About the Author
Charles Dickens (1812-1870) was wa an English writer and
social critic. He is regarded by many as the greatest novelist
of the Victorian era.
'Oliver Asks for More': The orphan Oliver and his
companions were ill-treated and starved in the workhouse.
One day a tall boy announced that he would eat the boy
who slept next to him unless he was given extra gruel. A
councilwas held and it was decided that Oliver should ask
the master for mnore.
Oliver Twist was then bound into apprenticeship with an
undertaker. Oliver Twist exposes the cruel treatment of the
many orphans in London in the mid-19th century Industrial
Age England.
This excerpt reflects Dickens' own experiences and difficult
childhood. Despite the evident pathos, Dickens manages to
infuse the central character with gentility and empathy.
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Oliver Asks for More
|2 Charles Dickens
in a town in England, there was
buildings
Among other money and nowhere to live,
who had no
house for poor people
workhouse.
This was called the
Twist was born ina workhouse. His mother, ayoung
Oliver woman stood by hey
A doctor and an old
woman, lay illin bed.
pillow.
side. She lifted her head from the
die,' she said.
'Let me see the child and
mustn't talk about dying yet, said the doctor.
'Oh, you
to die'.
'No, dear,' said the old woman. You are too young
held out her hand
"The yourng woman shook her head and
towards the child.
The doctor put the child in her arms. She pressed her cold
white lips toits face, and then fell back.
'She is dead,' said the doctor.
Yes, poor dear, said the old woman, as she took the child
away from its dead mother. 'Poor dear.'
She was a good-looking girl' said the doctor, as he put on
his hat and gloves. "Where did she come from?
'She was brought here last night, said the old woman.
'She was lying in the street. She had walked a long way and
her shoes had holes in them. Nobody knows where she came
from, or where she wasgoing to.
The doctor raised the dead woman's left hand.
The usual story,/ he said. Isee that she has no ring on her
finger. Shewasn't married. Good night!"
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He went home to his dinner. The old woman sat down on a
chatinfront of the fire and began to dress the baby. She dressed
himintheveryold clothes used for babies who were born in
the
workhouse. The child was an orphan, born into a world which
hadno love or pityfor him.
ts one was able to discover who the baby's father was, or
whathis mother's name was. Mr Bumble, an important officer
inthetown, invented a name for the baby. He chose the name
OliverTwist.
"We name the new babies here in order from Ato Z' he
explained when people asked. I named the last one Swubble.
This one is Twist. The next one will be Unwin.'
At the age of nine, Oliver was a pale, thin child. He and the
other workhouse boys never had enough warm clothes or food.
They were given only three meals of thin soup every day. On
Sundays they had a small piece of bread.
They were fed in a big hall. Alarge pot stood at one end of
the room, and the soupwas served by the master. Each boy had
one small bowl of soup and no more. The bowls never needed
washing, because the boys cleaned them with their spoons until
they shone.
One day Oliver and his friends decided that one boy would
walk up to the master after supper and ask for more soup. Oliver
was chosen.
In the evening, the boys sat down at the tables. The master
Stood by the pot, and the soup was served. It disappeared
quickly.The boys whispered and made signs to Oliver. He stood
up from the table and went to the master, with his bowl and
Spoon in his hands.
Please, sir'he said, 'I wantsome more.
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he went very pale tz
The master was a fat, healthy man, but
small boy.
looked with surpriseat the
a quiet voice.
"What? said the master at last in
want some more.
"Please, sir, repeated Oliver, l
then seized him ana
The master hit Oliver with his spoon,
and the master
cried for help. Mr Bumble rushed into the room,
told him what Oliver had said.
believe it
He asked for more? Mr Bumble cried. Icannot
One day they will hang the boy.'
The next
He took Oliver away, and shut him inadark room.
morning a notice appeared on the workhouse gate. Five pounds
Twist.
were offered to anybody who would take Oliver
Oliver was a prisoner in that cold, dark room for a whole
week. Every morning he was taken outside to wash, and Mr
Bumble beat him with a stick. Then he was taken into the large
hall where the boys had their soup. Mr Bumble beat him in front
of everybody. He cried all day. When night came he tried to
sleep, but he was cold, lonely and frightened.
But one day, outside the high workhouse gate, Mr Bumble
met Mr Sowerberry. Mr Sowerberry was a tall, thin man who
wore black clothes and made coffins. Many of his coffins were
for the poor people whodied in the workhouse.
I haveprepared the coffins for the two women who died last
night,'he said to Mr Bumble.
'Good,' said Mr Bumble. "You will be rich one day, Mr
Sowerberry! Do you know anybody who wants a boy? And five
pounds? He raised his stick and pointed to the notice on the
gate.
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