The social issues in the novel Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens include poverty affecting children, child abuse, and crimes committed by children.
In Oliver Twist, poverty affecting children is present during the Victorian Era in London. For instance, the character Oliver Twist is being described as hungry and destitute, which means without the basic necessities of life. “The hungry and destitute situation of the infant orphan was duly reported by the workhouse authorities to the parish authorities” (Dickens 25; ch. 2). Moreover, the following quote is about the situation of Oliver asking for more food. “ ‘Mr. Limbkins, I beg your pardon, sir! Oliver Twist has asked for more!’ There was a general start. Horror was depicted on every countenance” (34; ch. 2). The gentlemen in the room are very surprised and angry because Oliver asks for more food. Food was probably scarce in London in the Victorian Era because of poverty. Oliver is just an orphan, so …show more content…
For example, Fagin abuses the Artful Dodger and Charley Bates if they did not steal anything for him. “Whenever the Dodger or Charley Bates came home at night, empty-handed, he would expatiate with great vehemence on the misery of idle and lazy habits; and would enforce upon them the necessity of an active life, by sending them supperless to bed. On one occasion, indeed, he even went so far as to knock them both down a flight of stairs; but this was carrying out his virtuous precepts to an unusual extent” (93; ch. 10). Fagin would not give Charley and the Dodger food and even pushed them downstairs as punishment. With this in mind, the following quote talks about how Oliver and Dick are abused. “They had been beaten, and starved, and shut up together, many and many a time” (76; ch. 7). Child abuse can mean when a child is mistreated by physical abuse, utilization, emotional abuse, and neglect. To demonstrate, Oliver and Dick are mistreated by being beaten and
In Oliver Twist, poverty affecting children is present during the Victorian Era in London. For instance, the character Oliver Twist is being described as hungry and destitute, which means without the basic necessities of life. “The hungry and destitute situation of the infant orphan was duly reported by the workhouse authorities to the parish authorities” (Dickens 25; ch. 2). Moreover, the following quote is about the situation of Oliver asking for more food. “ ‘Mr. Limbkins, I beg your pardon, sir! Oliver Twist has asked for more!’ There was a general start. Horror was depicted on every countenance” (34; ch. 2). The gentlemen in the room are very surprised and angry because Oliver asks for more food. Food was probably scarce in London in the Victorian Era because of poverty. Oliver is just an orphan, so …show more content…
For example, Fagin abuses the Artful Dodger and Charley Bates if they did not steal anything for him. “Whenever the Dodger or Charley Bates came home at night, empty-handed, he would expatiate with great vehemence on the misery of idle and lazy habits; and would enforce upon them the necessity of an active life, by sending them supperless to bed. On one occasion, indeed, he even went so far as to knock them both down a flight of stairs; but this was carrying out his virtuous precepts to an unusual extent” (93; ch. 10). Fagin would not give Charley and the Dodger food and even pushed them downstairs as punishment. With this in mind, the following quote talks about how Oliver and Dick are abused. “They had been beaten, and starved, and shut up together, many and many a time” (76; ch. 7). Child abuse can mean when a child is mistreated by physical abuse, utilization, emotional abuse, and neglect. To demonstrate, Oliver and Dick are mistreated by being beaten and