ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY II (SHORT STORY)

2011

Short Story
Oliver Twist By Charles Dickens
1.0

Introduction:

A short story is a short piece of fiction aiming at unity of characterization, theme and
effect. Besides, a short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in
narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such
as novellas (in the 20th and 21st century sense) and novels.
To make it more clear, there is a severe characteristics when preparing a short
story. First, a short story is a piece of prose fiction which can be read at a single sitting.
Second, it ought to combine objective matter-of-fact description with poetic atmosphere.
Third, it ought to present a unified impression of tone, colour and effect "unity of effect".
Besides, it mostly shows a decisive moment of life (which can entail a fatal blow) and
there is often little action, hardly any character development, but we get a snapshot of
life (slice-of-life story). Then, the plot is not very complex (in contrast to the novel), but it
creates a unified impression and leaves us with a vivid sensation rather than a number
of remembered facts. Moreover, there is a close connection between the short story and
the poem as there is in both a unique union of idea and structure. However, there is a
limited set of characters, one single action and a simple plot

such exposition,

complication, crisis, sad or happy ending. A short story also very often has an open or
abrupt beginning and an open or surprise ending. Lastly, a short story is restricted to
one setting only (fixed place and time, social surroundings).
For this assignment I had choose Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens for my
reading. Generally this story is about a life of a young and orphan boy named Oliver
Twist. Oliver has no parents and runs away from the workhouse where he lives. Then
he meets Fagin who teaches him to be pickpocket. But, Oliver wants a real home, with
someone who can protect and loves him.

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Theme:

The theme of "Poverty" is one of relevant theme for this story. I choose this theme
because it will show to us how status or background influences their lifestyle or in other
words showing how the social class system is basically just invented by society to justify
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ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY II (SHORT STORY)

2011

the status quo, the writer is also very concerned in showing just how miserable the
lower classes really were. With Oliver Twist, he doesnt shy away from depicting the
conditions of the poor in all their misery with gritty realism.
Oliver Twist is a novel teeming with many closely interrelated ideas. There is
preoccupation with the miseries of poverty and the spread of its degrading effects
through society. With poverty comes hunger, a person tend to do something that was
illegal such as training a children like Oliver to be a pickpocket. Besides, poverty makes
the way they think become narrow. They cant compare which one is a good thing and a
bad thing because what they want was money. Here, we can look how Fagin took poor
kids and bring them home then train them how to be a pickpocket or a thief.
One of the worse consequences of poverty and being deprived of life's
essentials is crime, with all of its corrosive effects on human nature. In this story we can
read how Nancy was killed by Fagin man after inform Rose that Oliver had a lot of
money due to he would inherit his father fortune. In addition, from the reading the writer
gives a great deal of attention to the painful alienation from society suffered by the
criminal, who may come to feel completely isolated as the fragile foundations of his own
hostile world snap. When crime is the result of poverty, it completely dehumanizes
society.

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Character:

In this story, the protagonist was Oliver Twist. Oliver is an orphan born in a workhouse.
Though treated with cruelty and surrounded by coarseness for most of his life, he is a
pious, innocent child, and his charms draw the attention of several wealthy benefactors.
Although poverty make Fagin eager seeking for money by doing burglary, but Oliver
didnt. that is why Oliver tries to escape from the workhouse and Fagin because he
seeking for a happiness life.
Besides, Oliver is not a believable character, because although he is raised in
corrupt surroundings, his purity and virtue are absolute. Olivers incorruptibility when he
socializes makes him away from negative influence especially with Fagin. For example,
Oliver is shocked and horrified when he sees the Jack Dawkins or his friends called him
Artful Dodger and Charley Bates pick a strangers pocket and again when he is forced
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ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY II (SHORT STORY)

2011

to participate in a burglary. But Olivers moral scruples about the sanctity of property
seem inborn in him.
Furthermore, although Oliver is a poor boy but he is very amicable toward others.
This value can be look where Oliver can adopt himself with the environment of London
after he escape from workhouse. The first person he found there was Artful Dodger.
The man brings him back where he meets Fagin. For the first time Oliver did not know
who are they and think that they are good person. Besides, when he had been caught
by resident where he had been accuse for stealing wallet, the old gentleman whose
name Mr. Brownlow save him from the accusing. Mr. Brownlow brings him back and
Oliver feels happy with the old man. From here we can see where Oliver was very
friendly and he cannot difference which one bad and good.
If the is protagonist then there must be an antagonist. The antagonist for this
story was Fagin. He is an old man with long red hair and looks strange on his face. He
is a conniving career criminal. Fagin takes in homeless children and trains them to pick
pockets for him. He is also a buyer of other peoples stolen goods.
Besides, he is simpering, miserly, and avaricious. He is a richly drawn, resonant
embodiment of terrifying villainy. At times, he seems like a childs distorted vision of
pure evil. Fagin is described as a loathsome reptile and as having fangs such as
should have been a dogs or rats. To show how villainy Fagin was, we can look where
he willing to kill Oliver because of money. He didnt have the sense of humanity. He
asked his man to kill Nancy and for information Nancy was Fagin servant and makes
her a prostitute. Because of the crime that Fagin and his men had done they had been
caught by policemen.

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Conclusion

In a nutshell, Oliver Twist is very tough boy where he manages to believe toward
himself and not following others to be a thief. He tries to find a life where he can stay
happily and peacefully.
Besides, this story has given us important massage where everyone of us needs
to respect our parents while they are alive and be responsible toward ourselves and our
parents. Moreover, we need to believe toward ourselves not to involve in criminal even
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ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY II (SHORT STORY)

2011

though we did not have any money as how Oliver does. So, the most important thing
was be responsible toward ourselves and tries to work on it if we want a better life.

Reference
Book
Norman Wymer. 1991. Oliver Twist by Charles Dicken. Kuala Lumpur: Dasar Padu (M)
Sdn. Bhd.

Websites
http://www.shmoop.com/oliver-twist/poverty-theme.html. Accessed on 4 August 2011.
http://www.enotes.com/oliver-twist/themes. Accessed on 4 August 2011.
http://www.cliffsnotes.com/study_guide/literature/Oliver-Twist-Critical-Essays-Early19th-Century-England-Themes-of-Oliver-Twist.id-104,pageNum-189.html.
Accessed on 4 August 2011.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Short_story. Accessed on 8 August 2011.
http://www.menrath-online.de/documents/shortst2.pdf. Accessed on 8 August 2011.