To show how Charles Dickens presents Good and Evil characters

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To show how Charles Dickens presents Good and Evil characters

In the beginning of the Victorian period many children (orphans) were

forced to turn to crime mainly because the children in the workhouse

were mistreated and abused. Another reason is many people were

migrating, which resulted to a growth in the population, which left

many children homeless. Charles Dickens has based his novel, 'Oliver

Twist' on this. He compares Oliver with what life was like for boys in

the 18th Century. Throughout the story Oliver encounters many evil

characters and a few virtuous characters. The evil characters try to

persuade him to lead the life of crime while as the good characters

save him and enable Oliver and the reader to learn that a life of

crime does not pay. Charles Dickens uses the novel to criticise how

children during Victorian times were forced to turn to crime when laws

did not protect them.

Dickens main character, Oliver, is presented as the 'hero' of the

story; he learns that goodness triumphs over evil. The incident in the

story where Oliver's goodness is shown is when Bill Sikes forces him

to rob Rose Maylie's house:

"Despite the threat, Oliver decided to warn the people in the house"

Even though Oliver is threatened to act out this evil deed, he chooses

to do the right thing by warning the owners of the house and risking

his own life. In doing so, Dickens shows that Oliver is a good

character through the choices Oliver makes.

Charles Dickens presents Mr Bumble as an evil character. At the start

of the story Dickens describes him as a "fat healthy man". While as

all the orphans are being starved, he is never going without. When

Oliver asks for more food, Mr Bumble:

"Aimed a blow at Oliver'...

... middle of paper ...

...liver (Monks was another

member of the gang) and began to weep saying:

'Please miss, don't come to any harm! I'd give my own life to save him.

Honest I would!'

Dickens has tried to emphasise the fact that in the Victorian Times

there weren't very strict laws, which meant there were a lot of very

bad people round at that time, but still some good left, and even

though Nancy was around very dangerous people she was a good person at

heart (that's why you have the proverb, 'don't judge a book by its

cover!). It also illustrates how good Nancy was, for her to tell Rose

everything, she must have been a very brave soul and must have loved

Oliver dearly to do such a kind thing. She knew Oliver didn't deserved

a better life ad didn't need to be pulled into a life as insecure as

her own. Dickens presents Nancy as a good person through her emotions

and actions.

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