雾都孤儿—英文读书笔记

BOOK REPORT_Oliver Twist

Charles Dickens is one of the most famous novelists of the Victorian Age. When Charles Dickens was young, his father was put into prison. During this time, Dickens was living by himself and working in the underground cell of a shoe blacking factory. Maybe it is because this period of experience that makes Charles Dickens’s works are more focused on the living condition of the poor. In many of his novels, Dickens showed his sympathy for the poor. Just like this book-Oliver Twist in which Charles Dickens described the miserable life of the poor children and exposed the seedy side of the society at that time.

Oliver Twist is one of Charles Dickens' most popular stories. Oliver Twist was born in a workhouse in 1930s. Later, he was sent to a Coffin shop as an apprentice. As he couldn’t endure the oppression from his boss, he fled to London. However, on the way to London, he was cheated into the haunt of thieves and trained to be a thief. On one occasion, he was taken in by a rich man—Mr. Brownlow. But unfortunately, he was framed and entrapped into the haunt of thieves again. But Oliver still believes that there are hopes in his life. Finally, Nancy, a kind-hearted woman pickpocket, rescued Oliver from dangers despite the threat of the thief-in-chief and told Brownlow that actually Oliver is his good friend’s son. Nancy was killed at the end of the story, but the police surround the haunt of thieves immediately and Oliver reunited with his family members.

Of the characters in this story, Oliver, Nancy and Miss Ross represent the goodness that they are born in suffering, grow in dark world, but still keep a heart of

gold. None of the hardships can through them into the hell. Oliver is a brave and strong child that he suffered enormous pain, such as hunger, thirst, beating and abuse. But no matter how tough his life is he never gives up his belief. What’s more, in Oliver Twist, morality and nobility are always black-and-white issues. Just like Monks, who was a greedy, ruthless, shameless person, represents the black, Olive can represents the white. But Nancy, a thief who has done something bad, finally been influenced by Oliver and decided to help Oliver. This gives us the implication that the boundary between virtue and vice is not always so distinct.

Charles Dickens praised ideal human nature and interpersonal relationships and he hoped to use his pen to express his ideals in that the reality is very cruel. So, through this novel, Dickens criticized the seedy side of the capitalist society at that time and expressed his deep sympathy about the bottom class who lived in a miserable life. In this way the people could realize the social reality and consider more about their behavior. But on the other hand, Dickens shows his wish through this novel that people should firm their belief no matter what they are suffering about and evil can never prevail over good.