A Brave and Honest Boy, Oliver Twist
Oliver Twist is a novel by Charles Dickens that tells the story of a young orphan named Oliver who is born in a workhouse and faces numerous challenges throughout his life, including poverty, abuse, and discrimination. Despite these obstacles, Oliver remains optimistic and resilient, and ultimately finds happiness and belonging through his relationships with various characters. The novel explores themes of social inequality, morality, and the human condition, and is considered one of Dickens' most important works.
By Charles Dickens · First published 1838 · Genre: Social Criticism, Bildungsroman, Crime · 13,061 words
First lines
LITTLE Oliver Twist was an orphan. He never saw his mother or his father. He was born at the workhouse, the home for paupers, where his poor heart-broken mother had been taken just a short time before baby Oliver came; and, the very night he was born, she was so sick and weak she said: "Let me see my child and then I will die. " The old nurse said: "Nonsense, my dear, you must not think of dying, you have something now to live for. " The good kind doctor said she must be very brave and she might get well. They brought her little baby boy to her, and she hugged him in her weak arms and she kissed him on the brow many times and cuddled him up as close as her feeble arms could hold him; and then she looked at him long and steadily, and a sweet smile came over her face and a bright light came into her eyes, and before the smile could pass from her lips she died.
What this Textopian page supports
A Brave and Honest Boy, Oliver Twist is listed on Textopian as a novel by Charles Dickens, dated 1838 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Novel
- Author: Charles Dickens
- Date: 1838 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Social Criticism, Bildungsroman, Crime, Drama, Satire
- Length: 13,061 words
- Structure: 1 section, 274 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
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Discussion starters
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- Where does Social Criticism first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
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- Tales From Dickens Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens
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- Tales From Dickens Nicholas Nickleby by Charles Dickens
- The Story Of Little Dorrit by Charles Dickens
- Little Nell by Charles Dickens
Genres
- Social Criticism — Charles Dickens used this work to critique the social institutions and inequalities of his time
- Bildungsroman — The novel follows the growth and development of the protagonist Oliver Twist from childhood into adulthood
- Crime — The book features underworld elements and portrays criminal activities common in Victorian England
- Drama — The narrative includes episodes of dramatic tension between characters, as well as trials and tribulations faced by the protagonist
Tags
orphan · poverty · Victorian · London · social criticism · crime · child labor · adventure · friendship · betrayal · survival · innocence