Context of Oliver Twist

Oliver Twist Knowledge Organiser 

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The text was written during the reign of Queen Victoria I
Dickens was a 19th Century writer
 The growing population in the capital population in the capital was
Oliver Twist Plot Summary growing at this time play was written, Elizabeth 1 st was Queen. She
1. Oliver is born in the workhouse. When he is a bit older, he is nominated to ask for Victorian London was a very unhygienic place because of the waste
more food because the boys are starving. going into the Thames
2. He is kicked out of the workhouse and sold to the Sowerberry family to be an  Your quality of life in Victorian times depended on whether you were
undertaker’s apprentice. He’s bullied by Noah, they fight and he is locked up. rich or poor
3. Oliver runs away to London, meets Dodger and is introduced to Fagin’s gang.  Trafalgar Square, The Houses of Parliament and Victoria Station were
4. Oliver is taken out with the gang and is horrified to see Dodger steal a gentleman’s all built during the Victorian era
handkerchief. Oliver is wrongly arrested for the theft.  The Poor Law of 1834 meant that people who couldn’t work went to
5. The gentleman, Mr. Brownlow, takes pity on Oliver and takes him in. The gang plot to workhouses because it was against the law to give them any other
get him back in case he reveals information about them. help
6. Oliver is abducted by the gang whilst running an errand for Mr. Brownlow.  Life in workhouses was very hard. There were lots of orphans as there
7. Oliver is used by Sikes in a burglary. They fail and Sikes runs away. Oliver is left was lots of sickness and disease
behind but the people who live there feel sorry for him and look after him. They are
called Fred and Rose Maylie. Dickens’ Early Life
8. When Bill and Fagin realise what has happened, they plot to catch Oliver again.  Charles Dickens was born in 1812 in Portsmouth
Nancy overhears and visits Mr. Brownlow to warn him.  When Charles was 12, his father was sent to prison for owing money
9. Fagin tells Bill about Nancy’s betrayal and Bill murders her. Fagin is discovered and  Charles Dickens worked in a factory and his wages were used to pay
sent to prison and Bill dies trying to run away. off his father’s debt
10.Oliver discovers who his parents were and joins Mr. Brownlow and the Maylies to live  Dickens had to work twelve hour days putting labels and lids on pots
happily ever after.
Dickens’ Life After An Education
 Dickens went to work as a reporter for a newspaper
Characters  At the age of 24, he wrote his first novel and it was an instant success
Oliver  He would give public readings of his novels as entertainment and
He is a ‘pale, thin’ orphan who is treated badly by almost everyone he meets. He tries hundreds of people would turn up to see him
his best to be a good person and experiences ‘horror and alarm’ whenever he sees  Dickens would publish a few chapters each month in a magazine
crimes being committed.  Magazines were called ‘periodicals’
Mr. Bumble  Dickens died in 1870 of a stroke, aged only 58
The man who runs the workhouse and gives Oliver his name. He is ‘a fat man’ who  A lot of his stories are about children who have had tough lives and
enjoys power and doesn’t care about the people beneath him. have to struggle to survive
Noah Claypole
A ‘malicious and ill-conditioned’ boy who bullies Oliver at the undertakers. He Key words
eventually runs away to London and joins the same gang as Oliver. • morality – a code of right and wrong. People who try to be good can
Fagin be called moral and people who do bad things can be called immoral.
An old man who runs the gang of pickpockets. He seems kind but his ‘villainous-looking • vulnerable – in a situation in which you could be easily harmed.
and repulsive face’ reflects his selfish nature as he gets young boys to do his dirty work People living on the streets are vulnerable.
for him. • brutal – very violent or cruel.
Jack Dawkins (The Artful Dodger) • corrupt – a word used to describe a person who uses their power in a
A young boy who introduces Oliver to Fagin’s gang who has ‘all the airs and manners of dishonest or illegal way in order to make life better for themselves.
a man’. He’s confident and cunning. • villain – a ‘baddie’ who harms other people or breaks the law to get
Bill Sikes what they want.
A ’rough man’ who has been a criminal for many years. He beats his dog viciously and • malicious – meant to hurt or upset someone.
brutally kills his girlfriend, Nancy. • victim – someone who has been harmed, often by other people.
Nancy • naïve – If someone is naïve if they don’t have experience of how
Bill’s girlfriend who risks her life to help Oliver escape from the gang. She loves Bill complicated life can be and therefore trust people too much.
even though he treats her abusively and she feels guilty about the life of crime she has • society – the people who live in a certain area. This could be a
led. country, town or small group.
Mr. Brownlow • workhouse – a place where people who couldn’t support themselves
A wealthy older gentleman who takes Oliver in and looks after him. He believes in were sent to live and work.
Oliver’s goodness even when it looks like Oliver has stolen from him and eventually
finds out the truth about Oliver’s parents.