The Theme of Childhood in Oliver Twist Essay -- English Literature

How Does Dickens present the theme of childhood in Oliver Twist.This essay shows the theme of childhood in Charles Dickens in the bookOliver Twist. Oliver Twists story begins with his lineage in aworkhouse. His mother dies shortly after giving birth to him, thoughlong enough to kiss him on the forehead. As an illegitimate workhouseorphan Oliver seems doomed to a life of misery. Though deprived ofeducation, affection and passable food, Oliver still manages totriumph from rags to riches, when he finally finds happiness with hisAunt Rose Maylie and his guide Mr Brownlow.Oliver Twist is born into poverty as an orphan with no cognize family orinheritance. He is forced to be the property of the workhouse. Hespends several years there where he is overworked, and suffers fromexhaustion and malnutrition. Even though he is unresolved to theseinjustices, he feels safe there, this being the only home hes everknown. Throughout the book Oliver has support from lots of differentpeople, for exa mple Fagin, Nancy, Mr Brownlow, and The Maylies.However Fagins acquaintance was used for Fagins personal gain. Oliverwas exploited just as many children in Victorian Britain were.Charles Dickens was a social commentator of a menses when social classwas important and where lower classes were stereotyped as being eviluntrustworthy crooks, and were to be avoided. Another example is theblatant anti-Semitism in the book. Fagin is constantly referred to asThe Jew. in Victorian times Jewish people were seen as immigrants,and people treated them with much the same discourtesy. Though inDickensian Times racism was not a recognized form of prejudice sothese comments would have been acceptable. Today it is strongly... ...pectable old gentleman, who is later known to be MrBrownlow. Another memorable occasion was when Sikes used Oliversstealth and vulnerability. In one of his schemes to overturn a housethis is later discovered to be that of The Maylies. In both casesthere are positive outcome s to the crimes, and they both coincidentlybring about characters like Mr Brownlow, and The Maylies, who help tosecure Twists future.After carefully studying the novel Oliver Twist, I conclude Dickenstried to socially change the way children were portrayed in Britain.He acknowledged the problem and made it his duty to make a change. Hisefforts worked and in our times modern day care-homes replace theorphanages of Dickensian Britain. Due to Dickens writing, theworkhouses were abolished. Therefore I think Dickens did very well onawakening the society to these conditions.