Oliver Twist: eBook EditionOliver Twist was published in 1838. This story shows in vivid colors the miseries ofthe pauper's home where the inmates are robbed and starved, while the dead are hurried into unhonored graves; the haunts of villains and thieves, where the wretchedpoor are purposely made criminals by those who have sinned past hope; and one wrong-doing is used to force the victim deeper in vice. With such lives are interwoven those of a better sort, showing how men and women in all grades have power on others for good or ill. Oliver Twist — so called because the workhouse master had just then reached the letter "T" in naming the waifs — was born in the poorhouse, where his mother's wanderings ceased forever. When the hungry lad asked for more ofthe too thin gruel he was whipped. Bound out to work, he runs away from this slavery and goes to London. The Artful Dodger takes the starving lad to the den of Fagin the Jew, the pickpocket's school. But he will not steal. He finds a home. He is kidnapped, and forced to be again with the bad ones, and to act as helper to Sykes the robber in house-breaking. Nancy's womanly heart, bad though her life may be, works to set him free. Once more good people shelter him, rescuing him without assistance ofthe Bow Street officers, who make brave talk. The kind old scholar, Mr. Brownlow, is the good genius who opens before him a way to liberty and a life suited to his nature. The excitable country doctor deceives the police, and saves Oliver for an honest career. The eccentric Mr. Grimwig should not be overlooked. The mystery of his mother's fate is solved, and he finds a sister ... |
Contents
Chapter V | |
Chapter VI | |
Chapter VII | |
Chapter XXVIII | |
Chapter XXIX | |
Chapter XXX | |
Chapter XXXI | |
Chapter XXXII | |
Chapter XXXIII | |
Chapter XXXIV | |
Chapter XXXV | |
Chapter VIII | |
Chapter IX | |
Chapter X | |
Chapter XI | |
Chapter XII | |
Chapter XIII | |
Chapter XIV | |
Chapter XV | |
Chapter XVI | |
Chapter XVII | |
Chapter XVIII | |
Chapter XIX | |
Chapter XX | |
Chapter XXI | |
Chapter XXII | |
Chapter XXIII | |
Chapter XXIV | |
Chapter XXV | |
Chapter XXVI | |
Chapter XXVII | |
Chapter XXXVI | |
Chapter XXXVII | |
Chapter XXXVIII | |
Chapter XXXIX | |
Chapter XL | |
Chapter XLI | |
Chapter XLII | |
Chapter XLIII | |
Chapter XLIV | |
Chapter XLV | |
Chapter XLVI | |
Chapter XLVII | |
Chapter XLVIII | |
Chapter XLIX | |
Chapter L | |
Chapter LI | |
Chapter LII | |
Chapter LIII | |
Common terms and phrases
appeared Artful Dodger asked Barnaby Rudge beadle beadle's Bedwin Bill Bill Sikes Blathers Bolter Brittles Brownlow Bumble Bumble's chair Charles Dickens Charley Bates Charlotte Chertsey child Chitling Claypole companion Corney cried dark dear Dickens doctor Dodger door exclaimed eyes face Gamfield Giles glance Grimwig hand head hear heard heart heerd inquired Jacob's Island John Dawkins laugh light looked Losberne ma'am Mann Master Bates matron Maylie mind Monks morning Nancy never night Noah old gentleman old lady Oliver Twist Oliver's once pocket poor porochial rejoined replied Fagin replied Oliver replied Sikes replied the Jew returned Rose Rose Maylie round Saffron Hill seemed smile Sowerberry speak stopped street tears tell thought tonight took turned voice waistcoat walked What's whispered window woman words workhouse young lady