OLIVER TWIST (Textbook Questions & Answers)

OLIVER TWIST

(Chapters: 1 & 2)

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 Chapter - 1

1. Where was Oliver Twist born? Why was his early life unhappy?

Ans:    Oliver Twist was born in a local poorhouse in a certain English town in the early part of the 19th century.

Oliver Twist's mother passed very shortly after he was born. During his early years, an elderly widow named Mrs. Mann took in many homeless orphans in exchange for payment from the town authorities. Oliver had grown pale, weak, and very little for his age by the time he was nine years old since Mrs. Mann did not appropriately feed or clothe the kids, which led to the most of them dying. Oliver was sent back to the poorhouse after the firm's administrators decided that it was time for him to start working since he had turned nine. Oliver and the other orphans had a really difficult time living in the poorhouse. Oliver committed the unpardonable sin of asking for extra food while he was on the verge of starvation because they were provided with three meals a day. Oliver was immediately imprisoned and offered five pounds to anyone who was willing to take him as an apprentice.                

2. Who was Mr. Sowerberry? How was Oliver treated in his house? Ans: The local undertaker, Mr Sowerberry, had consented to hire Oliver to work for him. He was a tall, thin man who always wore black, which was appropriate for his profession

Although Mr. Sowerberry was not at all bad, his wife, Mrs. Sowerberry, the maid Charlotte, and the other apprentice Noah Claypole were exceedingly cruel to him. Oliver was not treated any better than he had been at the orphanage or the poorhouse. He was beaten, fed crumbs that even the dog would not eat, and forced to sleep among the coffins under the workshop bench.

One day, Noah's merciless teasing of Oliver about his deceased mother went too far. Oliver lost his temper and immediately struck Noah, who was screaming for aid, knocking him to the ground. Oliver was beaten by Noah, Charlotte, and Mrs. Sowerberry, who all joined in. Oliver was then imprisoned with a piece of bread for the rest of the day. To please his wife, Mr. Sowerberry was forced to beat Oliver when he got home. Mr. Bumble also gave Oliver a good beating and verbal abuse.

 

CHAPTER - 2

1.    Where did Oliver go when he ran away? Describe his journey in your own words?

Ans. When Oliver left Mr. Sowerberry's house, he walked wearily into the small town of Barnet, which is near London. He had already made the decision to travel to London, which he understood to be a big city and where he believed he would be safe from Mr. Bumble, at the beginning of his harrowing voyage. Oliver sat on a cold Barnet doorstep because he was too exhausted to even begging after a week of walking. He was covered in filth and had bleeding feet. People that went by him were either in a hurry to get somewhere else or were uninterested in talking to the lonely little boy. After a while, he noticed a boy his age staring at him. This young boy approached Oliver and offered to help. He buys Oliver a dinner and inquires if he was on his way to London. He tells Oliver that he knows an elderly man who will offer Oliver a place to stay without expecting anything in return. After a hearty meal, he and Jack left for London, which they did not arrive at until dark. Oliver was guided by the Dodger through a maze of filthy, foul-smelling streets teeming with shrieking kids and inebriated adults. Oliver considered running away after viewing these horrifying things when the Dodger forced through a door of a home next to Field Lane and dragged Oliver inside after him.

2. Describe the Artful Dodger? Why was he given this nickname?

Ans: Oliver was rescued by The Artful Dodger, also known as Jack Dawkins, who discovered him on Barnet Street. He had short, dirty hair, sharp, unpleasant eyes, and crooked legs. He was roughly about Oliver's age. He was wearing a man's clothes that was considerably too large for him.

Artful Dodger was a Pickpocket and he had earned the nickname because of his cunning ways and skills. He is described as a young person wearing adult clothes and behaving like an adult, and he seldom gives in to childish urges.  

 3. Describe in your own words what Oliver saw in Fagin's kitchen. 

Ans: Oliver entered the kitchen and immediately noticed the dusty, dark walls and ceiling. Before the fire, there was an old table with a loaf of bread, a few pots, and a candle in a bottle. A extremely old, dried-out, and menacing-looking Jew was cooking sausages in a frying pan on the fire while standing over Oliver and Jack and with atoasting fork. Numerous rough sacking mattresses were on the floor, and behind him was a rack wrapped in many silk handkerchiefs. For to five boys of Oliver's age group sat around the table smoking pipes and drinking alcohol with an air of middle-aged men.