A Digital Mapping of Charles Dickens' Oliver Twist
Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist has been one history’s best received novels, having endured more than one hundred and fifty years on the shelves of libraries and in the hearts of readers alike. The novel, which, on the surface, traces the journey of a young orphan as he ventures from the countryside to the urban metropolis of London, also serves a much deeper purpose that becomes strikingly clear to those who know what to look for. Dickens’ subtle (and at times, not-so-subtle) use of satire and exaggeration provide one of the most emphatic social critiques of the Victorian Era. This social critique is made relevant by Dickens’ devotion to accuracy and historical realism, which add an element to the novel that would be otherwise unattainable and that is often overlooked by the modern reader. With no information on the history or geography of London, it would be easy to neglect giving the finer details of the novel the attention they deserve.
This website explores the settings and characters in the novel to show the basis upon which Dickens approached the social critique evident in Oliver Twist. Many locations in the novel were thought to have been hyperbolic exaggerations used only to prove a point, however, this is not the case. Dickens’ historical accuracy in reference to each of the places he mentions provides a base for his social commentary, giving it added weight and validity. Readers of the Victorian Era would have recognized the use of such locations and the reality of the setting of the novel because of their intimate knowledge of the city of London. Over time, this familiarity has been lost to modern readers of Oliver Twist because of the ever-changing face of London and the readers’ differing backgrounds. This resource once more reveals to modern readers the reality of Dickens’ setting and brings back the full power of Dickens’ critique on Victorian London.
This website explores the settings and characters in the novel to show the basis upon which Dickens approached the social critique evident in Oliver Twist. Many locations in the novel were thought to have been hyperbolic exaggerations used only to prove a point, however, this is not the case. Dickens’ historical accuracy in reference to each of the places he mentions provides a base for his social commentary, giving it added weight and validity. Readers of the Victorian Era would have recognized the use of such locations and the reality of the setting of the novel because of their intimate knowledge of the city of London. Over time, this familiarity has been lost to modern readers of Oliver Twist because of the ever-changing face of London and the readers’ differing backgrounds. This resource once more reveals to modern readers the reality of Dickens’ setting and brings back the full power of Dickens’ critique on Victorian London.
Ryan Simpson
Rachel Puechner
Nat Estes
Doug Walker
Mary Mayfield
ENGL 1102 - F
Dr. Crowther
1 December 2011
Georgia Institute of Technology