Great Expectations & Oliver Twist

A detailed Summary of Great Expectations & Oliver Twist

During his lifetime, Charles Dickens is known to have written

several books. Although each book is different, they also share many

similarities. Two of his books, Great Expectations and Oliver Twist,

are representatives of the many kinds of differences and similarities

Perhaps the reason why these two novels share some of the same

qualities is because they both reflect painful experiences which

occurred in Dickens' past. During his childhood, Charles Dickens

suffered much abuse from his parents.1 This abuse is often expressed

in his novels. Pip, in Great Expectations, talked often about the

abuse he received at the hands of his sister, Mrs. Joe Gargery. On one

occasion he remarked, "I soon found myself getting heavily bumped from

behind in the nape of the neck and the small of the back, and having

my face ignominously shoved against the wall, because I did not answer

those questions at sufficient length."2

While at the orphanage, Oliver from Oliver Twist also experienced

a great amount of abuse. For example, while suffering from starvation

and malnutrition for a long period of time, Oliv

"Written in abrupt, truncated chapters," Oliver Twist took the

Pip is sent to live with and be abused by his sister, Oliver is sent

Since dealing with escapism, it is not surprising that death also

claimed that they played with flags and swords all day after having

Novelist. New York: Schocken Books, 1974.

Approximate Word count = 1801
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English

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