Main characters of two prominent Charles Dickens' novels, Oliver Twist from ''Oliver Twist'' and Pip from ''Great Expections'' have a similar lifepath and share common characteristics. The reason might be that both reflect painful experiences which occurred in Dickens' past. During his childhood, Charles Dickens suffered much abuse from his parents. This abuse is often mentioned in his novels, and it plays an essential role in two of his greatest works, ''Oliver Twist'' and ''Great Expectations. '' Pip in ''Great Expectations'' talked often about the abuse he received at the hands of his sister, Mrs.
Joe Gargery. Once 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. " (Great Expectations, page 34) While at the orphanage, Oliver from ''Oliver Twist'' also experienced a great amount of abuse. For instance, while suffering from starvation and malnutrition for a long time period, Oliver was chosen by other boys at the orphanage to request more gruel at dinner one night.After making this simple request, "the master aimed a blow at Oliver's head with the ladle; pinioned him in his arms; and shrieked aloud for the beadle.
" (Oliver Twist, page 28) Both young boys were orphaned practically from birth: Pip is sent to live with and be consequently abused by his sister, while Oliver is sent to live in an orphanage. Pip is a very curious young boy. He is a "child of intense and yearning fancy. " (page 10) Yet, Oliver is a very well spoken boy. Even when his life was in jeopardy while in the hands of Fagin and Bill Sikes, two pickpockets, he refused to participate in the stealing which he greatly opposed.Also you can read
com/claudia-valentine-character-analysis-4234/">Claudia Valentine Character AnalysisAll Oliver really longed for was to escape from harsh living conditions and evil surroundings which he had grown up in. However, no matter how tempting the evil may have been, Oliver stood by his beliefs. Therefore, we can observe that the following is a true referral to Oliver in the novel: "He has an ideal and incorruptible innocence. " (Olivet Twist, page 122) "It is Oliver's self-generated and self-sustained love, conferred it would seem from Heaven alone, that preserves him from disaster and death. " (same page) Pip, on the other hand, is a dreamer.His imagination is always helping him to create situations to cover up for his hard times.
For instance, when questioned about his first visit to Miss Havisham's house, he made up a very long story to make up for the terrible time he had in reality. Instead of telling how he played cards all day while being ridiculed and criticized by Estella and Miss Havisham, he claimed that they played with flags and swords all day after having wine and cake on golden plates. However, one special quality possessed by Pip hat is rarely seen in a novel's hero is that he wrongs others instead of being hurt himself all of the time.Similarly, both Oliver and Pip have had interactions with convicts. Fagin the head of a group of young thieves, spends most of his time trying to "demoralize and corrupt Oliver and prevent him from ever coming into his inheritance.
" (Oliver Twist, page 38) To Oliver, he is seen as an escape from all previous misery. He also helps Oliver to ease any fears about starvation and loneliness. Just as Fagin is Oliver's means of escape, Magwitch, an escaped convict, is Pip's. However, as Fagin provides Oliver with an escape from misery, Magwitch tries to provide Pip with an escape from poverty by becoming his anonymous benefactor.Feature Article -
com/james-joyce-dubliners-analysis-of-the-women-characters-2905/">James Joyce AnalysisEscape is also an important characteristic shared by both Oliver and Pip. Even though they both have different goals in mind, Pip and Oliver are seeking various forms of escape from conditions which make them unhappy: Pip from his poverty, and Oliver from his loneliness and starvation. Their difference can be seen from a prism of goals and environment: for instance, Pip seaches for money and personal wealth, while Oliver searches for security, and the fact that Pip was raised in a home environment, unlike Oliver who was raised in an orphanage.In conclusion, both characters seem to have common characteristics such as their feelings and them being symbols of social injustices in Victorian England.
Both Oliver Twist and Pip reflect painful experiences that occurred in Dickens' past, and serve as representatives of social inequality, which acted as a central theme in majority of Dickens' works, including his great ''Oliver Twist'' and ''Great Expectations. ''
