OLIVER TWISTOLIVER TWIST

168 YEARS OF A CLASSIC TALE168 YEARS OF A CLASSIC TALE

Charles Dickens, the authorCharles Dickens, the author

1812-1870

Dickens’ Short BiographyDickens’ Short Biography

Born in the south of England in 1812;Born in the south of England in 1812; Had a poor childhood;Had a poor childhood; His father was arrested when he was 12, which His father was arrested when he was 12, which

led him to work in a factory for a small pay;led him to work in a factory for a small pay; He had to label bottles in a shoe polish factory He had to label bottles in a shoe polish factory

and he worked for many hours a day.and he worked for many hours a day.

Dickens’ Short BiographyDickens’ Short Biography

When he was 15, he started working in an When he was 15, he started working in an office. The payment was still short but he had office. The payment was still short but he had many friends there;many friends there;

In 1833, he started writing stories and became In 1833, he started writing stories and became famous and rich;famous and rich;

He died in 1870, at the age of 58.He died in 1870, at the age of 58.

HIS WORKHIS WORK

His most famous books are:His most famous books are: Oliver Twist (1838),Oliver Twist (1838), A Christmas Carol (1843),A Christmas Carol (1843), Bleak House (1853),Bleak House (1853), A Tale of Two Cities (1859),A Tale of Two Cities (1859), Great Expectations (1861), and Great Expectations (1861), and Our Mutual Friend (1864).Our Mutual Friend (1864).

A View of England A View of England in the 19th Centuryin the 19th Century

Industrial Revolution;Industrial Revolution;

People leaving the country in search People leaving the country in search of jobs and richness in the city;of jobs and richness in the city;

A View of England A View of England in the 19th Centuryin the 19th Century

Social problems: poverty, homelessness and hunger; Social problems: poverty, homelessness and hunger;

Increasing number of working children;Increasing number of working children;

Pickpocket gangs start to pop up;Pickpocket gangs start to pop up;

Creation of workhouses.Creation of workhouses.

WORKHOUSES:WORKHOUSES:

Places where poor people could sleep and eat,Places where poor people could sleep and eat,

but they had to work hard in exchange. but they had to work hard in exchange.

They had no payment and the food was bad.They had no payment and the food was bad.

In the workhouses there were Masters, Matrons In the workhouses there were Masters, Matrons and Beadles. and Beadles.

WORKHOUSES:WORKHOUSES:

Masters - men in charge of the house;Masters - men in charge of the house;

Matrons - women responsible for other women Matrons - women responsible for other women and the children living in the workhouses;and the children living in the workhouses;

Beadles – men who controled the boys, they Beadles – men who controled the boys, they usually carried a stick to punish them. usually carried a stick to punish them.

Main characters:Main characters: Oliver TwistOliver Twist Mr Bumble (the beadle of the workhouse)Mr Bumble (the beadle of the workhouse) Mr Sowerberry (the undertaker)Mr Sowerberry (the undertaker) Fagin (the gang's leader)Fagin (the gang's leader) Jack Dawkins (the Artful Dodger)Jack Dawkins (the Artful Dodger) Charley Bates (Jack's best friend) Charley Bates (Jack's best friend) Bill Sikes (a violent thief) Bill Sikes (a violent thief) Nancy (Bill's girlfriend)Nancy (Bill's girlfriend) Mr Brownlow (a good man who helps Oliver )Mr Brownlow (a good man who helps Oliver ) Rose Maylie and her aunt, Mrs MaylieRose Maylie and her aunt, Mrs Maylie Monks (Oliver's half brother)Monks (Oliver's half brother)

OLIVER TWIST’S SUMMARYOLIVER TWIST’S SUMMARYOliver Twist is a Victorian novel with the following Oliver Twist is a Victorian novel with the following

plot:plot: Oliver is born in a workhouse;Oliver is born in a workhouse; He becomes an orphan at birth;He becomes an orphan at birth; Leads an unhappy life at the workhouse until the day Leads an unhappy life at the workhouse until the day

he asks for more food;he asks for more food; The Master decides to sell him as an apprentice;The Master decides to sell him as an apprentice; He runs away to London where he joins Fagin’s gang.He runs away to London where he joins Fagin’s gang. Oliver meets Mr Brownlow who adopts him;Oliver meets Mr Brownlow who adopts him; He starts leading a happy life, like all children He starts leading a happy life, like all children

deserve.deserve.

THE CORETHE CORE

The book shows the absurd situations created The book shows the absurd situations created by poverty and social injustice, and the matter by poverty and social injustice, and the matter of child abuse in the Victorian society;of child abuse in the Victorian society;

It also shows that there is good and evil It also shows that there is good and evil everywhere;everywhere;

Despite all sufferings he lived and all bad Despite all sufferings he lived and all bad situations he faced, Oliver remained pure at situations he faced, Oliver remained pure at heart.heart.

Some Adaptations:Some Adaptations: About 20 theatrical, TV and movies performances;About 20 theatrical, TV and movies performances; The first one: 1909 (USA, black and white, silent The first one: 1909 (USA, black and white, silent

movie);movie); The most famous: 1948 by David Lean (USA, black The most famous: 1948 by David Lean (USA, black

and white);and white); 1960 – 1960 – Oliver!Oliver! - Musical play running for 6 years on - Musical play running for 6 years on

London’s stages;London’s stages; 1968 - 1968 - Oliver!Oliver! is adapted by Carol Reed for the big is adapted by Carol Reed for the big

screen (USA, colored, musical).screen (USA, colored, musical).

More adaptations:More adaptations:

1988 – Disney’s cartoon 1988 – Disney’s cartoon Oliver & CompanyOliver & Company – – Oliver is an orphan cat who meets a dog called Oliver is an orphan cat who meets a dog called Dodger;Dodger;

1997 - TV movie starring Richard Dreyfuss as 1997 - TV movie starring Richard Dreyfuss as Fagin and Elijah Wood as The Artful Dodger;Fagin and Elijah Wood as The Artful Dodger;

2003 – Drugs and male prostitution in the plot 2003 – Drugs and male prostitution in the plot (Canada);(Canada);

2005 – Roman Polanski’s acclaimed version.2005 – Roman Polanski’s acclaimed version.

Roman PolanskiRoman Polanski

Son of a Polish Jew with a Russian immigrant;Son of a Polish Jew with a Russian immigrant; Was born in Paris and moved to Poland before Was born in Paris and moved to Poland before

the beginning of the II World War, when he the beginning of the II World War, when he was still a child;was still a child;

His family was separated when the Germans His family was separated when the Germans invaded Poland;invaded Poland;

His mother died in a nazi camp;His mother died in a nazi camp;

Roman PolanskiRoman Polanski

He lived in a Jewish ghetto (Krokow Ghetto), He lived in a Jewish ghetto (Krokow Ghetto), in Poland;in Poland;

He once described his escape from the ghetto, He once described his escape from the ghetto, when he had to walk many miles with torn when he had to walk many miles with torn shoes and bleeding feet (painful passage shoes and bleeding feet (painful passage shown in the movie scene when Oliver walks shown in the movie scene when Oliver walks to London);to London);

Roman PolanskiRoman Polanski

He used the memories of his unhappy He used the memories of his unhappy childhood to remake the movie;childhood to remake the movie;

He surely recognizes himself in Oliver Twist’s He surely recognizes himself in Oliver Twist’s story;story;

He’s famous for the dark and mysterious He’s famous for the dark and mysterious atmosphere created in his movies.atmosphere created in his movies.

Differences between the book and Differences between the book and the movie:the movie:

The scene of the burglary at the Maylie’s The scene of the burglary at the Maylie’s house (Mr Brownlow's house in the movie);house (Mr Brownlow's house in the movie);

The Maylies aren’t shown in the movie;The Maylies aren’t shown in the movie;

The movie doesn’t mention Oliver’s half The movie doesn’t mention Oliver’s half brother, Monks, and his plot.brother, Monks, and his plot.

Curiosities:Curiosities:

Oliver Twist meal time with the other boys at the Oliver Twist meal time with the other boys at the workhouse versus Harry Potter meal time with workhouse versus Harry Potter meal time with the other students at Hogwarts School.the other students at Hogwarts School.

Some say that Dicken’s scene may have inspired Some say that Dicken’s scene may have inspired Harry Potter scene, but showing the contrary: Harry Potter scene, but showing the contrary: an abundant meal in place of a scarce one.an abundant meal in place of a scarce one.

Curiosities:Curiosities:

Ebenezer Scrooge another Dickens’s character Ebenezer Scrooge another Dickens’s character

from the tale “A Christmas Carol” may have from the tale “A Christmas Carol” may have inspired the creation of Uncle Scrooge, inspired the creation of Uncle Scrooge,

Disney’s cartoon character.Disney’s cartoon character.

Work presented by Lt Rosiméri in the II Literary Work presented by Lt Rosiméri in the II Literary Day, promoted by CMJF English Club on Day, promoted by CMJF English Club on

November 19, 2006.November 19, 2006.