Charles Dickens and Oliver Twist, Appunti di Inglese

Scarica Charles Dickens and Oliver Twist e più Appunti in PDF di Inglese solo su Docsity! Charle Dicken His life 1812-1870 ● born in Portsmouth in 1812. His family belonged to the middle class ● in 1822 he moved to London until 1860. ● his father, a clerk, brought the family to financial disaster so Charles had to withdraw from school and be sent to work in a factory while his father went to prison for debt ● his schooling ended at 15. He became a clerk in a solicitor’s office, then a reporter ● in 1833 he began to write short stories for magazines and newspapers (Sketches by Boz) ● in 1836 his first installment of The Pickwick Papers appeared. Within a few months Dickens was the most popular author of the time ● after this sudden success, he resigned and started working as a full time novelist ● his most famous works were: The Pickwick Papers (satirical work), Oliver Twist, A Christmas Carol, David Copperfield, Little Dorrit, Bleak House, Hard Times and Great Expectations ● Dickens was a public figure, actively involved in his world. His novels cover a wide range of social, moral and psychological works ● he was concerned (worried about) with ordinary people, especially minorities ● his purpose was that of raising awareness on social problems (didactic aim) Oliver Twist - plot 1. Oliver was born in a workhouse near London. His mother dies, leaving her son to be raised by the parish. 2. One day, after daring to ask for more food, the workhouse board decides to find him an apprenticeship (apprendistato) with a local undertaker. 3. Oliver runs away to London after being ill treated and meets Fagin, an old man who provides room and board to boys in return for their work. 4. At first Oliver thinks Fagin must be a generous man to help them. But he is shocked when he sees them pick a gentleman’s pocket and run off, leaving Oliver to take the blame. 5. Oliver goes to trial and during it he passes out from a fever. Mr. Brownlow, the victim, takes him home. 6. He is kidnapped by Fagin and forced to commit burglary (furto), but he gets shot. 7. At the end Mr. Brownlow adopts him and eventually finds out that Oliver’s mother was the great love of a friend and had left him a good inheritance.