concidences in Oliver Twist 雾都孤儿情节巧合(英文论文)

Oliver Twist is Charles Dickens‟ first fully crafted novel. It centers on the hard years of an orphan, Oliver Twist, and is set against the seamy underside of the Lon2don criminal world. Dickens created a lively picture of lowlife under the capitalistic system. As the author of the novel, he mounted a direct attack on the cold impersonality of the workhouse system representing the class people with hard - heartedness, tyranny and hypocrisy. He used his unique humor, fierce satire and penetrating insight to expose the dark sides of the then society. Meanwhile he showed his great sympathy for the miseries and hardships suffered by the working people. It is widely acknowledged that the book‟s main theme is positive and optimistic, which reflects Dickens held radical ideas at that time, and reviews were and are generally favorable. However, Dickens was severely criticized for introducing many coincidences in the plot of the story. For example, the first person that Oliver Twist picks pockets happens to be Mr. Brownlow, a good friend of his father‟s. Later, Oliver is forced by Fagin to accompany Sikes in an attempted robbery of a house, (needing a small boy to enter a window and open the door for the (housebreakers), whose owner, Mrs. Maylie, by chance is his mother‟s elder sister – his aunt. Such incidents which seem to be unbelievable are regarded by many as” uneven and contrary to the real life. ”Seemingly, coincidences become the negative side of the novel. Some even go so far as to think Dickens was not well - thought in plotting the story. As a novelist, Dickens represented English critical realism writing during the 19th century. He was

highly praised by Karl Marx as “one of the excellent novelists in Britain.” Such a great novelist did not arrange coincidences in the story without purposes. Therefore, to understand coincidences correctly, we must analyze them systematically from all sides rather than the one - sided approach. Oliver Twist by Dickens is characterized by a few coincidences especially happy encounters, about which some reviews are unfavorable. This essay , sharing quite opposite opinions to the unfavorable ones ,proves coincidences have advantages by means of systematic analysis from the following four points : Dickens‟ radical ideas ,his unique artistic style as well as his firm belief” good is rewarded with good ,and evil with evil . ”

Coincidences embody Dickens‟ radical ideas

Dickens wrote Oliver Twist at the age of 25 , when he was bursting with youthful vigor , imbued with vitality and optimism , which became the main drift and purpose of his literary production to the letter. While ruthlessly exposing the dark corners of life and fiercely attacking the cynical reality , he showed us the good trend in the development of the society rather than depicted it as pitch -dark. So from his novel, readers have a strong sense that life is not utterly hopeless. Dickens chose to convey this message through coincidences in the book.

Oliver is born of a dying mother in a parish workhouse and then sent to an infant farm, run by Mrs.Mann, until he is nine years old, at which time he is