IE-C 2 Book Report 2

11308290
1-B-33
Katsuki Fujiuchi

Dickens, Charles. Oliver Twist, Edinburgh Gate, Harlow, Essex, England : Pearson Education Limited, 1999 ( first published in the Bridge Series 1962)

Summary:
Oliver was born at the workshop where it was about 75 miles away from London. The reason why he was born at there was because his mother was found lying in the street when she was traveling and taken by someone to there. Her mother left some accessories and died. These accessories was taken care by the old lady who was at the place where she – Oliver’s mother – died.

Oliver was named by Mr. Bumble, who is the beadle – kind of an officer at the church - of that area. His last name “Twist” was named “Twist” because the kids who named before him started from a letter “S”. Then, they gave a notice which says that they will give ￡10 whoever knows about him. But, it didn’t work. Therefore, he was sent to the baby farm. When he was nine years old, he went to the workhouse where his mother died.

At there, he was given very little meal. Other children at there were the same. That is the reason they decided to pick someone to request for another dish, and Oliver was chosen. When he asked for more foods, the peoples – adults – in the workhouse confined Oliver, and they gave an offer says that they give five pounds whoever wants Oliver for apprentice.

The chimney sweeper came first, but he had some bad reputation, so Mr. Sowerberry, an undertaker, took him. He took Oliver to funeral of every child because his face looked sad. Noah, who is the senior of him, didn’t like that situation, and bullied Oliver. Oliver gets angry at him, and he hits Noah. He was put into the basement by Mrs. Sowerberry. One night, Mr. Sowerberry helped Oliver to get out from there and work again with him. But Oliver didn’t work with him. Instead, he went to London.


At there, he meets Artful Dodger, whose real name is Jack Dawkins, a boy who did criminals. He recommended a place where Oliver can stay. That was a place of Bob Fagin, a man who was the reader of all of the bad boys. The next morning, he learned how to “work” and some games to play. Several days after, he went to “work”. It was too late that when he knew what he was doing was a robbery, he had to run all over London city, and arrested by the police. At the place of his judgment, he was saved by Mr. Brownlow. He lived with him. Mr. Brownlow and Mrs. Bedwin, who works at his house, got surprised because Oliver’s face looked alike as the woman in the picture at the house.

When he recovered, Mr. Brownlow gave money to Oliver to go and pay for the book that Mr. Brownlow bought. Mr. Grimwig, his friend, said that he couldn’t believe children and therefore, let’s bet about this. Unfortunately, this estimate – that Oliver will not come back – proved right. Fagin was searching for Oliver and his gang, Nancy caught him.

Oliver was confined into a house located at the eastern London. He was put into a member of the robbery. When he did with other members, he was shot his arms. One of his member, Bill Sikes, left him at the road and went away.

Mr. Brownlow gave a notice saying he will give money whoever knows information about Oliver. This notice was caught in sight of Mr. Bumble, who came to London. He met Mr. Brownlow and told him how bad Oliver is, and showed some papers. Mr. Brownlow gets disappointed. But, about from this chapter, mystery about Oliver gets solved little by little.

Meanwhile, the old lady who was at the scene of the Oliver’s birth gets into a condition which she will almost die, and told Mrs. Coney, the woman at the “baby farm” that Oliver’s mother stole something before she came to the workshop. The old lady couldn’t tell what Oliver’s mother stole. But then, Monks, a mysterious man came to visit Fagin. He told Fagin to make Oliver as a bad boy, but not to kill him.


Changing the story, Oliver, who was left by Bill, went to a house for help. Mrs. Maylie and her adopted child Rose told him to get in. The story about Oliver himself gave sympathy to them, and to the police investigation, their friend, Mr. Losberne, helped him. When Oliver recovered, he went to search Mr. Brownlow, but he already went to the West Indies with Mr. Grimwig and Mrs. Bedwin. Oliver couldn’t meet and tell why he had gone away to them. After a while, when it gets warm, they went to cottage in the country. At there, Rose got sick and she gets to the situation which she nearly die. When she recovered miraculously, Mrs. Maylie’s son, Harry came. He loves Mary. Mrs. Maylie, however, had some doubt about Rose’s background. One day, when Harry proposed his heart, Rose said that she has blemish on her name, so she does not want to sully him.

Mr. Bumble quit his job as a beadle, merry with Mrs. Corney, and became a leader of the workshop. But he was ruled by her. He went to the pub to blow his steam off. At there, he met Monks. He told that he want to meet the old lady who saw Oliver’s mother die. Mr. Bumble told that the old lady died, but when he thought that he can get some money, he suggested Monks to meet his wife. Mrs. Bumble told that she has a bag which contains a gold locket and a gold ring. When he gets that, he throw it into the river to hide them. Then, he went to London to meet Fagin and told his plan to plunge Oliver. But Nancy was listening to it, and decided to tell all to Rose. She told that the things that tells about Oliver’s background has thrown away, his property will be Monks’ one, If he was set up to be a robbery and if he was judged as death penalty, the will of his mother will not make sense, and Monks is Oliver’s brother.

Rose thanked Nancy, and wanted to give her some money. But, Rose refused, and she only told Rose where to meet again. On the day they promised, Nancy couldn’t get out because she couldn’t get permission from Bill Sikes. She gets frustrated. Fagin saw that, and he thought that there might be something, so he put her person to watch her. One week after, when she went out in the midnight, the watch followed her. Bill heard Story from Fagin, and he killed Nancy when she came back. After that, he left the place they hide. Police pursed after him, and to escape, he jumped into the river but he tied rope to his neck by miss, and he died.

Monks was arrested. Due to the research of Mr. Brownlow, they found Monks is Oliver’s brother, Rose is his aunt, and Mr. Brownlow is his father’s friend.

Fagin was also arrested, and he was executed. Harry married
Rose and became priest. Monks went to the U.S. but, at there, he did bad things again, and he died at the jail. Oliver became adopted child of Mr. Brownlow, and lived happily ever after.

Setting: England, United Kingdom, 19 century.

Point of view: Omniscient

Conflict: Oliver versus his environment – that he lives poor -

Climax: Chapter 49, when Monks turned out to be Oliver’s brother, Rose was his mother’s sister and Mr. Brownlow was his father’s friend.

Symbol: I think his situation stands for the poorness of the working class of the industrial revolution – it started from the Great Britain - .

Irony: When the boy who recommended a good place to stay was a one of the members of robbery group. Also the climax point was another irony.

Evaluation: I think that if I was Oliver, I can’t live like him – to fight against his situation –. That is why Oliver is one of my hero – soneone to respect - for me.