describe oliver's journey to london

Oliver Twist

By charles dickens, chapter 8: oliver walks to london. he encounters on the road a strange sort of young gentleman..

• Year Published: 1838
• Language: English
• Country of Origin: England
• Source: Dickens, C. (1838). Oliver Twist. London, England; Bentley's Miscellany.
• Flesch–Kincaid Level: 8.1
• Word Count: 3,424
• Genre: Realism
• Keywords: 19th century literature, british literature, charles dickens, oliver twist
• ✎ Cite This

Dickens, C. (1838). Chapter 8: Oliver Walks to London. He Encounters on the Road a Strange Sort of Young Gentleman.. Oliver Twist (Lit2Go Edition). Retrieved April 25, 2024, from https://etc.usf.edu/lit2go/50/oliver-twist/939/chapter-8-oliver-walks-to-london-he-encounters-on-the-road-a-strange-sort-of-young-gentleman/

Dickens, Charles. "Chapter 8: Oliver Walks to London. He Encounters on the Road a Strange Sort of Young Gentleman.." Oliver Twist . Lit2Go Edition. 1838. Web. https://etc.usf.edu/lit2go/50/oliver-twist/939/chapter-8-oliver-walks-to-london-he-encounters-on-the-road-a-strange-sort-of-young-gentleman/ >. April 25, 2024.

Charles Dickens, "Chapter 8: Oliver Walks to London. He Encounters on the Road a Strange Sort of Young Gentleman.," Oliver Twist , Lit2Go Edition, (1838), accessed April 25, 2024, https://etc.usf.edu/lit2go/50/oliver-twist/939/chapter-8-oliver-walks-to-london-he-encounters-on-the-road-a-strange-sort-of-young-gentleman/ .

Oliver reached the stile at which the by-path terminated; and once more gained the high-road. It was eight o’clock now. Though he was nearly five miles away from the town, he ran, and hid behind the hedges, by turns, till noon: fearing that he might be pursued and overtaken. Then he sat down to rest by the side of the milestone, and began to think, for the first time, where he had better go and try to live.

The stone by which he was seated, bore, in large characters, an intimation that it was just seventy miles from that spot to London. The name awakened a new train of ideas in the boy’s mind.

London!—that great place!—nobody—not even Mr. Bumble—could ever find him there! He had often heard the old men in the workhouse, too, say that no lad of spirit need want in London; and that there were ways of living in that vast city, which those who had been bred up in country parts had no idea of. It was the very place for a homeless boy, who must die in the streets unless some one helped him. As these things passed through his thoughts, he jumped upon his feet, and again walked forward.

He had diminished the distance between himself and London by full four miles more, before he recollected how much he must undergo ere he could hope to reach his place of destination. As this consideration forced itself upon him, he slackened his pace a little, and meditated upon his means of getting there. He had a crust of bread, a coarse shirt, and two pairs of stockings, in his bundle. He had a penny too—a gift of Sowerberry’s after some funeral in which he had acquitted himself more than ordinarily well—in his pocket. ‘A clean shirt,’ thought Oliver, ‘is a very comfortable thing; and so are two pairs of darned stockings; and so is a penny; but they are small helps to a sixty-five miles’ walk in winter time.’ But Oliver’s thoughts, like those of most other people, although they were extremely ready and active to point out his difficulties, were wholly at a loss to suggest any feasible mode of surmounting them; so, after a good deal of thinking to no particular purpose, he changed his little bundle over to the other shoulder, and trudged on.

Oliver walked twenty miles that day; and all that time tasted nothing but the crust of dry bread, and a few draughts of water, which he begged at the cottage-doors by the road-side. When the night came, he turned into a meadow; and, creeping close under a hay-rick, determined to lie there, till morning. He felt frightened at first, for the wind moaned dismally over the empty fields: and he was cold and hungry, and more alone than he had ever felt before. Being very tired with his walk, however, he soon fell asleep and forgot his troubles.

He felt cold and stiff, when he got up next morning, and so hungry that he was obliged to exchange the penny for a small loaf, in the very first village through which he passed. He had walked no more than twelve miles, when night closed in again. His feet were sore, and his legs so weak that they trembled beneath him. Another night passed in the bleak damp air, made him worse; when he set forward on his journey next morning he could hardly crawl along.

He waited at the bottom of a steep hill till a stage-coach came up, and then begged of the outside passengers; but there were very few who took any notice of him: and even those told him to wait till they got to the top of the hill, and then let them see how far he could run for a halfpenny. Poor Oliver tried to keep up with the coach a little way, but was unable to do it, by reason of his fatigue and sore feet. When the outsides saw this, they put their halfpence back into their pockets again, declaring that he was an idle young dog, and didn’t deserve anything; and the coach rattled away and left only a cloud of dust behind.

In some villages, large painted boards were fixed up: warning all persons who begged within the district, that they would be sent to jail. This frightened Oliver very much, and made him glad to get out of those villages with all possible expedition. In others, he would stand about the inn-yards, and look mournfully at every one who passed: a proceeding which generally terminated in the landlady’s ordering one of the post-boys who were lounging about, to drive that strange boy out of the place, for she was sure he had come to steal something. If he begged at a farmer’s house, ten to one but they threatened to set the dog on him; and when he showed his nose in a shop, they talked about the beadle—which brought Oliver’s heart into his mouth,—very often the only thing he had there, for many hours together.

In fact, if it had not been for a good-hearted turnpike-man, and a benevolent old lady, Oliver’s troubles would have been shortened by the very same process which had put an end to his mother’s; in other words, he would most assuredly have fallen dead upon the king’s highway. But the turnpike-man gave him a meal of bread and cheese; and the old lady, who had a shipwrecked grandson wandering barefoot in some distant part of the earth, took pity upon the poor orphan, and gave him what little she could afford—and more—with such kind and gentle words, and such tears of sympathy and compassion, that they sank deeper into Oliver’s soul, than all the sufferings he had ever undergone.

Early on the seventh morning after he had left his native place, Oliver limped slowly into the little town of Barnet. The window-shutters were closed; the street was empty; not a soul had awakened to the business of the day. The sun was rising in all its splendid beauty; but the light only served to show the boy his own lonesomeness and desolation, as he sat, with bleeding feet and covered with dust, upon a door-step.

By degrees, the shutters were opened; the window-blinds were drawn up; and people began passing to and fro. Some few stopped to gaze at Oliver for a moment or two, or turned round to stare at him as they hurried by; but none relieved him, or troubled themselves to inquire how he came there. He had no heart to beg. And there he sat.

He had been crouching on the step for some time: wondering at the great number of public-houses (every other house in Barnet was a tavern, large or small), gazing listlessly at the coaches as they passed through, and thinking how strange it seemed that they could do, with ease, in a few hours, what it had taken him a whole week of courage and determination beyond his years to accomplish: when he was roused by observing that a boy, who had passed him carelessly some minutes before, had returned, and was now surveying him most earnestly from the opposite side of the way. He took little heed of this at first; but the boy remained in the same attitude of close observation so long, that Oliver raised his head, and returned his steady look. Upon this, the boy crossed over; and walking close up to Oliver, said,

‘Hullo, my covey! What’s the row?’

The boy who addressed this inquiry to the young wayfarer, was about his own age: but one of the queerest looking boys that Oliver had even seen. He was a snub-nosed, flat-browed, common-faced boy enough; and as dirty a juvenile as one would wish to see; but he had about him all the airs and manners of a man. He was short of his age: with rather bow-legs, and little, sharp, ugly eyes. His hat was stuck on the top of his head so lightly, that it threatened to fall off every moment—and would have done so, very often, if the wearer had not had a knack of every now and then giving his head a sudden twitch, which brought it back to its old place again. He wore a man’s coat, which reached nearly to his heels. He had turned the cuffs back, half-way up his arm, to get his hands out of the sleeves: apparently with the ultimate view of thrusting them into the pockets of his corduroy trousers; for there he kept them. He was, altogether, as roystering and swaggering a young gentleman as ever stood four feet six, or something less, in the bluchers.

‘Hullo, my covey! What’s the row?’ said this strange young gentleman to Oliver.

‘I am very hungry and tired,’ replied Oliver: the tears standing in his eyes as he spoke. ‘I have walked a long way. I have been walking these seven days.’

‘Walking for sivin days!’ said the young gentleman. ‘Oh, I see. Beak’s order, eh? But,’ he added, noticing Oliver’s look of surprise, ‘I suppose you don’t know what a beak is, my flash com-pan-i-on.’

Oliver mildly replied, that he had always heard a bird’s mouth described by the term in question.

‘My eyes, how green!’ exclaimed the young gentleman. ‘Why, a beak’s a madgst’rate; and when you walk by a beak’s order, it’s not straight forerd, but always agoing up, and niver a coming down agin. Was you never on the mill?’

‘What mill?’ inquired Oliver.

‘What mill! Why, the mill—the mill as takes up so little room that it’ll work inside a Stone Jug; and always goes better when the wind’s low with people, than when it’s high; acos then they can’t get workmen. But come,’ said the young gentleman; ‘you want grub, and you shall have it. I’m at low-water-mark myself—only one bob and a magpie; but, as far as it goes, I’ll fork out and stump. Up with you on your pins. There! Now then! ‘Morrice!’

Assisting Oliver to rise, the young gentleman took him to an adjacent chandler’s shop, where he purchased a sufficiency of ready-dressed ham and a half-quartern loaf, or, as he himself expressed it, ‘a fourpenny bran!’ the ham being kept clean and preserved from dust, by the ingenious expedient of making a hole in the loaf by pulling out a portion of the crumb, and stuffing it therein. Taking the bread under his arm, the young gentlman turned into a small public-house, and led the way to a tap-room in the rear of the premises. Here, a pot of beer was brought in, by direction of the mysterious youth; and Oliver, falling to, at his new friend’s bidding, made a long and hearty meal, during the progress of which the strange boy eyed him from time to time with great attention.

‘Going to London?’ said the strange boy, when Oliver had at length concluded.

‘Yes.’

‘Got any lodgings?’

‘No.’

‘Money?’

The strange boy whistled; and put his arms into his pockets, as far as the big coat-sleeves would let them go.

‘Do you live in London?’ inquired Oliver.

‘Yes. I do, when I’m at home,’ replied the boy. ‘I suppose you want some place to sleep in to-night, don’t you?’

‘I do, indeed,’ answered Oliver. ‘I have not slept under a roof since I left the country.’

‘Don’t fret your eyelids on that score,’ said the young gentleman. ‘I’ve got to be in London to-night; and I know a ‘spectable old gentleman as lives there, wot’ll give you lodgings for nothink, and never ask for the change—that is, if any genelman he knows interduces you. And don’t he know me? Oh, no! Not in the least! By no means. Certainly not!’

The young gentleman smiled, as if to intimate that the latter fragments of discourse were playfully ironical; and finished the beer as he did so.

This unexpected offer of shelter was too tempting to be resisted; especially as it was immediately followed up, by the assurance that the old gentleman referred to, would doubtless provide Oliver with a comfortable place, without loss of time. This led to a more friendly and confidential dialogue; from which Oliver discovered that his friend’s name was Jack Dawkins, and that he was a peculiar pet and protege of the elderly gentleman before mentioned.

Mr. Dawkin’s appearance did not say a vast deal in favour of the comforts which his patron’s interest obtained for those whom he took under his protection; but, as he had a rather flightly and dissolute mode of conversing, and furthermore avowed that among his intimate friends he was better known by the sobriquet of ‘The Artful Dodger,’ Oliver concluded that, being of a dissipated and careless turn, the moral precepts of his benefactor had hitherto been thrown away upon him. Under this impression, he secretly resolved to cultivate the good opinion of the old gentleman as quickly as possible; and, if he found the Dodger incorrigible, as he more than half suspected he should, to decline the honour of his farther acquaintance.

As John Dawkins objected to their entering London before nightfall, it was nearly eleven o’clock when they reached the turnpike at Islington. They crossed from the Angel into St. John’s Road; struck down the small street which terminates at Sadler’s Wells Theatre; through Exmouth Street and Coppice Row; down the little court by the side of the workhouse; across the classic ground which once bore the name of Hockley-in-the-Hole; thence into Little Saffron Hill; and so into Saffron Hill the Great: along which the Dodger scudded at a rapid pace, directing Oliver to follow close at his heels.

Although Oliver had enough to occupy his attention in keeping sight of his leader, he could not help bestowing a few hasty glances on either side of the way, as he passed along. A dirtier or more wretched place he had never seen. The street was very narrow and muddy, and the air was impregnated with filthy odours.

There were a good many small shops; but the only stock in trade appeared to be heaps of children, who, even at that time of night, were crawling in and out at the doors, or screaming from the inside. The sole places that seemed to prosper amid the general blight of the place, were the public-houses; and in them, the lowest orders of Irish were wrangling with might and main. Covered ways and yards, which here and there diverged from the main street, disclosed little knots of houses, where drunken men and women were positively wallowing in filth; and from several of the door-ways, great ill-looking fellows were cautiously emerging, bound, to all appearance, on no very well-disposed or harmless errands.

Oliver was just considering whether he hadn’t better run away, when they reached the bottom of the hill. His conductor, catching him by the arm, pushed open the door of a house near Field Lane; and drawing him into the passage, closed it behind them.

‘Now, then!’ cried a voice from below, in reply to a whistle from the Dodger.

‘Plummy and slam!’ was the reply.

This seemed to be some watchword or signal that all was right; for the light of a feeble candle gleamed on the wall at the remote end of the passage; and a man’s face peeped out, from where a balustrade of the old kitchen staircase had been broken away.

‘There’s two on you,’ said the man, thrusting the candle farther out, and shielding his eyes with his hand. ‘Who’s the t’other one?’

‘A new pal,’ replied Jack Dawkins, pulling Oliver forward.

‘Where did he come from?’

‘Greenland. Is Fagin upstairs?’

‘Yes, he’s a sortin’ the wipes. Up with you!’ The candle was drawn back, and the face disappeared.

Oliver, groping his way with one hand, and having the other firmly grasped by his companion, ascended with much difficulty the dark and broken stairs: which his conductor mounted with an ease and expedition that showed he was well acquainted with them.

He threw open the door of a back-room, and drew Oliver in after him.

The walls and ceiling of the room were perfectly black with age and dirt. There was a deal table before the fire: upon which were a candle, stuck in a ginger-beer bottle, two or three pewter pots, a loaf and butter, and a plate. In a frying-pan, which was on the fire, and which was secured to the mantelshelf by a string, some sausages were cooking; and standing over them, with a toasting-fork in his hand, was a very old shrivelled Jew, whose villainous-looking and repulsive face was obscured by a quantity of matted red hair. He was dressed in a greasy flannel gown, with his throat bare; and seemed to be dividing his attention between the frying-pan and the clothes-horse, over which a great number of silk handkerchiefs were hanging. Several rough beds made of old sacks, were huddled side by side on the floor. Seated round the table were four or five boys, none older than the Dodger, smoking long clay pipes, and drinking spirits with the air of middle-aged men. These all crowded about their associate as he whispered a few words to the Jew; and then turned round and grinned at Oliver. So did the Jew himself, toasting-fork in hand.

‘This is him, Fagin,’ said Jack Dawkins;’my friend Oliver Twist.’

The Jew grinned; and, making a low obeisance to Oliver, took him by the hand, and hoped he should have the honour of his intimate acquaintance. Upon this, the young gentleman with the pipes came round him, and shook both his hands very hard—especially the one in which he held his little bundle. One young gentleman was very anxious to hang up his cap for him; and another was so obliging as to put his hands in his pockets, in order that, as he was very tired, he might not have the trouble of emptying them, himself, when he went to bed. These civilities would probably be extended much farther, but for a liberal exercise of the Jew’s toasting-fork on the heads and shoulders of the affectionate youths who offered them.

‘We are very glad to see you, Oliver, very,’ said the Jew. ‘Dodger, take off the sausages; and draw a tub near the fire for Oliver. Ah, you’re a-staring at the pocket-handkerchiefs! eh, my dear. There are a good many of ‘em, ain’t there? We’ve just looked ‘em out, ready for the wash; that’s all, Oliver; that’s all. Ha! ha! ha!’

The latter part of this speech, was hailed by a boisterous shout from all the hopeful pupils of the merry old gentleman. In the midst of which they went to supper.

Oliver ate his share, and the Jew then mixed him a glass of hot gin-and-water: telling him he must drink it off directly, because another gentleman wanted the tumbler. Oliver did as he was desired. Immediately afterwards he felt himself gently lifted on to one of the sacks; and then he sunk into a deep sleep.

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Oliver Twist Reading Guide: Understanding Charles Dickens’ Classic Novel

Table of Contents

Oliver Twist Introduction

Oliver Twist , written by renowned British author Charles Dickens, is a classic novel first published in 1838. The story captivates readers with its vivid portrayal of the harsh realities faced by the poor in 19th century London. Set against the backdrop of an unequal and unforgiving society, Dickens weaves a tale of resilience, hope, and the fight for social justice.

The eponymous protagonist, Oliver Twist, is an orphan who endures a life of destitution in a workhouse. As a symbol of innocence and purity, Oliver’s journey takes him through various trials and tribulations, exposing the corruption, cruelty, and hypocrisy prevalent in society. From his time in the workhouse, to his escape to London, and his encounters with characters both benevolent and malevolent, Oliver’s story highlights the stark contrast between the privileged and the marginalized.

Dickens skillfully criticizes the institutions and systems that perpetuate the mistreatment of the poor, such as the workhouses and the criminal underworld. Through Oliver’s quest for belonging and identity, the novel explores themes of class struggle, morality, and the inherent goodness that can arise even in the bleakest of circumstances.

Oliver Twist remains one of Dickens’ most influential and enduring works, praised for its powerful social commentary, engaging characters, and evocative descriptions of Victorian London. With its exploration of poverty, injustice, and the relentless pursuit of a better life, the novel continues to resonate with readers of all generations, reminding us of the timeless relevance of Dickens’ unmatched storytelling prowess.

Oliver Twist List

Readers can expect to gain a comprehensive understanding of the plot, themes, and characters in Charles Dickens ‘ Oliver Twist. The guide will likely provide an overview of the story, including a summary of the various events and twists that occur throughout the novel. It may also highlight the key themes explored by Dickens, such as poverty, social injustice, and the power of compassion. Additionally, readers may find in-depth analyses of the main characters, their motivations, and their roles in the narrative. The guide may also provide historical context and insight into the social issues of Victorian England that Dickens critiques in his work. Overall, readers can expect to gain a deeper appreciation and comprehension of the novel through this reading guide.

Author Background

The author of Oliver Twist is Charles Dickens. Charles Dickens was an English writer and social critic born on February 7, 1812, in Portsmouth, England. He is considered one of the greatest novelists of the Victorian era and is renowned for his literary works that captured the social injustices and hardships faced by the lower class in Victorian society.

Dickens’s childhood was marked by financial struggles, as his father was imprisoned for debt. These experiences deeply influenced his writings and fueled his passion for exposing the harsh realities of poverty, crime, and social inequality. Oliver Twist, published in 1838, is one of his most well-known and enduring works.

Dickens’s works often featured vividly drawn characters, richly detailed settings, and a mixture of humor, drama, and sentimentality. He had an immense talent for portraying the complexities of human nature and exploring themes such as class divisions, the plight of the poor, and the corrupting influence of society.

In addition to Oliver Twist, Dickens wrote many other influential novels, including A Tale of Two Cities, Great Expectations, and A Christmas Carol, which have all become classics of English literature. His works continue to be widely read and studied today, making him one of the most important and beloved authors in literary history. Charles Dickens passed away on June 9, 1870, leaving behind a lasting legacy as a champion of social reform and a master storyteller.

Oliver Twist Book Club Questions

1. How does Oliver Twist challenge societal norms and expectations?

Oliver Twist is a story that sheds light on the harsh reality of the 19th-century English society, particularly the treatment of orphans and the poor. One thought-provoking question to consider is how Oliver’s innocent and pure nature challenges the societal norms and expectations of the time. In a world filled with corruption and greed, Oliver stands out as a symbol of hope and empathy. Despite the hardships he faces, he remains honest and kind-hearted, refusing to succumb to the darkness around him.

Oliver’s resilience and determination to maintain his integrity forces readers to question the established social order. Is it fair that someone like Oliver, who possesses nothing but kindness, is subjected to a life filled with suffering while the rich and powerful thrive? Through Oliver’s experiences, Dickens forces readers to contemplate the deep-rooted inequalities present within society.

With a society divided into distinct classes, Oliver Twist highlights the stark differences in living conditions, treatment, and opportunities available to individuals based on their social standing. Dickens compels readers to consider whether this division is just or if it should be challenged and changed.

In a time when social inequality is still prevalent, Oliver Twist serves as a powerful reminder to actively question societal norms and to strive for a more just and compassionate world where everyone, regardless of their background, is afforded equal opportunities.

2. How do different characters in Oliver Twist show the capacity for both good and evil?

Oliver Twist presents a wide array of characters, each with their own moral compass and motivations. One thought-provoking question to consider is how these characters demonstrate the blurred lines between good and evil, showing that individuals are capable of both traits.

For instance, Fagin, the leader of a gang of thieves, is portrayed as a deeply manipulative, corrupt, and wicked character. However, even though he operates on the wrong side of the law, there are moments when Fagin shows care and concern for his young accomplices, such as when he tries to protect them from getting caught. This complexity challenges readers to question whether individuals, even those labeled as villains, have the capacity for goodness within them.

Furthermore, Bill Sikes, a brutal and violent criminal, demonstrates glimpses of tenderness and affection towards Nancy, bringing forth the idea that even those engaged in evil actions can harbor redeeming qualities. The character of Nancy, caught between her loyalty to Sikes and her desire to help Oliver, also blurs the line between good and evil, ultimately making a selfless choice when facing a moral dilemma.

Dickens masterfully crafts these characters to reflect the complexities of human nature. This depth prompts readers to reflect on their own capacity for good and evil, encouraging introspection and a recognition of the nuanced nature of humanity.

3. How does Oliver Twist explore the theme of identity and self-discovery?

In Oliver Twist, the protagonist embarks on a journey of self-discovery and exploration of his own identity. Born into poverty, Oliver undergoes multiple trials and encounters various characters that challenge his understanding of who he is and his place in the world.

One thought-provoking question to consider is how Oliver’s experiences contribute to his search for identity and shape his perception of himself. From his time at the workhouse to his encounters with Fagin’s gang and his eventual association with the upper class, Oliver repeatedly finds himself in situations where he must grapple with questions of belonging and self-worth.

As Oliver navigates through these complex situations, readers are prompted to reflect on their own journeys of self-discovery. Questions arise concerning the factors that shape identity, such as social class , upbringing, and personal choices. Oliver’s transformation from a young, naive orphan to a brave and resilient individual challenges readers to consider the role of adversity in shaping identity and the importance of staying true to oneself in the face of adversity.

Overall, Oliver Twist serves as a reminder that self-discovery is an ongoing process influenced by our surroundings and experiences. Through Oliver’s journey, Charles Dickens encourages readers to explore their own identity and to navigate the complexities of life with resilience and authenticity.

Oliver Twist Similar Books

1. “Great Expectations” by Charles Dickens: This novel, also written by Dickens, explores similar themes of poverty, social class, and morality. It follows the story of Pip, a young orphan who encounters various characters that shape his life and perceptions of society.

2. “Victorian England: An Encyclopedia” edited by Sally Mitchell: This comprehensive reference book delves into the historical, cultural, and social aspects of Victorian England, providing valuable context for understanding the world depicted in Oliver Twist. It covers topics such as the poor laws, workhouses, and the criminal justice system.

3. “The Victorian Underworld” by Kellow Chesney: This book takes readers on a fascinating journey through the gritty and often dangerous world of Victorian London. Focusing on the criminal underworld, it explores aspects of life that Dickens vividly portrays in Oliver Twist, such as pickpocketing, theft, and the brutal underworld of Fagin’s gang.

4. “Child Labor in the United States: Investigative Strategies and Tools for Compliance” by Carol A. Wells: This resource examines the historical context of child labor, particularly in the United States during the Industrial Revolution. It provides insights into the exploitation of children and the efforts made to combat this widespread problem, shedding light on the issue of child labor in Oliver Twist.

5. “Industrialization and Society” by Eric Hobsbawm: This book offers a comprehensive analysis of the impact of industrialization on various aspects of society during the 19th century. It explores the adverse effects on working-class individuals, the rise of urbanization, and the unequal distribution of wealth, all of which are themes prevalent in Oliver Twist.

6. Slumming: Sexual and Racial Encounters in American Nightlife, 1885-1940″ by Chad Heap: While focusing on a different time and place, this book provides valuable insight into the social dynamics of poverty, race, and class. It examines the interactions between people from different backgrounds in urban and impoverished areas, touching on themes relevant to Oliver Twist’s portrayal of the marginalized population of London.

7. “The Social Contract” by Jean-Jacques Rousseau: Although written in the 18th century, this influential philosophical work addresses themes of social inequality and the obligations of the government toward the less privileged members of society. It offers insights into the philosophical background that underpins Dickens’s exploration of social justice in Oliver Twist.

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Oliver Twist

How does Oliver's journey to London show his perseverance?

how do think Oliver's journey to london shows his perseverance

Oliver's jouney shows perseverance because it is a miracle he made it to London at all. He had one penny, a crust of bread, and not much more than the clothes on his back. The journey was sixty-five miles, and it was winter.... Oliver was hungry and exhausted, his feet and legs caused him great pain, and he was lonely..... alone.

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Oliver Twist

Charles dickens, ask litcharts ai: the answer to your questions.

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Oliver Twist’s London spotlit in new exhibition and walking tour

Charles Dickens Museum opens new display, which will encourage visitors to follow in the author’s footsteps around the nearby sites that inspired the novel

When Charles Dickens was writing Oliver Twist in 1837, he required a suitably horrible magistrate to preside over Oliver’s trial for pick-pocketing. Dickens knew exactly who to base the character on: a notorious Mr Laing, who worked in Hatton Garden, down the road from the author’s London home on Doughty Street.

Dickens asked an acquaintance to “smuggle” him into Laing’s offices. The man would go on to appear in the novel, thinly disguised as the dreadful Mr Fang, a man of “flushed face” who, “if he were really not in the habit of drinking rather more than was exactly good for him, he might have brought action against his countenance for libel, and have recovered heavy damages”.

Now fans of Dickens will be able to trace his journey to Laing’s offices, as the Charles Dickens Museum at 48 Doughty Street prepares to launch a new walking tour following in Dickens’s footsteps around the places that inspired Oliver Twist. From Saffron Hill, formerly a notorious slum and the home of Fagin’s den of thieves, to Clerkenwell Green, where Oliver is pursued by a mob, the new tour and accompanying exhibition are intended to show how the novel “was shaped by Dickens’s life and his world and the streets around him”, said curator Louisa Price.

Laing’s office is a stop on the tour, while the letter in which Dickens asked for help in observing the magistrate will feature in the exhibition. “In my next number of Oliver Twist, I must have a magistrate; and casting about for a magistrate whose harshness and insolence would render him a fit subject to be ‘shewn up’ I have, as a necessary consequence, stumbled upon Mr Laing of Hatton Garden celebrity,” Dickens wrote. “I know the man’s character perfectly well, but as it would be necessary to describe his appearance also, I ought to have seen him, which (fortunately or unfortunately as the case may be) I have never done.”

The exhibition also includes a page from Dickens’s handwritten manuscript of the novel, letters from Dickens discussing the writing process and a previously unseen locket belonging to the author, which contains a lock of hair from his sister-in-law Mary Hogarth. Mary lived with Dickens and his wife, her sister Catherine, and died suddenly in May 1837, at the age of 17. Her death devastated the author, and she inspired the character of Rose Maylie in Oliver Twist.

“He and Catherine were just distraught,” said Price. “Rose is effectively Mary – good, young and beautiful. Dickens manages to sneak in a eulogy to Mary in the closing chapters, describing the happy ending Rose gets, getting married and having children – the story he wished Mary would have had.”

Dickens came up with the idea for Oliver Twist weeks after he and Catherine brought their first child home to Doughty Street. The novel began as a serial in 1837, at the same time as The Pickwick Papers, also published serially, when Dickens was just 25.

“It’s a very busy period – he has his next two children in quick succession and they’re born at Doughty Street,” said Price. “We have a red chair in our drawing room and we know from his brother-in-law’s reminiscences that when he was writing Oliver Twist, Dickens would sit in it and write while interjecting and talking to them. It feels quite exhausting when you realise how much was going on in his life at the time.”

The Charles Dickens Museum’s new self-guided walking tour, with accompanying audio guide, launches alongside the exhibition on 30 June. It includes locations such as Brownlow Mews, which gave Dickens the name of Oliver’s adoptive father; Gray’s Inn Road, where Dickens visited coffee houses; The One Tun Pub in Saffron Hill, which claims to be the basis for the novel’s fictional pub The Three Cripples; and the former slums that Dickens visited as part of his research, keen to highlight poverty in the capital that the middle classes tried to ignore.

“[Oliver Twist] was generally very well received. People did really pick up on his depictions of the criminal world and the poor,” said Price. “But there were also some people who said that it was not true, and those slums don’t exist.”

Contemporary reviews of the novel will also feature in the exhibition, including Queen Victoria’s assessment. She described Oliver Twist as “excessively interesting”, while Lord Melbourne, prime minister at the time, was distressed that “it’s all among workhouses, and coffin makers … and pick-pockets … I don’t like those things, I wish to avoid them, I don’t like them in reality therefore I don’t wish them represented.”

There was also one less than prescient write-up in the 1837 Quarterly Review. “Mr Dickens writes too often and too fast,” the reviewer asserted, adding: “If he persists much longer in this course, it requires no gift of prophesy to foretell his fate – he has risen like a rocket, and he will come down like the stick.”

• Charles Dickens

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London Guided Walks » Oliver Twist Walk

Oliver Twist Walk

• Authentic different walk
• Discover 1837 London
• Qualified London tour guide

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Imagine stepping back in time to 1837, when London was a bustling city and not so different from today’s metropolises. You see people walking down the street with their heads held high as they go about business, street sweepers keen to offer their services, for a price, and horses pulling carriages and omnibuses. What would your life look like? How could you fit into this new world that is so unlike ours here today? Would YOU survive?

Highwaymen roamed the roads exiting Victorian London, ready to pounce on anyone who crossed their path. A dark and dangerous place at night with Highway men waiting in the shadows, just looking for an opportunity to make off with your valuables or even kill you if they did not intend to take anything from you alive.

This Oliver Twist walking tour follows the footsteps of Oliver Twist and Artful Dodger as they make their way through London to reach Fagin’s lair, just like in Charles Dickens’s novel “Oliver Twist.”

You can’t be too stealthy in London, especially if you want to avoid being caught by the police. The Artful Dodger and Oliver would have needed this skill when they headed into Fagin’s lair at night-time!

• Start: Angel Tube Station
• End: Farringdon Station
• Suitable for all age groups. Please note all children must be accompanied by an adult.

Oliver Twist Walk Reviews

Loved it, not a part of London I would have expected to find so much history but the guide was very knowledgeable and the walk was well structured (including lots of places to sit) giving a story with memorable highlights. I am now downloading the book to be able to visualise that proper settings and characters. We will definitely book another tour here!

This was a fantastic tour of Dickensian London. Our guide – Hazel is a fount of knowledge on London past and present. I discovered lots of things around the corner from where I live that were completely new to me including a shop which I plan to go back to.

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Oliver Twist

• Oliver's London
• Rich and Poor
• Q&A with Dickens
• Teacher Centre

Street Life

The squalor of the London streets was a fascination for Dickens and is dominant in many of his novels. The abject poverty juxtaposed against the wealth and beauty of the metropolis is quite astonishing. The streets were always full of life, full of people from pickpockets to elegant ladies out shopping. The poverty in certain areas left people starving, children dying of disease and prostitutes working in filthy conditions. It was a rich city full of layers; various classes and both genders were thrown into the midst of the capital together, some ignored those beneath them, some helped them make a better life.

"A dirtier or more wretched place he had never seen. The street was very narrow and muddy and the air was impregnated with filthy odours. There were a good many small shops; but the only stock in trade appeared to be heaps of children, who, even at that time of night, were crawling in and out at the doors, or screaming from the inside. The sole places that seemed to prosper, amid the general blight of the place were the public houses."

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IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF OLIVER TWIST

Artful dodging through london.

FOLLOW IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF OLIVER TWIST, DODGER, FAGIN, SIKES AND NANCY

Oliver Twist is one of Dickens best loved stories and its storyline of little orphan Oliver coming to London, meeting the Artful Dodger, being introduced to Fagin and undergoing numerous trails and tribulations, before it all comes good in the end, is one of literatures best known tales.

And, even though close on a hundred and eighty years have passed since Dickens pitched Oliver into the criminal underworld of early 19th century London, it is still possible to walk the streets that feature in the book and recognise many of the landmarks that provided the backcloth against which so many of Oliver's adventures were played out.

HULLO MY COVEY

So, introductions over, we set off to meet with Oliver Twist as he arrives on the outskirts of London and, having made the aquaintence of "...one of the queerest-looking boys" he had ever seen, traispses into the City en route to the abode a "'spectable old gentleman...wot'll give you lodgings for nothink, and never ask for the change..."

The queer looking boy, of course, is Jack Dawkins, better known as "The Artful Dodger" and the "'spectable old gentleman" to whom he is referring is is Fagin.

As we follow their route into London, you will hear how Dickens imbued Oliver with feelings of abandonment were based on a similar trauma that he had experienced in his own childhood. You will also learn about the good natured boy who befriended young Dickens and whose kindness was repaid by the author using his surname for the leader of the pickpockets in Oliver Tiwst.

Soon we enjoy a magnificent view of the mighty dome of St Paul's Cathedral away in the distance. It is a chilling to think that this is still, more or less, the very vista that Dickens himself would have perceived as he paced out Dodger's and Oliver's journey into London.

WE ARE VERY GLAD TO SEE YOU OLIVER

Ducking in and out of the warren of alleyways, along which "...the Dodger scudded at a rapid pace, directing Oliver to follow at his heels...", we push our way through the narrow thoroughfares - the dirtiest and most wretched that Oliver had ever seen - to arrive at the site Field Lane, one of 19th Century London's most notorious rookeries, where Oliver will come face to face with Fagin.

And, thus, standing on the very site of Fagin's den of iniquity, we can immerse ourselves in the London of Oliver Twist and make our way through the alleyways and courts that are featured in the book.