How Does Charles Dickens Present Innocence

The birth of Oliver can be traced back to a workhouse, in which his unknown mother gave birth to him; at first the surgeon along with the nurse questioned whether he would “live to bear a name.”(Dickens) After erupting in a cacophonous cry, the surgeon delivers him to his mother, who shortly passes away after kissing him; this incidence is the first of many that draws pity from the reader towards Oliver and this emotion was stronger with the readers in Victorian England, which placed family as the crucial part of child’s development (Picard and Horne). Without any family, Oliver gathers the attention of the reader and it reverberates through audience from all walks of life. Moreover, Dickens parallels newly born Oliver with the reader by mentioning

Dickens describes the “large stone hall” as being filled with paupers in one end and a fat cook at the other. This cook would hand out one ladle of porridge every night to the paupers, but this did not suffice. Oliver’s good nature pits him against the moral corruption that was present in the workhouse; Oliver after conversing with the other boys, decides that he will ask for more food for the entire group, an act unheard of. Gathering up all his courage, Oliver walks up to the cook and asks for more food: “Please Sir, I want some more” (Dickens 20). Oliver was received with harsh criticism for his good natured request and this matter traveled to the board that placed Oliver in the workhouse. The Men of the Board are disgusted when the hear this unpleasant news, especially the gentleman in the white waistcoat, who deems that Oliver need to be hung. After some compromise, they decide to put Oliver in a makeshift jail and disperse a notice that the workhouse was “offering the public a reward of 5 pounds for taking Oliver away” (Dickens 21). Richardson attests that this was common practice in the workhouses of England and in many cases the children were given of to rapists and abusive factory owners who would use the children as disposable laborers until the child died due to starvation or an injury. Originally, a chimney sweep requested the child, but his offer was rejected as some in the group felt some for of pity due to the innocence and good natured that Oliver exhibited. Yet again Oliver has been saved from certain death and this is a direct result of his attitude and moral thinking (Daniela). Soon, Oliver is taken apprentice by an undertaker; in this new setting Oliver’s innocence and good-natured bring him reward from Mr.Shrewsberry, who now prefers him to his previous