Oliver Twist Flashcards
The effect of urbanisation at that time:
Surprising connections in the mêlée of people who come to the city
Is Dickens an urban novelist?
Yes, not only because he writes about the city but also because he does so through Oliver’s eyes.
How is the city portrayed in the novel?
Like a huge maze with dark crowds, while also being very dynamic
How did Dickens feel about being categorised as the ‘New Gate’ genre?
He objected to it.
Writing about criminals was seen as?
Glamourising crime
If not New Gate, then what genre is the novel?
A realist novel, attempting to create the effect of verasimilitude.
How does Dickens stop himself from being limited to one genre?
He uses realism, but also gothic, or comedy.
What was Oliver Twist a satire of?
The poor law
What was the poor law?
The New Poor Law of 1834 restricted availability of welfare to the workouse + made conditions there dreadful so as to discourage people from going
Why is Oliver Twist so remarkable in it’s time?
It was one of the first novels with a child as the main hero.
