Oliver Twist

Rating:
Summary: Dickens the Muckracker
Review: I read Oliver Twist for a college class and didn't really expect to like it. It was going to be one of those long, dull Victorian meganovels. I was wrong. Oliver Twist was surprisingly undated. The issues Dickens is analyzing and the societal practices he ridicules are very much debated in this day. The humor is still vibrant as is his rage. The plot and characterizations are pretty thrilling, too.

The novel is, obviously, the story of Oliver Twist, an innocent orphan who has to fight the evils of society in order to attain a place of happiness. Most notable among his enemies are Mr. Bumble at the workhouse, Fagin the founder of a crime organization that ensnares Oliver, Sikes the murderer, and Monk the mysterious figure in the background. Oliver must use his strength of character and purity, along with the sacrifices of Nancy, and the support of some wealthy people he encounters to fight his way to freedom.

Dickens's writing is wonderful. His descriptions of the society's treatment of the poor are alive with biting humor and scorn. The protagonist is memorable and loveable. The ending is slightly weak but is, for the most part, satisfying. Overall, Oliver Twist is the classic that it is supposed to be (or better), and is well worth the read.