C e n t re f o r L a n g u a g e s a n d L i t e ra t u re

English Stu dies

The Role of the Orphan Child in

Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist

Rebecca Albertsson
ENGK01
Degree project in English Literature
Fall 2016
Centre for Languages and Literature
Lund University
Supervisor: Cecilia Wadsö-Lecaros

Abstract
Charles Dickens was one of the most popular and influential authors of the 19th century, and
through his novel Oliver Twist he portrayed the lives of marginalised groups of Victorian
society, with the orphan as a main focus. This essay examines how the role of the orphan
child is employed within the novel and how the interplay between novel and reality affects the
reading. By situating Oliver Twist in its contemporary social context, the essay discusses how
the social situation influenced Dickens and his readers, including how the author chose to
construct the character and how the reading public responded to it. The discussion reveals that
the orphan child was a useful literary figure, as it appealed to Victorian sentiments and could
thereby constitute the foundation for the author’s moral claim. Additionally, Victorian readers
were indeed influenced by their social context when reading the novel, as fiction and reality
reciprocally illuminated each other. Thus, Dickens’ portrayal of the young orphan boy in
Oliver Twist invited readers to alter their perception of orphans in real life.
Table of Contents
Introduction ........................................................................................................... 1
Contextualising Oliver Twist ................................................................................ 3
The Construction of the Orphan ........................................................................... 8
Intentional Narratives.......................................................................................... 13
Conclusion .......................................................................................................... 17
Works Cited ........................................................................................................ 19

Introduction
In the 19th century, Britain went through major changes within almost all spheres of society; it
is even claimed that by the time Queen Victoria died in 1901, society had undergone such
transformation that “the modern world had taken shape” (Mitchell xiv). Although the changes
were mainly within areas such as technology, economics and politics, there was also a distinct
shift in values and morality. The shift was largely influenced by the Evangelical Movement
beginning in the late 18th century, and resulted in a growing awareness of moral responsibility
and social concern (Mitchell 256). Due to the close relationship between Victorian society
and the written discourse, the social awareness became visible in many Victorian writings,
both fictional and non-fictional.
According to Laura Berry, the 19th century was also the time when children became
unquestioned public categories, which incited an entirely new social debate about children
and society’s responsibility towards them (2). Among children, the most severely exposed
group were orphans, who were often the subjects of severe discrimination, because the
majority of them were born outside of marriage (Banerjee Section 2). Since there was no
official apparatus to take care of these children, except for the workhouse, they were
frequently neglected and exposed to dreadful living conditions (Pool 213). Berry argues that
the increasing awareness of the fates of these children was especially notable in the early
Victorian period, when it was as likely to find writings on child protection within social
reform writings as within fiction (2). In addition to calling forth a change in society, the
changing attitudes can thus be noticed by the prevalence of the orphan figure within fiction;
one can “hardly open a novel by Dickens, the Brontë sisters, or George Eliot without
stumbling over at least one orphan” (Peters 1).
One of the major authors of the 19th century was Charles Dickens. His second novel
Oliver Twist was first published as a serial in Bentley’s Miscellany between 1837 and 1839
(Grubb 291); wrapped in a story of the young orphan Oliver, who despite difficulties finally
finds his identity and place in society, the novel provides a portrait of society’s ill-treatment
of orphan children. According to Lydia Murdoch, the depiction of Oliver became the standard
image of a child which lasted for the entire century, and thus to a great extent influenced
society’s perception of orphans (1). Although the main focus of the novel is on the orphaned
child, it also introduces the reader to other marginalised groups in society, such as unmarried
mothers, criminals and prostitutes. The focus on the child is illustrated by the then rather
original choice to have a child as the main protagonist and by the several orphan characters

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appearing in the novel. Even though the story of Oliver on some points diverges from the
historical reality, perhaps most notably in the end, the novel played an important role in the
social debate as it strongly criticised the Poor Law Amendment Act of 1834 and its
implementations for the people in need of support (Richardson Dickens 6).
Steven Lynn suggests that the contemporary context has an important influence on the
understanding of a literary work, and he writes that “a writer’s audience inevitably has
knowledge and assumptions that are not immediately available to a later audience, removed in
time and space” (24). Since the 19th century is marked by such a distinct correlation between
societal attitudes, the social situation and representations within literature, this essay aims to
explore how the social context of the early 19th century influenced Charles Dickens in his
depiction and his readers in their perception of fictional orphans. As mentioned, the interplay
between reality and literature is important for a deeper understanding of the novel;
presumably, it is of particular importance when it comes to a writer like Dickens, who
intentionally placed Oliver Twist at the centre of the ongoing changes in society.
Using Oliver Twist as my focal point, I will claim that the frequency of orphans in 19th
century fiction can be explained by a combination of public sentiment, social context and
literary benefits. Dickens was deeply affected by the situation of orphans, and he therefore
dedicated Oliver Twist to the humanisation of his society (Carlisle 41). Not only did he use
orphan children in order to comment on the faults of society, but they also proved to have an
important literary function by appealing to the Victorian reader. Concerning the readers’
perception of the novel, it seems reasonable to assume that their reading was influenced by
the social context, since it was so closely related with the reality portrayed in the novel and
thus functioned as a complement to the text itself.
In order to discuss how Charles Dickens and his readers were influenced by the social
situation, this essay will position Oliver Twist in its 19th century social context. While
discussing the social situation depicted in the novel, reviews and other contemporary
comments will be presented in order to demonstrate how Victorian readers received it.
Following the historical section, I will discuss the construction of the orphan figure, including
typical traits of orphan narratives, such as vulnerability and goodness, and how these features
affected the Victorians. The last section of the discussion concerns narrative techniques, as
they reveal the intentions of the author and shape the readers’ perception of the orphan.

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Contextualising Oliver Twist
The historical context constitutes an important aspect when it comes to the understanding of
Oliver Twist and how the orphan is used as a fictional character; it affects how characters are
perceived, by providing information about what is implicitly referred to within the novel.
Therefore, this section aims to anchor Oliver Twist in its contemporary context. To begin
with, I will present some information about Charles Dickens as a writer together with the
social situation surrounding the publication of Oliver Twist. Further on, the section will also
provide some contemporary material describing how the novel was received.
Charles Dickens was one of the most famous writers of the 19th century and he was
immensely popular among readers. Due to the changing moral climate and the overwhelming
social problems of English society, there was a significant increase of social concern and
organised charity (Mitchell 256). Consequently, Dickens’ humanity and social concern
constituted important keys to his success, since they appealed to the public sentiment and the
moral and charitable vein in Victorian society (Cody). Moreover, Paul Morris claims that
Dickens was not only an author of texts but also of the moral attitudes of his own and
subsequent generations (215); as I will show, Oliver Twist was important in shaping societal
attitudes as well as the image of the orphan.
Along with the changing attitudes towards children, the child also became a more
prominent literary figure, which was made possible by the close relationship between the
social discourse and the discourse of fiction (Berry 2). Dickens, perhaps more than any other
author, was devoted to the topic of children, which is seen in the great number of child
characters in his novels. Morris claims that Dickens was one of the most important forces
when it came to ensuring that the topic of children was broadly exposed within both social
and literary spheres (218). His ability to feel compassion and his awareness of social
injustices, most likely derived from his personal life-experience; as a young boy he was
separated from his family and forced to work in a factory, and once he moved to London as
an adult he witnessed the miserable living conditions in several areas of the city (Diniejko).
In addition to the fact that children became a common topic in the social debate and in
literature, the changes in societal attitudes also influenced how children were represented in
fiction. Berry observes that authors of fiction gradually left the romanticised image of the
child for more realistically and historically correct portrayals of children (Berry 16). A result
of this was that 19th-century writers often depicted children as victims, as is visible in Oliver
Twist (Berry 16). Even though society as a whole was increasingly aware of the situation for

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children, few people wanted to think about their actual fates; but by portraying their lives in
fiction Dickens invited society to do so (Richardson Dickens 280). A possible explanation for
Dickens’ specific interest in the situation of children is that he was living near the famous
Foundling Hospital in London while finishing Oliver Twist (Richardson “Foundlings”). The
impact of this circumstance is implied in Dickens’ article “Received, a blank child”, which
describes one of his visits to this philanthropic institution. In addition, the fact that he named
one of the heroes in Oliver Twist after the Hospital’s Secretary, Mr Brownlow, and even
ascribed the fictional character with similar attributes as the Secretary, further indicates that
the Hospital did not only have an important impact on society, but also on Dickens himself
(Richardson “Foundlings”).
The Foundling Hospital was a private charity founded in 1739, and played an
important role in reflecting and shaping the moral changes of English society (Taylor 308). Its
aim was to be a home for deserted children and to nurture them until they were able to take
care of themselves (Richardson “Foundlings”). When the institution was founded the
homeless and often orphan children had been an unsolved issue for Britain for a long time,
and the demand of support for children eventually became so considerable that the Hospital
had to limit their intake by only accepting the most severely exposed group: illegitimate
children younger than one (Banerjee Section 2). The fact that the Hospital was founded at
such an early state of the increasing social problems and that it for a long time was the only
institution of the kind, indicates how important it was in contributing to the charitable vein
permeating Victorian society.
Due to high mortality rates and harsh moral attitudes, orphans and illegitimate
children continued to increase in numbers well into the 19th century (Richardson
“Foundlings). Pregnant or newly delivered women often died of weak health – as in the
description of Oliver’s mother – or abandoned their children to the Foundling Hospital or to
the workhouses, as the disgrace and discrimination following illegitimacy was so severe
(Richardson “Foundlings”). Of course, the harsh attitudes towards illegitimacy affected
children as well as their mothers, and according to Jacqueline Banerjee, illegitimate children
constituted the group in greatest need of help as they were entirely exposed to the world and
without any adult protection (Section 2). Regarding the relationship between the Foundling
Hospital and Oliver Twist, Jenny Taylor suggests that the novel highlighted society’s want of
that kind of institutions. Naturally, the contribution of the Hospital is most fully visible in
relation to its larger context, where its work posed a strong contrast in a society where the
majority of orphans faced entirely different fates.

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 It was a rare fortune for orphans to end up within the care of the Foundling Hospital,
and it is the alternative fates that make up the main social context for Oliver Twist. One way
to solve the situation of orphans was to place them with relatives; however, this solution was
of course restricted to cases where the parentage was known. Those orphans who did not have
any known parentage would in most cases end up in the workhouse, which constituted the
closest thing to an official apparatus and corresponds to the early childhood years depicted in
Oliver Twist (Banerjee Section 4). In the system for poor relief that was used prior to 1834,
which dated back to the rule of Queen Elizabeth I, illegitimate children belonged to the parish
in which they were born; as a result, pregnant single women were considered both a moral
and economical burden and were often driven from parish to parish, as is also reflected in the
novel through the fate of Oliver’s mother (Taylor 326). When children were born in the
workhouse and left there as orphans, the custom was to place the infants at branch
workhouses in the countryside, so called ‘baby farms’, where they were reared until old
enough to return to the workhouse (Richardson Dickens 212). These children experienced
awful living conditions and were often severely neglected; it has been estimated that around
60 % died before they reached the age of two (Banerjee Section 4). If the children did survive
the baby farm, they faced similar sufferings in the workhouse (Banerjee Section 4). However,
the narrator of Oliver Twist observes that even though the conditions inside of the workhouse
were indeed horrible, Oliver was fortunate to end up there; thereby indicating how terrible the
alternatives were (Dickens 1).
The most severely exposed children were the ones that ended up in the streets. The
great numbers of homeless children in London had been a social issue even during the 18th
century, but by the time of Oliver Twist the numbers had grown even further (Banerjee
Section 4). The novel refers to this situation through an observation by Oliver when he first
arrives in London and witnesses the “heaps of children” in the streets (70). Indeed, the
homeless children of London lived rough lives, with scant access either to food or shelter and
were involved in all sorts of minor criminality (Banerjee Section 4). The frequency of
homeless children is further implied in the novel when Oliver is brought before the magistrate
in London; the fact that the officer is able to spontaneously hazard guesses about Oliver’s life,
implies that he has witnessed several children in similar situations (94). Regarding the
outcomes of the homeless children, they vary; but the happy ending provided in Oliver Twist
was of course of rare occurrence. Thus, based on the discussion so far, even though Victorian
society went through changes concerning attitudes towards children, the situation remained
very difficult, especially for children who were born out of marriage. Perhaps the extent of

5
illegitimate children’s suffering and vulnerable position in Victorian society is best explained
by the fact that nearly half of those who were born in the London area died before reaching
adult age (Banerjee Section 4). Although it may seem incomprehensible, when relating Oliver
Twist with the contemporary social situation, perhaps Oliver was in fact lucky to end up in the
workhouse.
Next to the social situation for children, there is another aspect of the social context
that needs to be introduced, namely the Poor Law Amendment Act of 1834 (also known as
the New Poor Law). As was pointed out in the Introduction, the novel was known to be an
attack on the law and was used to show how unreasonable the law was (Richardson “Oliver
Twist”); in the novel we see this in the paragraph describing the structural changes of the
workhouse which correspond to the real life implementations following the new law (13). In
the old system for poor relief the parish was responsible to provide support for those who
were not able to take care of themselves (Richardson Dickens 14). Even though, as stated
earlier, this responsibility was not always maintained, Ruth Richardson claims that the old
system was “rooted in Christian charity, and recognised the humanity of the poor”, thus
formed a sharp contrast to the ideas of the new system (Dickens 15). Instead of maintaining
the traditional responsibility towards people in need of support, The New Poor Law aimed to
make the workhouse so unpleasant that people would do anything to avoid it (Mitchell 93).
The conditions of the workhouses are portrayed in the novel by Oliver’s visit to the pauper
family together with Mr Sowerberry; even though the family evidently live in miserable
living conditions, their situation is preferable to the workhouse. The New Poor Law was
received with criticism, and as will be discussed in a later section, Oliver Twist became an
important part of the public debate against the new law (Taylor 326).
In order to provide an understanding of how Victorian readers perceived the orphan
figure in Oliver Twist, the discussion will now focus on the reception of the novel and how
some contemporary readers commented on it. From the very beginning, the novel was a
success with the public (Diniejko); however, it did receive some negative criticism. Based on
Dickens’ own words in the Preface of the 1841 edition, it seems as if the criticism mainly
concerned his description of criminals: “it was, it seemed, a coarse and shocking
circumstance, that some of the characters in these pages are chosen from the most criminal
and degraded in London’s population” (Dickens xiii). Owing to the literature flourishing at
the time of Oliver Twist, this criticism was not surprising; its depiction of criminality made
people relate it to the popular romanticised tales of London’s criminal life, known as
‘Newgate Novels’ (Collins 8). According to Dickens himself, some readers expected the

6
somewhat glorified description of the criminal world typical of this genre, and when they
were instead introduced to the brutally realistic criminals of Oliver Twist, this caused them to
doubt the probability of the characters and believing them to be overdrawn (Dickens xvii).
Although modern readers might react on the somewhat idealised depiction of Oliver,
Victorian readers reacted more on the harsh reality surrounding him and the rough description
of the criminals as they were already accustomed to the idealised image of the child.
Even though Oliver’s harsh context was sometimes received with disbelief, it seems to
have made a big impact on Victorian readers. In 1838, the Spectator published a review of the
novel which praised Dickens for creating characters who illustrate actual living creatures of
London (Collins 43). In the same review, the writer points out aspects of Dickens’ social
criticism and relates it with the social situation (Collins 43). Consequently, the honest
portrayal of reality seems to have been an important narrative feature for this critic, a fact
which aligns with the previously mentioned observation that much of Dickens’ popularity was
based on his ability to appeal to the Victorian charity and interest in social issues. The ability
to relate fiction with reality is further exemplified in a diary entry by Queen Victoria from
April 1839, where she relates a conversation about the novel with the Prime Minister, Lord
Melbourne. In this conversation, Lord Melbourne says that he disapproves of the social
situation described in the novel, since he does not approve of it in real life (Collins 44). These
examples evidently do not provide a full account of all Victorian readers; nevertheless, they
may give some kind of implication as to how contemporary readers responded.
Similar to the review from the Spectator, another review from 1838 comments on how
Dickens’ humanity permeates his writing and directs the attention of the readers towards the
helpless victims of society (Collins 73). Readers’ awareness of Dickens’ values, together with
the structure of the narrative, thus seem to have influenced how his characters were perceived
and helped the reader to recognise the needs of the destitute. Similarly, in a review from the
Literary Gazette in 1838, the anonymous writer appears to have recognised the abuse
portrayed in the novel and even gives thanks to Dickens for exposing the evil and injustice of
society (Collins 80). Once again, this implies that there was an existing awareness of the
social situation, and possibly even a tendency to relate the fictional orphans with their real life
equivalences.
The examples that have been provided so far do not provide knowledge of the general
reading public, as they represent the views of literary critics and not of ordinary readers;
however, they do provide a few indications of how the public may have received the novel. In
the review from the Spectator previously referred to, the reviewer comments on the

7
“numerous readers who have been moved to laughter or to sadness, led to grave reflection,
[…], by some of the passages in Oliver Twist” (Collins 42); thus indicating that ordinary
readers were also led to a comparison between the novel and reality, and that this was not
only restricted to literary critics. Andrzej Diniejko claims that Dickens’ works contributed to
the social awareness of the reading public. Since this requires that readers were able to relate
Oliver Twist with reality, it seems reasonable to suggest that the responses of ordinary readers
were indeed similar to those of the critics. Phillip Collins also comments on the general
reception of Oliver Twist and writes that it was the “pathos of Oliver’s situation” which led to
its widespread success (29).
However, in order for Dickens to secure his reader’s affection for the fictional orphan
and thereby enable a change in the perception of children in real life, Dickens had to construct
a figure whom the Victorian reader would relate to and sympathise with. This will be further
discussed in the next section, which will focus on the construction of the fictional orphan.

The Construction of the Orphan

The following section will discuss the construction of the fictional orphan. Not only does this
shape how readers perceive the character, but it also reveals what perceptions of orphans that
already existed in society. Another aspect which is closely related to the construction of the
figure is the illustrations by George Cruikshank; the way they portray Oliver also indicates
how the orphan was perceived. The impact of the illustrations was noted by a contemporary
literary critic in the Quarterly Review in 1839, who writes that “it is difficult to say […] how
much of the powerful impression we are conscious of may be due, not to the pen, but to the
pencil” (Collins 86).
Since 19th-century literature does not only involve a prevalence of orphans, but of
children in general, this section begins by looking at the broader literary function of children.
Fictional children constitute an important function of a literary work, as they enable a
personal identification between the reader and the character. Seeing that everyone has been a
child, Berry suggests that children have a unique position in the sense that they unify society,
thus making it possible for everyone to relate to them (4). Thereby, it can be assumed that the
employment of children as literary characters was successful in order to arouse readers’
interest, because they “could be anyone, and everyone” – even the reader himself (Richardson
“Foundlings”). Dickens capitalized on this in the very beginning of Oliver Twist, where he
emphasises the readers’ equality with the main character. By commenting on Oliver’s yet

8
blank social position, Dickens points to the fact that everyone enters the world in the same
way: “he [Oliver] might have been the child of a nobleman or a beggar; - it would have been
hard for the haughtiest stranger to have fixed his station in society” (3). With this subtle
comment, the reader is invited to identify with Oliver, and once the child becomes morally
relevant it also enables the reader to sympathise with the character and his experiences.
Although the figure of the child was powerful in itself, the figure of the orphan child
had a specific narrative function, as it portrayed the ultimate victimization. As was briefly
discussed in the previous section, Victorian writers commonly portrayed children as victims
and there was a widespread fascination in these figures (Berry 3). Perhaps the ultimate way to
victimise children, and especially in the Victorian era, is to deprive them of their very
foundation: the family. Baruch Hochman and Ilja Wachs reason in line with this and claim
that orphan children illustrate the ultimate loss, and since loss is a primary condition of every
human life, orphan children evoke the ultimate feeling of recognition (14). A similar note is
made by the narrator of Oliver Twist, who says that trauma makes all men equals (263); thus
confirming that the evident trauma and victimisation of an orphan, might be important
features for recognition as it equates reader and character. Consequently, the victimised
orphan child proved to be highly efficient as it enabled a personal identification between the
reader and the main character, which will be further discussed in the following paragraphs.
According to Laura Peters, there are three common strategies used by Victorian
writers when it comes to the construction of orphan narratives: the mysterious foundling, the
criminalised orphan and the association with travelling peoples (31). Since Oliver Twist does
not concern any travelling peoples, the discussion will focus on the first and the second
strategy. The foundling orphan is a mysterious character, and the narratives usually contain
unknown parentage, threatened inheritance and the final revelation of the child’s origin
(Peters 33). Not surprisingly, Oliver Twist contains all these elements and the quest of the
novel is even described as “the discovery of Oliver’s parentage, and regaining for him the
inheritance of which, […], he has been fraudulently deprived” (396). In the very first chapter,
the reader is introduced to Oliver’s rootlessness as he enters the world world without anything
to identify him with. Another consequence of the mystery surrounding the fictional foundling
is that it places the child outside the social system with no clear belonging, either to class or
any other community (Mullan). Of course, this is in accordance with reality as orphans were
discriminated against and not included in the community, and their status as outcasts is
reflected in the novel when the narrator says that Oliver is “despised by all, and pitied by
none” (Dickens 4). The sense of not belonging is further emphasised by the illustrations;

9
throughout the novel, Oliver is portrayed as an outsider, either by being distanced from the
other characters, or being notably different in appearance.
The second common strategy when constructing an orphan character is that of the
criminal orphan, which is very well illustrated by Oliver Twist, as Dickens relates how an
unprotected orphan is exposed to the harsh realities of the criminal world. In criminal orphan
narratives, such as Oliver Twist, the child is born into a violent world and is deprived of the
“sheltering presence of parents” (Hochman 13). From the very beginning, Oliver experiences
deprivation and adversity, and the first two chapters of the novel depict the brutal and
neglectful institutions in charge of his childhood. A fundamental principle for the success of
the orphan narratives, and perhaps most especially when it comes to the criminal sort, was the
Victorian public sentiment together with the authors’ firm belief in their readers’ ability to
sympathise (Carlisle 5). In other words, authors to a great extent relied on the fact that readers
would feel with their characters. Obviously, this tendency was enforced by different narrative
techniques, but nonetheless, society was strongly influenced by an inherent ability to feel
sympathy which likely made readers more receptive to a character like the criminal orphan.
As mentioned earlier, the pitiful situation of a child lacking a family appealed to
Victorian sentiments. Oliver is often depicted as experiencing this aloneness, for instance
when he is brought from Mrs Mann’s farm, and “a sense of his loneliness in the great wide
world, sank into the child’s heart” (11). According to Diniejko, Oliver’s loneliness and
victimisation appealed to Victorian readers in a way that is unfamiliar to modern readers.
Very likely, the powerful impact of Oliver’s lack of familial relations was based on the fact
that English society at that time put such an emphasis on the family (Peters 40). Thus, since
the plot of the novel concerns Oliver’s lack of and search for identity, and all of the
difficulties he faces derive from this loss, his story ought to have been even more heart-
rending for Victorians than it is for modern readers.
Oliver’s loneliness highlights his vulnerability and dependency, which are important
features of orphan narratives. Since Oliver has been deprived of both parents, he is forced to
move between the clutches of different authorities. Brian Gibson discusses the presence of
adult power throughout the novel and points to the fact that as an orphan in the 19th century,
Oliver is exposed to the harsh world of adults in which he is entirely dependent on their
individual actions in order to survive (103-105). This dependency is also emphasised by the
illustrations, where Oliver often is portrayed as anxious and helpless, surrounded by the
people who are in charge of his destiny. An example of Oliver’s vulnerability and dependency
is the illustration of Nancy and Sikes reclaiming him after he has been taken in by Mr

10
Brownlow, which depicts a small child being trapped by big adults (Dickens 138). Gibson
suggests that these kinds of illustrations strongly signal the fact that Oliver is constantly under
the threat of adult power (100); naturally, the inferiority and threatening ambience highlights
Oliver’s vulnerable and helpless position.
According to Gibson, Oliver’s dependency affects the role of the narrator as well as
the reader in the way that they recognise and sympathise with his need of care and protection
(103). Throughout the novel, Oliver’s life is orchestrated by the people who are in charge of
him and he is recurrently literally lead by the hand towards his destiny, in a way which further
emphasises his utter dependence on adults. Mr Bumble is accessory to this on several
occasions, for example when leading Oliver to his apprenticeship with Mr Sowerberry, but
there are other examples as well, such as Nancy who brings Oliver to Sikes before the
burglary, and thereafter Sikes himself who “clasped [Oliver’s hand] firmly in his, and, […]
led him away” (Dickens 33, 190, 193). A result of these situations where Oliver seems
confined or victimised by adult power, is that the reader unquestionably takes his side,
convinced that he needs someone to help him (Gibson 103). Likewise, the reader’s desire to
protect Oliver is further elicited when the narrator overtly sympathises with him by using
expressions such as “poor little Oliver” (91).
However, the reader’s sympathy for Oliver is also elicited in the few instances within
the novel when Oliver is treated with care. Two examples of this are when Oliver meets with
a compassionate lady on his walk to London, and his meeting with a kind cart driver before
the burglary (Dickens 66, 196). Such moments of care towards the orphan contrast with the
adversity of his childhood and reminds the reader of his need of shelter and love. By
emphasising Oliver’s dependency, through both suffering and the lack of love in his life,
Dickens thus invites the readers to extend their identification with the child, to feelings of
compassion for him. Thereby, the construction of the character has the ability to shape the
readers’ perception of the orphan.
The idealised children constituted important narrative tools for Victorian readers, even
though they may seem somewhat unrealistic to modern readers. Victorian authors often
represented children more realistically which distinguished them from the Romantic idealised
child; however, Dickens did not altogether abandon the former tradition but retained some
Romantic elements in some of his child characters. Since Oliver Twist was his second novel it
seems reasonable to assume that Oliver also has somewhat more Romantic features than
Dickens’ later characters (Morris 219-220). In relation to the Romantic description of some of
Dickens’ child characters, Morris suggests that the goodness and innocence influenced by the

11
Romantic tradition adds to “their characterisation as human beings particularly worthy of pity
and sentimental identification” (220). Thus, the romanticised nature of Oliver seems to have
been an important part of the construction of the orphan, not only because the Victorian
readers were familiar with the somewhat idealised child, but also because it would more
easily appeal to their natural tendency to feel sympathy.
The idealised nature of Oliver is distinguished by his goodness and innocence;
therefore, these character traits will now be discussed in more detail. The first one to be
discussed is Oliver’s inherent goodness, which plays an important role for how he was
perceived by the readers. In the Preface to the 1841 edition, Oliver’s character is described by
Dickens as “the principle of Good surviving through every adverse circumstance” (xiii).
Oliver is indeed exposed to adverse circumstances, and he does not only flee the brutal
powers trying to corrupt him, but he manages to do so with his purity kept intact. This is even
observed by Fagin, who says that “he was not like other boys in the same circumstance”, thus
pointing to Oliver’s goodness which prevented Fagin from corrupting him (245). Peters
claims that the heroism of nineteenth-century orphan characters is based on the very
circumstance that they endure all the difficulties and that they, despite sufferings, manage to
remain good (65). In other words, the moral character of the protagonist had a certain
narrative power over Victorian readers. In Dickens’ novel, this is further established at the
revelation of Oliver’s parentage, which is not focused on the material inheritance, but on his
mother’s pure character and the fact that Oliver’s goodness has triumphed; in other words, it
is not the revelation of “royal origins, but rather to the recovery of an unknown heritage of
moral purity” which matters (Berry 53). Consequently, Oliver’s endurance and goodness
secured his position as the protagonist of the story, as it made him worthy of the public’s
liking and support.
In addition to what was discussed in the previous paragraph, Oliver’s goodness is not
only important for how readers perceive the character, but it also plays a crucial role for the
development of the story and Oliver’s ultimate redemption (Peters 42). On three occasions
adults recognise the purity in Oliver’s appearance and as a result of this intervene and change
his course of life: when Oliver appears before the magistrate, his first meeting with Mr
Brownlow, and when he meets Rose and Mrs Maylie (27, 90, 274). Dickens’ intention, as
stated in the Preface, bears witness to the emphasis on moral goodness pervading Victorian
society. If the intention of the novel was to humanise society and the character of Oliver was
used as a means to make people care for real life orphans, Dickens had to make them care for
Oliver first and thus ascribe him with an amiable character.

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 The second prominent character trait of the idealised child is innocence. This
character trait is important for the perception of the fictional orphan figure in several ways. To
begin with, Oliver’s innocence affects the reader’s perception of his surroundings. Oliver
Twist is narrated from a third person omniscient point of view, and even though the story is
not narrated through Oliver, much of the action is perceived through his eyes, and by
providing the reader with his inner feelings, the narrator reveals Oliver’s innocence and
ignorance (Lankford 23). Perhaps one of the clearest examples of his innocence is the passage
describing the burglary, when Oliver does not understand the true aim of the expedition until
they hoist him over the wall (205). Accordingly, William Lankford suggests that the reader’s
awareness of Oliver’s nature results in both sympathy and trust in his experience (23).
Naturally, his innocence elicits compassion as it indicates his need of help and his good heart.
Additionally, the trust in his experience is an important aspect when it comes to conveying a
sense of reality.
Through Oliver, Dickens reveals the harshness and suffering that a child easily can be
exposed to and according to Gibson, Oliver’s innocence is necessary for this, since it makes
him a “spotless looking glass” in which the brutality of society can be mirrored (105).
Presumably, no matter if it is in fiction or reality, a natural result of a child’s naivety is that
the child reacts to a situation based on its actual experience. Thus, the readers of Oliver Twist
may assume that Oliver provides an impartial and non-prejudiced account of his surrounding,
and thereby his naivety reveals the qualities of others. In the novel, this is demonstrated by the
scene when Fagin admires his treasures, convinced that Oliver is sleeping, and the readers are
provided with Oliver’s simple and naïve interpretation of the event (76). While Oliver is not
capable to understand the situation, the readers are and use their imagination to perceive the
situation for what it really is. Thus, by emphasising the innocent nature of Oliver, the readers
are lead to trust his account and from that draw their own conclusion. Consequently, the
innocence of Oliver is used to elicit sympathy for him and to point to the fact that even though
he belongs to the class of illegitimate children, he is just a child who is exposed to things that
no child should experience. Thereby, the readers are invited to change their perception of the
orphan child, both in fiction and reality, which will be further discussed in the next section.

Intentional Narratives
According to Janice Carlisle, the structure of the narrative reveals the intentions and aims of
the author; therefore, the following section will provide a discussion of some more general

13
narrative techniques in Oliver Twist, as they will reveal how Dickens was influenced by his
context, and how it thus was integrated in his writing and ultimately influenced his readers
(Carlisle 4). In addition to the structure of the narrative, the readers’ perception of the novel
was also influenced by the ongoing public debate about the system for poor relief; since
Dickens intentionally placed Oliver Twist at the centre of the debate his intentions with the
novel were further emphasised, and this will be discussed later in this section.
Carlisle observes that in many Victorian novels, the narrative technique exposes the
author’s moral concern (4). Dickens’ humanitarian attitude in Oliver Twist is both explicit and
implicit; the satirical tone permeates the entire novel, and many of the narrator’s comments
are very straight-forward. In addressing the reader with these issues, the author can be
assumed to convey his own moral concern and his perception of the situation. Carlisle further
claims that Victorian novelists commonly defined their writing in relation to the needs of their
readers; in other words, they considered themselves as having a moral responsibility towards
society (1). As a result, authors strived to convey moral claims in their writing and the
narratives were thus shaped to make a change in their audience’s perception of society; the
readers were, literally, invited to see the world in a new way (Carlisle 2). This is clearly
exemplified in the Preface to the 1841 edition of Oliver Twist, where Dickens writes that “to
do this, would be to attempt a something which was needed, and which would be a service to
society” (xiv). Clearly, Dickens’ moral concern and personal attitude shaped the narrative,
and were thus ultimately conveyed to the readers; presumably, with the intention to influence
them to reflect on their own surrounding.
A fundamental requirement for the author to exercise his moral responsibility, was
that the reader would be able to see the moral relevance of the narrative (Carlisle 16). Carlisle
suggests that “unless the narrator […] can persuade the reader […] to see his or her
connection with the character depicted, the story can have no meaning” (20); consequently,
the Victorian authors’ desire to teach their readers something relied on them being able to
create characters to whom the readers could relate. As readers could relate to the figure of the
orphan, this character provided the novel with a sense of moral relevance, which in turn
constituted the foundation for Dickens’ moral claim. The bond created between reader and
main character was also used as a foundation for other narrative techniques, in order to further
add to the readers’ perception of the fictional orphan.
Carlisle suggests that the Victorian novelists viewed the characters as the primary
aspect of the reader’s experience of the narrative (45). By creating literary figures to whom
the readers could easily relate and whose fates were comparably uncertain, the authors would

14
ensure the readers’ interest in the stories. The scope of the Victorian readers’ interest in
characters is implied in Oliver Twist when the narrator explains himself by ensuring his
readers that “leaving young Oliver Twist in situations of doubt and difficulty, and then flying
off at a tangent to impertinent matters” is not done to provoke them, but to provide them with
the entire story (154). Based on the shape of the narrative, it seems as if Dickens was familiar
with his readers’ curiosity and the characters’ impact on the reading experience, which gives
further significance to his choice to place an orphan at the centre of the narrative.
The orphan figure was certainly useful when wanting to appeal to the curiosity of the
readers, as its fate was naturally uncertain; throughout the novel, it remains indefinite whether
Oliver will discover his identity or not, or even survive. Moreover, Dickens seems to have
made use of his readers’ curiosity by recurrently changing the focus of the action between
chapters. One example of this is when Oliver gets severely hurt during the burglary at Mrs
Maylie’s house, and the final sentence of the chapter reads “a cold deadly feeling crept over
the boy’s heart, and he saw or heard no more” (209). However, it is not until several chapters
later that the reader is told what has happened to Oliver and that he indeed has survived. Thus,
Dickens relies on his readers’ interest in Oliver and by the suspense derived from the
withholding of information, he elicits further devotion and compassion for the orphan boy.
Carlisle states that another way in which the author could utilise the bond created
between reader and main character, was to evoke further sympathy for other characters in the
narrative (53). Once the reader has established a bond with the main character, it is easier for
the narrator to make the reader sympathise with other characters. One way in which this is
visible in Oliver Twist is through Dickens’ attempt to humanise the criminals. In the first part
of Oliver Twist, the narration is almost entirely restricted to Oliver’s point of view, but as the
story goes on the reader is introduced to the thoughts of other characters as well: perhaps most
noticeably to Sikes and Fagin in the third part of the novel. Since the reader has already
established a bond with Oliver, the change of focus and narrative voice enables the
humanisation of the former villains, as the reader is invited to sympathise with them too. This
reveals Dickens’ deeply humane character; he had realised that “accidents of birth or
circumstance could make ordinary individuals vulnerable to desperation, hunger, cruelty and
crime” (Richardson “Oliver Twist”).
As mentioned, Dickens seems to have considered it his responsibility as a writer to
humanise his society; however, in order for this to happen the author needed to establish not
only a bond between the reader and the characters, but also a bond between the reader and the
narrator (Carlisle 20). Moreover, Carlisle claims that the reader’s image of the narrator was

15
based on the perception of the novelist (26); thus, the image of Charles Dickens had an
influence on his audience’s reading of the novel. Since Dickens attached great importance to
establishing himself as a man of the people and often appeared in public, even at this early
stage of his career, his audience was familiar with his deep humanity (Cody). As a result, the
author could use his public role and his relationship to his audience, to justify the moral
claims of his work as well as to support the readers in their personal realization (Carlisle 44).
In other words, the public image of Dickens and his bond with his audience, enabled readers
to use their own imagination to connect the details of his narrative and thereby perceive the
overall message of the story.
In order to support readers in their perception of the overall message of Oliver Twist,
Dickens employed the interplay of fiction and reality, which clearly reveals his intention with
the story. This interplay does not only concern the novel’s relation to society, but also
concerns the shape of the narrative which alternates between reality and romance, as for
example the realistic description of the situation surrounding Oliver’s birth versus the
romanticised ending. Another significant example from the novel is the portrayal of Oliver’s
time in the country together with the Maylie’s:

It was a happy time. The days were peaceful and serene, and the nights brought
with them no fear or care, no languishing in a wretched prison, or associating with
wretched men: nothing but pleasant and happy thoughts. (301)

As this short passage illustrates, the description of the time in the country is clearly contrasted
to the the brutally realistic portrayal of Oliver’s childhood and the criminal world; their stay is
marked exclusively by felicity and peace, and the descriptions of their surroundings are
unusually idealised.
Carlisle suggests that the interplay of fiction and reality, that is romance and reality,
inside of the novel causes the reader to link the story with reality, thus the fiction becomes
“determined by the reality beyond it” (62). Thereby the seemingly contrastive elements
constitute important features to achieve what Dickens intended, by inviting readers to relate
the novel with their real world. This is further supported by the Preface to the 1841 edition,
where Dickens responds to some criticism concerning the interplay of fiction and reality as it
seems to have caused readers to doubt the probability of the narrative; however, by his
response, it becomes clear that the interplay was indeed meant to spur the readers to relate the
novel with the real world (Dickens xviii). Thus, once again the shape of the narrative reveals

16
Dickens’ intention to humanise his society, and how the author ultimately managed to
influence his readers by drawing attention to the injustices of society.
A final comment on the public debate surrounding Oliver Twist is called for, as it
played an important role for how the novel was perceived. Charles Dickens was a prominent
figure in the social debates and Oliver Twist was known as his major attack on the Poor Law
Amendment Act of 1834. His critique of the inhumane ways in which the innocent and
helpless were treated is particularly visible in the early chapters, and by placing the novel at
the centre of the public debate, Dickens made use of his narrative to strengthen the arguments
of the anti poor law-movement (Berry 44). Interestingly, children were common figures in the
debate, due to their vulnerability and the fact that they already had an established function as
powerful sentimental figures (Berry 36). Since the novel was part of an ongoing public
debate, there ought to have been a mutual exchange between the two discourses. In other
words, similar to how the anti poor law-movement used Oliver Twist to strengthen their
arguments, the message of Oliver Twist also ought to have benefitted from the public debate.
Thus, the contextual public debate would highlight and provide the contemporary readers
with relevant aspects, that we as modern readers might lack.

Conclusion
By focusing on Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist, this essay has aimed to explore how the social
context of the early 19th century affected the author and his readers. The prevalence of
orphans in 19th century literature and the public’s fascination in these characters seems to be
based on a combination of literary benefits and moral concern. The fictional orphan’s relation
to real life was important for Victorian readers, and the orphan was also a figure on whom the
author could base his narrative and message. To begin with, the victimised child was a
character whom the Victorians could relate to and sympathise with, which made the story
relevant and thus constituted the foundation for the novel’s moral claim. As the discussion has
shown, the moral purpose of Oliver Twist did not only reveal the author’s intention and the
fact that he was strongly influenced by the social situation, but also shaped how the narrative
was structured; by creating a character that would appeal to Victorian readers, Dickens invited
the readers to relate the events of the novel with reality. In brief, the readers’ awareness of
Dickens’ intention together with the structure of the narrative, supported them in their reading
of the novel.

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 The discussion has shown that Victorian society was indeed affected by the portrayal
of society provided in Oliver Twist. Since the novel contributed to the social awareness of the
reading public, it seems reasonable to assume that ordinary readers, similarly to the critics,
related the novel with their social context, which is further supported by the fact that ordinary
readers were equally influenced by the Victorian public sentiment and exposed to the social
context as any critic. This aligns with Morris’ idea that Oliver Twist shaped Victorian society;
through the narrative, the perception of the fictional orphan might have been transferred to the
image of real orphans and helped society towards a more humane attitude towards them.
Since Dickens both mirrored and made use of his context, the function of the orphan
child in Oliver Twist was likely to be reinforced by the social situation. By having a fuller
picture, Victorian readers could understand and interpret events in the novel in a way that
modern readers can not. Therefore, it seems reasonable to suggest that Charles Dickens and
his readers were influenced by their context in the sense that there was a mutual relationship
between the fictional orphan and the real life children. As this essay has shown, literature and
history illuminated each other; the social context widened the perception of the fictional
orphans, and the fictional orphans in their turn increased the awareness of the social situation.

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