Reading Response to Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens

I myself am the kind of book/film aficionado that follows suit, meaning that I will only watch/read a certain film/ book if I know that it receives favorable reviews. And based on my research, I am confident to conclude that Oliver Twist is hailed as one of the most famous novels Charles Dickens ever wrote.

Charles Dickens (7 February 1812 – 9 June 1870) is an English writer and social critic whose works enjoyed unprecedented popularity during his lifetime. By the 20th century critics and scholars had recognized him as the literary colossus of his age. Over the course of his career, he wrote such acclaimed classic novels as Oliver Twist, A Christmas Carol and A Tale of Two Cities.

Oliver Twist, or The Parish Boy's Progress, is English author Charles Dickens's second novel, and was first published as a serial between 1837 and 1839. It tells the story of Oliver Twist, an orphan born in a workhouse in England. He spent the first nine years of his life in a badly run home for young orphans before being transferred to a workhouse. When Oliver asked the master for more food, Mr. Bumble, the parish beadle, flew into a rage and sold Oliver to an undertaker. He escaped to London, where he met a streetwise boy, the Artful Dodger, who initiated him into the all-boy household of an “old gentleman” called Fagin, a criminal mastermind. Oliver later realized that his new friends were pickpockets. At the police court, Mr. Brownlow, whom he was supposed to have robbed, recognized Oliver’s innate goodness and invited him home. And here his incredible journey to find happiness began.

A valuable lesson that I learn from this book is the battle of good versus evil in which the evil continually tries to corrupt and exploit the good, but the good wins in the end. It is best corroborated in the life of Oliver Twist. All his life, he was subjected to abject destitution, physically and mentally abused by deception and treachery. However, despite relentless trials of life, he still retained his kind-heartedness, bravery and optimism. The story is not just an indictment of social injustice, but rather an epitome of the universal message that the good always wins over the bad.

Another lesson to learn lies in Oliver’s struggling to survive in the savage world of the underclass, which is a heart-touching story. For me, it is a reminder of faith. As human beings, we all have to contend with our personal issues and face subtle forms of repression. But remember this: our struggles do not define who we are. Life can throw us into the pitfall of tragedy and disappointment, surround us with misfortunates and setbacks for all it can, but the one thing that it cannot take away from us is the belief in ourselves to be something greater than what life imposes on us. In the darkest moments of our life, when we ourselves are trampled upon to the point where we feel like the whole world is against us, pluck up our courage and have faith, because faith is what will guide us to light.

Regarding the style, what I find impressive is the use of language as the author has clearly mastered sarcastic language. I was impressed by the way he could wrestle the words down and tame his words so effortlessly. The language was complicated but it wasn’t to wax poetic but to create the most detailed and all-inclusive picture of Oliver Twist, a boy both physically and mentally tormented, and the characters who inflicted extreme pain on him.

“Oliver Twist” is actually my very first novel I have ever read, and I can uninhibitedly claim that it served its purpose right – to extend a hearty welcome to a newcomer entering a world of classic literary works. Brimming with highly advanced words, a moving narrative with twists and turns, and an overarching message of humanity, “Oliver Twist” is nothing less of a gripping and thought-provoking read. What I like most about the novel is that it explores a familiar trope – good vs evil, yet in a refreshing way that still successfully entices readers into reflecting upon the morals of the society at the time. As mentioned, the book is laden with high lexis, some of which is connected to how people of the old days usually talked. Thus, it would make more sense if prospective readers have a relatively wide range of lexical resources in order to comprehend the storylines. But hey, if you are set on reading the book, there will always be a dictionary to help you out!