliver’s inability to speak at his trial, because he was sick and exhausted, suggests the lower class’s lack of political power and ability to voice its own concerns in a public situation. In 1830s England, the right to vote was based on wealth, so the poor had no say in terms of the law. Moreover, the upper classes project their own bias and preconceived notions of the poor upon them—to the point of creating identities for poor people without paying attention to the truth. Oliver can’t say his own name because of the difficult situation he is in, so a court officer gives him the false name of “Tom White.” This process of inaccurate renaming occurs throughout the hearing, as Oliver is falsely named a “young vagabond” and a “hardened scoundrel” before he is eventually falsely declared “guilty.” However, Oliver’s actual name is no more realistic, as Mr. Bumble gives him the name when he was born. As these examples demonstrate, Oliver’s identity has been determined by other, more powerful people throughout his life.
Oliver’s inability to speak at his trial, because he was sick and exhausted, suggests the lower class’s lack of political power and ability to voice its own concerns in a public situation. In 1830s England, the right to vote was based on wealth, so the poor had no say in terms of the law. Moreover, the upper classes project their own bias and preconceived notions of the poor upon them—to the point of creating identities for poor people without paying attention to the truth. Oliver can’t say his own name because of the difficult situation he is in, so a court officer gives him the false name of “Tom White.” This process of inaccurate renaming occurs throughout the hearing, as Oliver is falsely named a “young vagabond” and a “hardened scoundrel” before he is eventually falsely declared “guilty.” However, Oliver’s actual name is no more realistic, as Mr. Bumble gives him the name when he was born. As these examples demonstrate, Oliver’s identity has been determined by other, more powerful people throughout his life.
Brownlow's Mansion
Oliver enters a new world when he is taken to Brownlow’s mansion. The English legal system and the workhouses represent a value system based on retribution, punishment, and strict morals. Brownlow, and those who live and work for him, are more kind and forgiving. After a lifetime of being forced to bear false names and identities, Oliver views a portrait of a woman that resembles him. This moment in the book highlights the big mystery of the novel, Oliver’s true identity. This presents a contrast to the courtroom, where Oliver had multiple identities forced upon him. In this case, we feel that we are seeing Oliver’s true identity, even if only for a fleeting moment.
London Bridge
When Nancy meets with Rose to discuss matters on Oliver, Nancy wants them to meet again on London bridge. This is symbolic of the distance between an upper-class lady like Rose and a lower-class prostitute like Nancy. However, the greatest element of class-ism of their meeting is that Nancy refuses the salvation offered by Rose. Consistently, she refuses because she feels out of place accepting it. Nancy feels that she is lower-class and thus does not think she can be among the upper-class. The very notion of this train of thought shows a deep psychological barrier between the two classes. The fact that they plan to meet on London bridge amplifies this because there is a direct physical distance between them. Between the two sides of the bridge, it is as though they are from two different worlds.
Harry and Rose
Proper ceremony was a large concern for Victorian people. Many things were considered sinful and looked down upon. Illegitimacy was one of them. If a person was born illegitimately, the parents would generally not want anything to do with the child. The child would generally be killed or orphaned like Oliver was. Illegitimate children were generally born into the lower-class and had no real option of escape. Rose considered her possible illegitimacy as a barrier that prevented her from associating with Harry. Rose was troubled as to whether it was right for her to marry Harry as her status would ruin his reputation. Their feelings can be described by their relationship. Harry is far off doing politics while Rose is with Mrs. Maylie. They are physically separated from each other. Rose is stuck in a pleasant domestic environment, and Harry is away with prestigious colleges. This is to say that while the illegitimate can strive for happiness; that mark on them prevents them from anything greater. This goes along with the plight of the poor because orphaned children would certainly be among their rank. This is to say that, for the poor, their options are limited by forces outside of their control.
Housebreaking
Although the common depiction of Victorian England is of proper upper-class members, the lower-class needed to make a living unlike the upper-class. Because of various things happening during the Victorian era, crime was a lucrative business that was common as seen in Oliver Twist. One form of crime in particular was housebreaking where a person would plan a robbery of a rich person's house. As seen from Oliver Twist, housebreaking required a lot of planning and reconnaissance work. However, the playoffs were larger for housebreaking which meant that it had to be done fewer times. In a way, this made housebreaking safer than other forms of crime. In Oliver Twist though, the break-in of the Maylie residence carries special meaning for the poor. Oliver is forced into participating and tries to get out by notifying the Maylie’s. However, he is only shot. This is like the poor who are forced to resort to crime with no way out once they have started. In much likeness, Oliver is taken to the robbery against his will after he is forced into a place of crime. And then, he is left for dead without the power to escape from simply lying in a ditch.