So I’m back with another Dickens novel right after Nicholas
Nickleby – that’s two back to back! However today’s book is probably the
diametric opposite of yesterday’s book. They’re both named after their main
protagonists, and they’re both trying to find their way in life, but the
similarities end there. While Nicholas Nickleby was a light hearted take on a
young gentleman’s life and adventures in early London, Oliver Twist goes dark
and deep into the alleyways of another side of London – the one not visible on
the surface.
Oliver Twist is an orphan with no relatives to speak of,
which puts him at the most disadvantaged position in society. Dickens paints a
picture of the worst of humanity, people who live in the sewers and subsist on
snatched crumbs. And he does it so well! You can almost smell the rot, the
sweat and the blood. You can feel the darkness pervading every corner, making
it look like there is no place for light to come in.
As an orphan in a workhouse run by abusive people, Oliver’s
prospects aren’t too bright, with there being just two options – die or become
a criminal. Oliver escapes from one cruel master, only to fall into the
clutches of the next. The way the darkness seems to engulf his life can feel
suffocating, but Oliver’s pure and innocent heart shines bright amidst it all.
Despite everything that’s happening to and around him, he never hurts anyone
and can’t bring himself to commit a crime.
With all the symbolism and realistic descriptions, this is
truly a masterpiece of writing. Some of the characters are based on people in
Dickens’ real life. Dickens wrote this novel when he was just 25, a time in his
life that was fresh from the unhappy events of his childhood, which clearly
explains the pain behind his words. He intended this novel to bring awareness
to the class of people everyone ignored and also to the government’s flawed
policies in dealing with them. Read it and see; it’s sure to stir up all kinds
of emotions!
2 comments
These were among the first novels I read as a child back in Dubai. This, the likes of The Count of Monte Cristo and all were part of our school curriculum. Amazing how these classics have held up for centuries.
ReplyDeleteYes, I was introduced to most classics in school as well. But re-reading them now gives it a whole new perspective - I guess they're classics for a reason!
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