‭ENGLISH LITERATURE‬

P‭ ROJECT‬
‭2023-24‬

‭-Nivriti Das,‬
‭Class IX-A‬
‭▸Topic‬

I‭ n‬ ‭your‬ ‭village/city‬ ‭you‬ ‭may‬ ‭come‬ ‭across‬ ‭children‬ ‭who‬ ‭are‬

‭working‬ ‭in‬ ‭some‬ ‭households,‬ ‭factories,‬ ‭shops,‬ ‭hotels‬ ‭and‬
‭construction‬ ‭work‬ ‭for‬ ‭daily‬ ‭wages.‬ ‭Collect‬ ‭some‬ ‭information‬
‭about‬‭one‬‭child.‬‭Make‬‭a‬‭contrast‬‭between‬‭the‬‭child‬‭and‬‭Oliver‬‭and‬
‭explain in detail the similarities you observed reading the story.‬

‭ he‬ ‭richer‬ ‭characters‬ ‭in‬ ‭Oliver‬ ‭Twist‬ ‭are,‬ ‭on‬ ‭the‬ ‭whole,‬‭happier‬
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‭than‬‭the‬‭poor‬‭characters.‬‭Is‬‭Dickens‬‭arguing‬‭that‬‭money‬‭leads‬‭to‬
‭happiness?‬‭Why‬‭or‬‭why‬‭not?‬‭Support‬‭your‬‭statement‬‭by‬‭analyzing‬
‭the main characters from the story “OLIVER ASKS FOR MORE‬‭”.‬
‭▸Acknowledgement‬
‭ irst‬ ‭and‬ ‭foremost‬ ‭I‬ ‭would‬ ‭like‬ ‭to‬ ‭thank‬ ‭my‬ ‭teacher-‬ ‭Priyanka‬
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‭Bora‬‭ma’am‬‭for‬‭her‬‭constant‬‭guidance‬‭throughout‬‭the‬‭project‬‭and‬
‭helping me with everything I did wrong.‬

I‭ ‬‭would‬‭also‬‭like‬‭to‬‭thank‬‭my‬‭school‬‭and‬‭the‬‭council‬‭for‬‭allowing‬
‭me‬‭to‬‭explore‬‭the‬‭topic‬‭and‬‭giving‬‭me‬‭a‬‭chance‬‭to‬‭learn‬‭about‬‭it.‬‭I‬
‭had‬ ‭the‬ ‭chance‬‭to‬‭learn‬‭a‬‭lot,‬‭such‬‭as‬‭the‬‭life‬‭of‬‭Charles‬‭Dickens‬
‭and‬ ‭got‬ ‭to‬ ‭learn‬ ‭more‬ ‭in-depth‬ ‭about‬ ‭Oliver‬ ‭as‬ ‭a‬‭character.‬‭The‬
‭topic‬‭also‬‭provided‬‭me‬‭a‬‭chance‬‭to‬‭understand‬‭the‬‭unjust‬‭of‬‭social‬
‭labors that go unnoticed.‬

‭ inally‬ ‭I‬ ‭would‬ ‭like‬ ‭to‬ ‭thank‬ ‭my‬ ‭parents‬ ‭and‬ ‭friends‬ ‭who‬
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‭constantly‬‭supported‬‭me‬‭and‬‭helped‬‭me‬‭throughout‬‭the‬‭making‬‭of‬
‭the project.‬
‭▸Content‬

‭ l‬
S ‭Topic‬ ‭Page‬
‭No.‬
‭1‬ ‭Introduction‬ ‭5‬
‭2‬ ‭Moral Values‬ ‭6‬
‭3‬ ‭Critical Analysis of the story‬ ‭7‬
‭4‬ ‭Theme‬ ‭8‬
‭5‬ ‭Symbolism‬ ‭9‬
‭6‬ ‭Analysis‬ ‭10 - 11‬
‭7‬ ‭Conclusion‬ ‭12‬
‭8‬ ‭Bibliography‬ ‭13‬
‭▸Introduction‬
‭ harles‬‭Dickens,‬‭in‬‭full‬‭Charles‬‭John‬‭Huffam‬‭Dickens,‬‭(February‬
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‭7,‬‭1812‬‭-‬‭June‬‭9,‬‭1870)‬‭is‬‭an‬‭English‬‭novelist,‬‭generally‬‭considered‬
‭the‬‭greatest‬‭of‬‭the‬‭Victorian‬‭era‬‭.‬‭His‬‭many‬‭volumes‬‭include‬‭such‬
‭works‬ ‭as‬ ‭A‬ ‭Christmas‬ ‭Carol‬‭,‬ ‭David‬ ‭Copperfield‬‭,‬ ‭Bleak‬ ‭House‬‭,‬ ‭A‬
‭Tale of Two Cities‬‭etc.‬

‭ orn‬‭in‬‭Portsmouth‬‭,‬‭Dickens‬‭left‬‭school‬‭at‬‭the‬‭age‬‭of‬‭12‬‭to‬‭work‬‭in‬
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‭a‬‭boot-blacking‬‭factory‬‭when‬‭his‬‭father‬‭John‬‭was‬‭incarcerated‬‭in‬‭a‬
‭debtors'‬‭prison‬‭.‬‭After‬‭three‬‭years‬‭he‬‭returned‬‭to‬‭school,‬‭before‬‭he‬
‭began‬ ‭his‬ ‭literary‬ ‭career‬ ‭as‬‭a‬‭journalist.‬‭Dickens‬‭edited‬‭a‬‭weekly‬
‭journal‬ ‭for‬ ‭20‬ ‭years,‬ ‭wrote‬ ‭15‬ ‭novels,‬ ‭five‬ ‭novellas,‬ ‭hundreds‬ ‭of‬
‭short‬ ‭stories‬ ‭and‬ ‭non-fiction‬ ‭articles,‬ ‭lectured‬ ‭and‬ ‭performed‬
‭readings‬ ‭extensively,‬ ‭was‬ ‭an‬ ‭indefatigable‬ ‭letter‬ ‭writer,‬ ‭and‬
‭campaigned‬‭vigorously‬‭for‬‭children's‬‭rights‬‭,‬‭for‬‭education,‬‭and‬‭for‬
‭other social reforms.‬

‭ ickens's‬ ‭literary‬ ‭success‬ ‭began‬ ‭with‬ ‭the‬ ‭1836‬‭serial‬‭publication‬

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‭of‬ ‭The‬ ‭Pickwick‬ ‭Papers‬‭,‬ ‭a‬ ‭publishing‬ ‭phenomenon—thanks‬
‭largely‬ ‭to‬ ‭the‬ ‭introduction‬ ‭of‬ ‭the‬ ‭character‬ ‭Sam‬ ‭Weller‬ ‭in‬ ‭the‬
‭fourth‬‭episode—that‬‭sparked‬‭Pickwick‬‭merchandise‬‭and‬‭spin-offs.‬
‭Within‬ ‭a‬ ‭few‬‭years‬‭Dickens‬‭had‬‭become‬‭an‬‭international‬‭literary‬
‭celebrity,‬ ‭famous‬ ‭for‬ ‭his‬ ‭humor,‬ ‭satire‬ ‭and‬ ‭keen‬ ‭observation‬ ‭of‬
‭character‬ ‭and‬ ‭society.‬ ‭His‬ ‭novels,‬ ‭most‬ ‭of‬ ‭them‬ ‭published‬ ‭in‬
‭monthly‬ ‭or‬ ‭weekly‬ ‭installments,‬ ‭pioneered‬‭the‬‭serial‬‭publication‬
‭of‬ ‭narrative‬ ‭fiction,‬ ‭which‬ ‭became‬ ‭the‬‭dominant‬‭Victorian‬‭mode‬
‭for novel publication.‬
‭▸Moral Values‬
‭ he‬ ‭story‬ ‭of‬ ‭Oliver‬ ‭Twist‬ ‭teaches‬ ‭us‬ ‭multiple‬ ‭moral‬ ‭values,‬ ‭be‬ ‭it‬
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‭honesty‬ ‭or‬‭empathy‬ ‭or‬‭loyalty‬ ‭etc.‬‭Some‬‭such‬‭main‬‭moral‬‭values‬‭that‬
‭are touched are as follows-‬

‭Compassion‬ ‭and‬ ‭Empathy‬ ‭:‬ ‭The‬ ‭novel‬ ‭highlights‬ ‭the‬ ‭importance‬ ‭of‬
‭showing‬ ‭compassion‬ ‭and‬ ‭empathy‬ ‭towards‬ ‭those‬ ‭who‬ ‭are‬ ‭less‬
‭fortunate.‬ ‭Oliver,‬ ‭as‬ ‭an‬ ‭orphan,‬ ‭experiences‬ ‭mistreatment‬ ‭and‬
‭hardships, which influences the reader to empathize with his story.‬
‭Honesty‬‭and‬‭Integrity‬‭:‬‭Oliver‬‭is‬‭consistently‬‭depicted‬‭as‬‭a‬‭character‬
‭with‬ ‭strong‬ ‭moral‬ ‭principles,‬ ‭refusing‬ ‭to‬ ‭compromise‬ ‭his‬ ‭integrity‬
‭even‬ ‭when‬ ‭faced‬ ‭with‬ ‭deception‬ ‭and‬ ‭corruption‬ ‭around‬ ‭him.‬ ‭This‬
‭serves‬‭as‬‭an‬‭example‬‭of‬‭the‬‭importance‬ ‭of‬‭honesty‬ ‭and‬‭maintaining‬
‭true to one's moral beliefs.‬
‭Generosity‬ ‭and‬ ‭Kindness‬‭:‬ ‭Characters‬ ‭like‬ ‭Mr.‬ ‭Brownlow‬ ‭and‬ ‭Rose‬
‭Maylie‬ ‭exhibit‬ ‭acts‬ ‭of‬ ‭kindness‬ ‭and‬ ‭generosity‬ ‭towards‬ ‭Oliver,‬
‭highlighting‬ ‭the‬ ‭positive‬ ‭impact‬ ‭of‬ ‭helping‬ ‭others‬ ‭and‬ ‭extending‬ ‭a‬
‭helping hand and how it impacts one.‬
‭Friendship‬ ‭and‬ ‭Loyalty‬‭:‬ ‭The‬ ‭relationships‬ ‭formed‬ ‭between‬
‭characters,‬ ‭such‬ ‭as‬ ‭Oliver's‬ ‭friendships‬ ‭with‬ ‭the‬ ‭Artful‬ ‭Dodger‬‭and‬
‭Nancy,‬‭emphasize‬‭the‬‭value‬‭of‬‭loyalty‬‭and‬‭genuine‬‭friendship,‬‭even‬‭in‬
‭the midst of challenging circumstances.‬
‭Critique‬ ‭of‬ ‭Social‬ ‭Injustice‬‭:‬ ‭Through‬ ‭its‬ ‭portrayal‬ ‭of‬ ‭the‬ ‭harsh‬
‭treatment‬‭of‬‭orphans,‬‭the‬‭poor,‬ ‭and‬‭the‬ ‭criminal‬‭justice‬‭system,‬‭the‬
‭novel‬‭critiques‬‭the‬‭societal‬‭structures‬‭that‬‭perpetuate‬‭inequality‬‭and‬
‭mistreatment.‬
‭▸Critical analysis of the story‬
"‭ Oliver‬ ‭Twist,"‬ ‭by‬ ‭Charles‬ ‭Dickens,‬ ‭stands‬ ‭as‬ ‭a‬ ‭seminal‬ ‭work‬ ‭that‬
‭combines‬ ‭a‬ ‭captivating‬ ‭narrative‬ ‭with‬ ‭incisive‬ ‭social‬ ‭commentary.‬
‭Through‬‭the‬‭story‬‭of‬‭the‬‭orphan's‬‭struggles,‬‭Dickens‬‭exposes‬‭the‬‭harsh‬
‭realities‬ ‭of‬ ‭Victorian‬ ‭England,‬ ‭offering‬ ‭a‬ ‭critique‬ ‭of‬ ‭the‬ ‭prevailing‬
‭social‬ ‭and‬ ‭economic‬ ‭injustices.‬ ‭The‬ ‭novel's‬ ‭rich‬ ‭variety‬‭of‬ ‭characters‬
‭embodies‬ ‭a‬ ‭spectrum‬ ‭of‬ ‭moral‬ ‭values‬ ‭and‬ ‭societal‬ ‭flaws,‬ ‭creating‬ ‭a‬
‭layered exploration of human nature.‬

‭ ickens‬ ‭employs‬ ‭Oliver‬ ‭as‬ ‭a‬ ‭symbol‬ ‭of‬ ‭innocence,‬ ‭contrasting‬ ‭his‬
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‭purity‬ ‭with‬‭the‬‭corruption‬‭that‬‭surrounds‬ ‭him.‬‭The‬ ‭grim‬ ‭portrayal‬‭of‬
‭workhouses,‬‭crime-ridden‬‭streets,‬‭and‬‭exploitative‬‭institutions‬‭unveils‬
‭the‬‭dark‬‭underbelly‬‭of‬‭society.‬‭The‬‭Artful‬‭Dodger,‬‭Fagin,‬‭and‬‭Bill‬‭Sikes‬
‭serve‬ ‭as‬ ‭vivid‬ ‭embodiments‬ ‭of‬ ‭moral‬ ‭decay,‬ ‭reflecting‬ ‭the‬
‭consequences of a society that neglects its insignificant members.‬

‭ et,‬ ‭amidst‬ ‭the‬ ‭bleakness,‬ ‭rays‬ ‭of‬ ‭hope‬ ‭emerge.‬ ‭Characters‬ ‭like‬ ‭Mr.‬
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‭Brownlow‬ ‭and‬ ‭Nancy‬ ‭exemplify‬ ‭the‬ ‭potential‬ ‭for‬ ‭compassion‬ ‭and‬
‭redemption,‬ ‭underscoring‬ ‭the‬ ‭duality‬ ‭of‬ ‭human‬ ‭nature.‬ ‭Dickens'‬
‭masterful‬‭use‬‭of‬‭irony‬ ‭and‬‭satire‬ ‭lays‬‭bare‬ ‭the‬‭hypocrisy‬‭of‬‭the‬‭upper‬
‭classes, exposing their role in perpetuating poverty and cruelty.‬

I‭ n‬‭its‬‭exploration‬‭of‬‭themes‬‭such‬‭as‬‭identity,‬‭loyalty,‬‭and‬‭the‬‭search‬‭for‬
‭belonging,‬‭"Oliver‬‭Twist"‬‭transcends‬‭its‬‭time,‬‭resonating‬‭with‬‭modern‬
‭audiences.‬ ‭Dickens'‬ ‭ability‬ ‭to‬ ‭blend‬ ‭a‬ ‭compelling‬ ‭plot‬‭with‬ ‭a‬ ‭searing‬
‭portrayal‬ ‭of‬‭societal‬ ‭ills‬‭cements‬ ‭the‬ ‭novel's‬ ‭status‬‭as‬‭a‬‭timeless‬‭work‬
‭of‬ ‭literature,‬ ‭inviting‬ ‭readers‬ ‭to‬ ‭reflect‬ ‭on‬ ‭their‬ ‭own‬ ‭roles‬ ‭within‬ ‭a‬
‭complex world.‬
‭▸Themes‬

I‭ n‬‭the‬‭story‬‭Dickens‬‭touches‬‭multiple‬‭themes‬‭some‬‭of‬‭such‬‭are‬‭as‬
‭follows-‬

‭ irtue‬‭versus‬‭Evil‬‭:‬‭Dickens‬‭portrays‬‭true‬‭virtue‬‭as‬‭invincible‬‭even‬‭in‬‭the‬‭face‬
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‭of‬ ‭desperation‬ ‭and‬ ‭compelling‬ ‭evil.‬ ‭Oliver‬ ‭Twist‬ ‭is‬ ‭innately‬ ‭virtuous;‬ ‭he‬ ‭remains‬
‭selfless,‬‭honest,‬‭and‬‭compassionate‬‭throughout‬‭the‬‭trials‬‭and‬‭temptations‬‭set‬‭in‬‭his‬
‭path.‬ ‭The‬ ‭selfish,‬ ‭devious,‬ ‭and‬ ‭ruthless‬ ‭Fagin‬ ‭is‬ ‭his‬ ‭evil‬ ‭nemesis,‬ ‭a‬ ‭corrupter‬ ‭of‬
‭children and adults alike who hides behind a mask of charm.‬
‭Poverty‬ ‭:‬ ‭Deeply‬ ‭affected‬ ‭by‬ ‭his‬‭own‬‭poverty‬‭as‬‭a‬‭child,‬‭Dickens‬‭addresses‬
‭this‬ ‭theme‬ ‭in‬ ‭Oliver‬ ‭Twist‬ ‭by‬ ‭closely‬ ‭observing‬ ‭its‬ ‭effects‬ ‭on‬ ‭Oliver‬ ‭and‬ ‭those‬
‭around‬‭him—effects‬‭that‬‭include‬‭malnourishment‬‭and‬‭death.‬‭He‬‭comments‬‭bluntly‬
‭on‬ ‭the‬ ‭treatment‬ ‭of‬ ‭paupers‬ ‭in‬ ‭workhouses‬ ‭and‬ ‭on‬ ‭the‬ ‭hypocrisy‬ ‭that‬ ‭often‬
‭characterizes‬ ‭the‬ ‭organizations‬ ‭who‬ ‭are‬ ‭tasked‬ ‭with‬ ‭their‬ ‭care.‬ ‭Dickens‬ ‭also‬
‭describes‬‭in‬‭detail‬‭the‬‭atrocious‬‭and‬‭sometimes‬‭deadly‬‭conditions‬‭in‬‭which‬‭the‬‭poor‬
‭must‬ ‭live.‬ ‭Housing‬ ‭is‬ ‭often‬ ‭dirty‬ ‭and‬ ‭unsafe,‬ ‭and‬ ‭certain‬ ‭environments,‬ ‭such‬ ‭as‬
‭housebreakers in the neighborhood, are contaminated with toxins.‬
‭Criminality‬‭:‬‭When‬‭all‬‭else‬‭fails,‬‭the‬‭poor‬‭may‬‭be‬‭driven‬‭to‬‭crime,‬‭especially‬
‭petty‬ ‭theft.‬ ‭But‬ ‭this‬ ‭is‬ ‭far‬ ‭from‬‭the‬‭only‬‭type‬‭of‬‭crime‬‭Dickens‬‭explores‬‭in‬‭Oliver‬
‭Twist.‬ ‭He‬ ‭shows‬ ‭how‬ ‭greed‬ ‭leads‬ ‭to‬ ‭petty‬ ‭theft‬ ‭as‬ ‭with‬ ‭Mrs.‬ ‭Corney,‬ ‭to‬ ‭picking‬
‭pockets‬ ‭as‬ ‭with‬ ‭Fagin‬‭'s‬ ‭boys,‬ ‭to‬ ‭fencing‬ ‭as‬ ‭with‬‭Fagin,‬‭and‬‭to‬‭housebreaking‬‭and‬
‭even‬ ‭murder‬ ‭as‬ ‭with‬ ‭Sikes.‬ ‭And‬ ‭while‬ ‭Fagin's‬ ‭role‬ ‭in‬ ‭taking‬‭in‬‭boys‬‭and‬‭training‬
‭them‬ ‭in‬ ‭criminality‬ ‭may‬ ‭not‬ ‭be‬ ‭strictly‬ ‭illegal,‬ ‭it‬ ‭certainly‬ ‭corrupts‬ ‭these‬ ‭young‬
‭characters and leads them to lives of crime.‬
‭Child‬ ‭Abuse‬ ‭:‬ ‭In‬ ‭Oliver‬ ‭Twist,‬ ‭child‬ ‭abuse‬ ‭is‬ ‭both‬ ‭individual‬ ‭and‬
‭institutional.‬‭Children‬‭are‬‭regularly‬‭beaten‬‭as‬‭punishment;‬‭Oliver‬‭is‬‭beaten‬‭by‬‭both‬
‭the‬ ‭parish‬ ‭beadle‬ ‭and‬ ‭his‬ ‭master‬ ‭after‬ ‭Noah‬ ‭Claypole‬ ‭accuses‬ ‭him‬ ‭of‬ ‭attempted‬
‭murder.‬ ‭In‬ ‭Victorian‬ ‭England,‬ ‭a‬ ‭common‬ ‭punishment‬ ‭for‬ ‭child‬ ‭criminals‬ ‭was‬ ‭a‬
‭public‬‭whipping.‬‭Dickens‬‭seems‬‭to‬‭find‬‭the‬‭practice‬‭abhorrent.‬‭The‬‭"good"‬‭people‬‭in‬
‭the‬‭novel‬‭never‬‭punish‬‭Oliver‬‭at‬‭all.‬‭Other‬‭abuses‬‭of‬‭children‬‭also‬‭take‬‭place‬‭in‬‭the‬‭novel:‬
t‭hey are locked in dark places, publicly shamed, and starved.‬