Charles Dickens: Oliver Twist (Penguin Reader Level 6)

Summary

Charles Dickens, one of the greatest writers in the English language, wrote Oliver Twist
between 1837 and 1839.
Set in the 19th century, the novel tells the story of an orphaned boy, Oliver Twist, who is
brought up in terrible poverty in state orphanages. At the age of nine, he is put to work with
an undertaker, but the boy is treated so badly that he runs away to London. There, he falls
into the hands of a gang of thieves and pickpockets, who try to teach him their trade. But
Oliver is given shelter by the people he is sent to rob; they recognize the honesty and
sweetness of the young boy. The thieves, however, want Oliver back. For one thing, he
knows their secrets. Also, it seems that there is a secret about Oliver that no one must know.
A young woman, a thief herself, tries to help Oliver, and pays a terrible price. But in the end,
the thieves are brought to justice. The innocent boy’s secret is revealed and he is given the
safe and loving environment that he deserves.

The most important characters, apart from Oliver Twist, are:

Mr. Brwonlow Mr. Bumble Bill Sikes Artful Dodger (Jack Dawkins)
Fagin Rose Maylie Nancy Monks Agnes Fleming

Key to the answers in your book:

1)
Answers across 2 bolt 5 undertaker 6 coffin 7 dodge
Answers down 1 contempt 3 workhouse 4 artful

2 a The doctor (who delivers Oliver) to Oliver’s mother’s nurse. Oliver’s mother has died and
the doctor looks at her hand to see if she is married or not.
b Oliver to the workhouse master. He’s hungry and he wants more food.
c The magistrate to Mr Bumble. He refuses to sign papers whichwill release Oliver from the
workhouse to work for Mr Gamfield.
d Mr Bumble to Mrs Sowerberry. He says Oliver ’s behaviour is due to too much meat, not to
madness.
e Fagin to Oliver. He’s talking about a pile of handkerchiefs which have been stolen.
3 a deciding if people are guilty (of smaller crimes) in court
b cleaning the dirt from inside chimneys
c arranging funerals
4 Oliver: poor, pale, lonely, weak, thin, short
Noah Claypole: mean, rude, cruel
Mrs Mann: mean, lazy, greedy
Mrs Sowerberry: short, thin, bad-tempered, cruel
Mr Bumble: proud, cruel, fat
Artful Dodger: dirty, short, thin
Magistrate: half-blind, kind
Fagin: old, thin, greedy, mean
6 a pocketbook
b villain
c peel
d snuff
e miser
f terrified
g growl
7 a To help Fagin and his boys to steal from gentlemen’s pockets.
b Because the people thought that Oliver had stolen something from
Mr Brownlow.
c Because the bookseller said the robbery had been committed by another boy, and he saw
everything.
d Because Oliver is poor and ill and Mr Brownlow feels sorry for Oliver.
e Because they are waiting for Oliver to return. They have made a bet about it.
f Because he’s afraid that Oliver will say something that will get him in trouble.
g Because she knows that Oliver will have a difficult sad life with Fagin.
h To help him break into a large house.
11 a in a large, private house
b pots and pans – metal objects
c small
12 a True (Bill beats her)
b True (Toby Cracket has to stop Bill from using it on Oliver)
c False (Only a boy as small as Oliver can fit through the unlocked window)
d False (He leaves Oliver when their pursuers are near)
e False (He is frightened when he hears a knock at the door, and he’s scared to open it)
f True (He talks with Monks about their ‘agreement’about Oliver)
g True (Miss Maylie and Rose want to protect Oliver and return him to health)
h True (He has become master of the workhouse)
13 a Monks knows something about Oliver and the nurse who nursed his mother before she
died.
b He wants to meet Mrs Bumble, who knows a secret about the old nurse in whom Monks is
so interested.
16 a throwing Oliver’s mother’s ring, chain and locks of hair into the stream
b listening to Monks’s conversations with Fagin on two occasions
c Mr Brownlow
d stealing a silver snuff-box
e walking on London Bridge
f Fagin ... follow Nancy
17 a Because Mr Monks agrees to pay £25 for the information.
b Because she loves Bill Sikes, in spite of his cruelty.
c Because he wants to explain why he disappeared.
d In prison
e Monks
20 a rope
22 a Fagin is asking the young man who followed Nancy to repeat his
story so that Sikes can hear too.
b A gentleman in the coach from London is talking to the coach’s
guard about the latest London news. Bill Sikes is listening.
c Mr Brownlow is asking Monks if he will agree to sign a true
statement of facts and return the money and property that is
rightfully Oliver’s to him. Monks agrees if he can then be allowed
to go free.
d Sikes is talking to Charley Bates. But Bates calls him a devil
because Sikes murdered Nancy.