Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens (smart books to read .TXT) ๐
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Oliver Twist, or The Parish Boyโs Progress was Charles Dickensโ second novel, following The Pickwick Papers, and was published as a serial in the magazine Bentleyโs Miscellany between 1837 and 1839. It details the misadventures of its eponymous character, Oliver Twist, born in a Victorian-era workhouse, his mother dying within minutes of his birth. He is raised in miserable conditions, half-starved, and then sent out as an apprentice to an undertaker. Running away from this situation, he walks to London and falls under the influence of a criminal gang run by an old man called Fagin, who wants to employ the child as a pickpocket.
The novel graphically depicts the wretched living conditions of much of the poor people of Victorian times and the disgusting slums in which they were forced to live. It has been accused of perpetrating anti-Semitic stereotypes in the character of Fagin, almost always referred to as โthe Jewโ in the bookโs early chapters. Interestingly, while the serial was still running in the magazine, Dickens was eventually persuaded that he was wrong in this and removed many such usages in later episodes. He also introduced more kindly Jewish characters in such later novels as Our Mutual Friend.
Oliver Twist was immediately popular in serial form, with its often gripping story and lurid details. It has remained one of Dickenโs best-loved novels, and the story has often been made into films and television series, as well as into a very popular musical, Oliver!.
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- Author: Charles Dickens
Read book online ยซOliver Twist by Charles Dickens (smart books to read .TXT) ๐ยป. Author - Charles Dickens
By Charles Dickens.
Table of Contents Titlepage Imprint I: Treats of the Place Where Oliver Twist Was Born and of the Circumstances Attending His Birth II: Treats of Oliver Twistโs Growth, Education, and Board III: Relates How Oliver Twist Was Very Near Getting a Place Which Would Not Have Been a Sinecure IV: Oliver, Being Offered Another Place, Makes His First Entry Into Public Life V: Oliver Mingles with New Associates. Going to a Funeral for the First Time, He Forms an Unfavourable Notion of His Masterโs Business VI: Oliver, Being Goaded by the Taunts of Noah, Rouses Into Action, and Rather Astonishes Him VII: Oliver Continues Refractory VIII: Oliver Walks to London. He Encounters on the Road a Strange Sort of Young Gentleman IX: Containing Further Particulars Concerning the Pleasant Old Gentleman, and His Hopeful Pupils X: Oliver Becomes Better Acquainted with the Characters of His New Associates; and Purchases Experience at a High Price. Being a Short, but Very Important Chapter, in This History XI: Treats of Mr. Fang the Police Magistrate; and Furnishes a Slight Specimen of His Mode of Administering Justice XII: In Which Oliver Is Taken Better Care of Than He Ever Was Before. And in Which the Narrative Reverts to the Merry Old Gentleman and His Youthful Friends XIII: Some New Acquaintances Are Introduced to the Intelligent Reader, Connected with Whom Various Pleasant Matters Are Related, Appertaining to This History XIV: Comprising Further Particulars of Oliverโs Stay at Mr. Brownlowโs, with the Remarkable Prediction Which One Mr. Grimwig Uttered Concerning Him, When He Went Out on an Errand XV: Showing How Very Fond of Oliver Twist, the Merry Old Jew and Miss Nancy Were XVI: Relates What Became of Oliver Twist, After He Had Been Claimed by Nancy XVII: Oliverโs Destiny Continuing Unpropitious, Brings a Great Man to London to Injure His Reputation XVIII: How Oliver Passed His Time in the Improving Society of His Reputable Friends XIX: In Which a Notable Plan Is Discussed and Determined On XX: Wherein Oliver Is Delivered Over to Mr. William Sikes XXI: The Expedition XXII: The Burglary XXIII: Which Contains the Substance of a Pleasant Conversation Between Mr. Bumble and a Lady; and Shows That Even a Beadle May Be Susceptible on Some Points XXIV: Treats on a Very Poor Subject. But Is a Short One, and May Be Found of Importance in This History XXV: Wherein This History Reverts to Mr. Fagin and Company XXVI: In Which a Mysterious Character Appears Upon the Scene; and Many Things, Inseparable from This History, Are Done and Performed XXVII: Atones for the Unpoliteness of a Former Chapter; Which Deserted a Lady, Most Unceremoniously XXVIII: Looks After Oliver, and Proceeds with His Adventures XXIX: Has an Introductory Account of the Inmates of the House, to Which Oliver Resorted XXX: Relates What Oliverโs New Visitors Thought of Him XXXI: Involves a Critical Position XXXII: Of the Happy Life Oliver Began to Lead with His Kind Friends XXXIII: Wherein the Happiness of Oliver and His Friends, Experiences a Sudden Check XXXIV: Contains Some Introductory Particulars Relative to a Young Gentleman Who Now Arrives Upon the Scene; and a New Adventure Which Happened to Oliver XXXV: Containing the Unsatisfactory Result of Oliverโs Adventure; and a Conversation of Some Importance Between Harry Maylie and Rose XXXVI: Is a Very Short One, and May Appear of No Great Importance in Its Place, but It Should Be Read Notwithstanding, as a Sequel to the Last, and a Key to One That Will Follow When Its Time Arrives XXXVII: In Which the Reader May Perceive a Contrast, Not Uncommon in Matrimonial Cases XXXVIII: Containing an Account of What Passed Between Mr. and Mrs. Bumble, and Mr. Monks, at Their Nocturnal Interview XXXIX: Introduces Some Respectable Characters with Whom the Reader Is Already Acquainted, and Shows How Monks and the Jew Laid Their Worthy Heads Together XL: A Strange Interview, Which Is a Sequel to the Last Chapter XLI: Containing Fresh Discoveries, and Showing That Surprises, Like Misfortunes, Seldom Come Alone XLII: An Old Acquaintance of Oliverโs, Exhibiting Decided Marks of Genius, Becomes a Public Character in the Metropolis XLIII: Wherein Is Shown How the Artful Dodger Got Into Trouble XLIV: The Time Arrives for Nancy to Redeem Her Pledge to Rose Maylie. She Fails XLV: Noah Claypole Is Employed by Fagin on a Secret Mission XLVI: The Appointment Kept XLVII: Fatal Consequences XLVIII: The Flight of Sikes XLIX: Monks and Mr. Brownlow at Length Meet. Their Conversation, and the Intelligence That Interrupts It L: The Pursuit and Escape LI: Affording an Explanation of More Mysteries Than One, and Comprehending a Proposal of Marriage with No Word of Settlement or Pin-Money LII: Faginโs Last Night Alive LIII: And Last Endnotes Colophon Uncopyright ImprintThis ebook is the product of many hours of hard work by volunteers for Standard Ebooks, and builds on the hard work of other literature lovers made possible by the public domain.
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