Arbeitsblatt: NW 4 U 3 Oliver Twist

Oliver Twist – Charles Dickens sek real??? Sek Questions on the text Chapters 1–5 1. Decribe what you think life in the workhouse was like. 2. What was Mrs Manns philosophy of life? 3. Do you think she was right? Give reasons for your answer. 4. How does the Navy recruit its people today compared to how they did in Olivers time? 5. Why did Oliver hit Noah Claypole? 6. What do the expressions to be artful and to dodge mean? Chapters 6–11 1. Why did people call Fagin miser? 2. Are there pickpockets today? If so, where are you most likely to find them? 3. Are there still second hand bookshops in your neighbourhood? Describe them. 4. Do you think that in another 100 years there will still be bookshops? 5. What sort of person do you think Fagin was? 6. Should Fagin have been respected? Give reasons for your answer. 7. Why did Nancy have to tell Bill everything? 8. Why did Nancy call Oliver her brother? Chapters 12–19 1. Why was Fagin so pleased to see Oliver? 2. What was Nancys living on the streets? 3. Describe what happened at the robbery in which Oliver took part. 4. When Nancy bought the sleeping mixture did she know she might be killed of Bill found out, or she given up wanting to live? 5. What happened to Fagin? 6. Describe how Bill died. 7. Do you think Oliver was happy in his new life with Mr Brownlow? Give reasons for your answer. Questions on interpretation 1. Describe the main characters. Use the text to help you. 2. Why did Nancy decide to help Oliver? 3. Nancy would not give any information about Bill to Mrs Maylie. Why was this? 4. Fagin can bee seen as evil and bad, but in many ways he was kinder to Oliver than Mr Bumble, church representative, had been. Can you find, in the text, ways in which Fagin was both kind and unkind to Oliver? Can you find ways that Mr Bumble was kind to him? 5. When Fagin plays the game of stealing handkerchiefs with Doger and Charley Bates in Chapter Five, he was being especially cunning towards Oliver. In which way was he being cunning? 6. If you had to choose between living with Mr Bumble or Fagin, who would you choose? Give reasons for your answer. 7. Why is everyone so shocked when Oliver asks for more? 8. Do you think what happened to Oliver was typical for that time, or just story Charles Dickens invented? 9. Oliver had no control over his life. Things just happened to him. Do you ever feel that you have no control over your life, or have times changed for young people since Olivers time? 10. Do you think Oliver was weak or strong character? Give reasons for your answers. Can you think Charles Dickens allows him to go free at the end of the book? 11. The Artful Dodger was fun-loving, mischievious rogue. He was still thief and criminal. Hwy do you think Charles Dickens allows him to go free at the end of the book? 12. In the last chapter, just before Bill Sikes dies, the boys are described as disappearing from him like rats down hole. Why are criminals and thieves often portrayed like rats living in dirty conditions? 13. In which ways does Charles Dickens support the values of his time? 14. In which ways does Charles Dickens criticize the values of his time? 15. In Charles Dickens time, money and wealth could buy education and training. How have times changed today? Do you agree with the changes? 16. Despite this tender Christian care by the Christian authorites, Oliver did reach his ninth birthday (page 5, line 2). What does this tell us about Charles Dickens view of the authorities in those days? 17. What is the usual meaning of the following words: fang, dodge, grim, wig, bumble, corney, sourberry (Sowerberry) 18. How does Charles Dickens use words like these to describe his characters more clearly?