Oliver Twist

Right at the top here, there’s some anti-semitism in this second novel. Dickens has written his regret at the depiction, and there are no slurs (this time!) but Fagin is referred to as “the Jew” more than he’s called by his name, and that alone is othering. He’s treated as less than human, not even deserving to be named. Don’t get me wrong, this is a bad guy. Darker and worse than I had believed, but not because of his ethnicity.

I will say that I jumped between the book and listening to the Audible Dickens Collection version read by Jonathan Pryce, and not only is it a terrific reading, but a lot of the mentions are at least replaced with Fagin’s name.

This comes as even more of a shame, as I enjoyed this book otherwise. Oliver Twist; or, The Parish Boy’s Progress - I love an ‘or’ title - is the accomplished tale of the orphan Oliver. And there’s much more to the story than I knew. The sadness of his tale is punctured with violence, intrigue and kindness too. There’s even a little humour.

Oliver is a typical Dickens do-no-wrong angel protagonist flees a life of mistreatment in the workhouse, and winds up with a gang of London criminals. When things go awry he is taken in by the victim of the crime Mr Brownlow. Even from this early episode Dickens lays some curious clues about Oliver’s true beginnings when Oliver reacts to a picture in the house, to the subject of which he bears some resemblance. This kind of foreshadowing has become a bit rote in modern times, but I found myself hooked.

The trials continue for Oliver, he’s kidnapped by the gang and forced into further involvement, which turns to his rescue once more. Later, the mystery of Oliver’s birth comes to the forefront of the book. Nancy betrays the gang to help Oliver, though she is trapped in her love of the brutish Sikes. She bravely helps Oliver’s friends to bring an end to the gang - a violent end for Sikes and a sad end for old Fagin - and finally Oliver is free, with a kind and caring family.

As always, Dickens writes about the brutality of the time, but also of hope and kindness, balancing with rare guile.