“social issues in Oliver Twist and Today’s India.”

1.  Name:- Zankhana .M.MatholiyaName:- Zankhana .M.Matholiya
Class :- M.A. Sem-2Class :- M.A. Sem-2
Roll.No:-36Roll.No:-36
Paper No.-5:- The Victorian LiteraturePaper No.-5:- The Victorian Literature
Topic:-Topic:- “social issues in Oliver Twist and Today’s“social issues in Oliver Twist and Today’s
India.”India.”
Enrollment No:- 2069108420180036Enrollment No:- 2069108420180036
Email ID :- zankhanamatholiya96@gmail.comEmail ID :- zankhanamatholiya96@gmail.com
Batch :- 2017-2019Batch :- 2017-2019
Submitted:- Smt.S.B.Gardi Department of EnglishSubmitted:- Smt.S.B.Gardi Department of English
Bhavnagar University,Bhavnagar University,

3. IntroductionIntroduction
The social problem, also called a social issue, is anThe social problem, also called a social issue, is an
undesirable condition that people believe should beundesirable condition that people believe should be
corrected.corrected.
Social issues are matters which directly or indirectlySocial issues are matters which directly or indirectly
affects a person or many members of a society.affects a person or many members of a society.

4. About Charles DickensAbout Charles Dickens
 Charles Dickens was an English writer and socialCharles Dickens was an English writer and social
critic .critic .
 He created some of the worlds best known fictionalHe created some of the worlds best known fictional
characters and is regarded as the greatest novelist ofcharacters and is regarded as the greatest novelist of
the Victorian era.the Victorian era.
 Dickens wrote a lot of novels about the struggles ofDickens wrote a lot of novels about the struggles of
poor and battle between right and wrong.poor and battle between right and wrong.

5. About the novelAbout the novel
 Dickens presents a portrait ofDickens presents a portrait of
the childhood of a considerablethe childhood of a considerable
number of Victorian orphans.number of Victorian orphans.
 It is a story of criminal world.It is a story of criminal world.
 Oliver Twist one of the titleOliver Twist one of the title
character and protagonist in thecharacter and protagonist in the
novel.novel.
 Dickens intensifies his satireDickens intensifies his satire
on life and society under theon life and society under the
poor laws.poor laws.
 Dickens also shows theDickens also shows the
victimization of women invictimization of women in
Victorian societyVictorian society

6. Other
issues,
City
v/s
Country-
Aside
Mob
mentality
Society
and
class
Powerless-
ness
of
women
Powerless-
ness
of Childs
Social
Issues in
Oliver twist

7. Powerlessness of Childs.Powerlessness of Childs.
 Oliver and children wereOliver and children were
controlled and over powered bycontrolled and over powered by
wealthy and powerful adult.wealthy and powerful adult.
like, Mr. Bumble and Fagin.like, Mr. Bumble and Fagin.
 Oliver's famous sentenceOliver's famous sentence
“Please sir I want some more”“Please sir I want some more”
illustrates not only his starvationillustrates not only his starvation
but also his desire for the love.but also his desire for the love.
 Dickens Characterizes Oliver asDickens Characterizes Oliver as
“ A close prisoner in the dark“ A close prisoner in the dark
and solitary room to which heand solitary room to which he
had been consigned by thehad been consigned by the
wisdom and mercy of thewisdom and mercy of the
board”.board”.

8. Powerlessness of women Powerlessness of women
 Especially Nancy who ends up giving her life in trying toEspecially Nancy who ends up giving her life in trying to
act against the Men who have power over her.act against the Men who have power over her.
 When she is asking to take Oliver to skies she tells himWhen she is asking to take Oliver to skies she tells him
that she would help him but she doesn’t have the powerthat she would help him but she doesn’t have the power
 Women were powerless at the hands of society.Women were powerless at the hands of society.

9. Society and class Society and class
 The moral superiority of the middle class.The moral superiority of the middle class.
 Superficial class and theme of poverty.Superficial class and theme of poverty.
 He challenged the Victorian idea of charity for theHe challenged the Victorian idea of charity for the
so called Deserving poor , he showed that theso called Deserving poor , he showed that the
workhouse was failed to solve the problem ofworkhouse was failed to solve the problem of
poverty and unwanted children.poverty and unwanted children.

10. City v/s Countryside City v/s Countryside
 In Oliver Twist the city and the countryside eachIn Oliver Twist the city and the countryside each
take on symbolic meaning .take on symbolic meaning .
 The city is corrupt and dirty, while country isThe city is corrupt and dirty, while country is
pure and clean.pure and clean.
 It is in city that Oliver is forced intoIt is in city that Oliver is forced into
immortality ,while in the Country that Oliver isimmortality ,while in the Country that Oliver is
able to recover his health.able to recover his health.

11. Mob mentalityMob mentality
 This dichotomy is likelyThis dichotomy is likely
related to the danger of therelated to the danger of the
mob mentality that is somob mentality that is so
prevalent in the novel.prevalent in the novel.
 In the city everyone is soIn the city everyone is so
close together ,it seemsclose together ,it seems
to always be the immoralto always be the immoral
contingent that wins out orcontingent that wins out or
drowns out few moraldrowns out few moral
voices.voices.
 In the country ,the peopleIn the country ,the people
are not a mob but aare not a mob but a
community.community.

12. Unemploy-
ment
Corruption
Poverty
crime
Ageinst
woman
Child –
Labour
Illiteracy
Today’s
India in
social issues

13. IlliteracyIlliteracy
 Illiteracy is theIlliteracy is the
inability of ainability of a
person to read andperson to read and
write.write.
 This is one of theThis is one of the
problem that isproblem that is
effecting India’seffecting India’s
developmendevelopmen

14. Child LabourChild Labour
 This is the worst social evilThis is the worst social evil
in India.in India.
 Children are exploited andChildren are exploited and
are made to work inare made to work in
dangerous places likedangerous places like
cracker factories.They arecracker factories.They are
not treated properly.not treated properly.
 Like other social evils thereLike other social evils there
are rules and laws made toare rules and laws made to
stop the child exploitationstop the child exploitation
but nothing has been everbut nothing has been ever
properly implemented inproperly implemented in
India and hence you can stillIndia and hence you can still
see teenagers and childrensee teenagers and children
working in the shops andworking in the shops and
factories.factories.

15. PovertyPoverty
•• It is a criteria where certain sections of people were unable to meet their basicIt is a criteria where certain sections of people were unable to meet their basic
minimum needs………minimum needs………
•• Reasons: •Reasons: •
- population explosion,- population explosion,
- low agricultural productivity- low agricultural productivity
- price rise- price rise
- social and political factors…- social and political factors…

16. Crimes Against WomenCrimes Against Women
 Beauty provokesBeauty provokes
harassment, said byharassment, said by
Indian laws…..butIndian laws…..but
the reason is thethe reason is the
POINT OF VIEW ofPOINT OF VIEW of
men.men.
•• Now-a-days, femaleNow-a-days, female
harassment hasharassment has
become quitebecome quite
common in India.common in India.
•• It may be physical orIt may be physical or
mental torture beingmental torture being
done mostly by thedone mostly by the
opposite gender….opposite gender….

17. CorruptionCorruption
 Corruption may be definedCorruption may be defined
as acquisition of moneyas acquisition of money
through wrongful means,through wrongful means,
which were illegalwhich were illegal
according to the laws........according to the laws........
India is one of the leadingIndia is one of the leading
corrupted nation.corrupted nation.
 In many governmentIn many government
services of Indian union ,services of Indian union ,
corruption has becomecorruption has become
quite common…quite common…

18. UnemploymentUnemployment
•• Unemployment is theUnemployment is the
phenomenon whenphenomenon when
people have no workpeople have no work
and they wereand they were
actively seeking foractively seeking for
work……work……
•• This is another majorThis is another major
problem shakingproblem shaking
india from its base…india from its base…
ever since fromever since from
1970’s and more from1970’s and more from
the recent 21stthe recent 21st
century.century.

19. conclusionconclusion
 We argue that the nation has been losing aWe argue that the nation has been losing a
lot due to corrupted people . Corruptedlot due to corrupted people . Corrupted
people are not the one who take the money ,people are not the one who take the money ,
but infact the one who give it. All times .but infact the one who give it. All times .
 The defense systems cant secure the nationThe defense systems cant secure the nation
all times . Hence , its role of us that shouldall times . Hence , its role of us that should
be made….be made….
 ““UNITY MAKES A NATION UNIQUE”UNITY MAKES A NATION UNIQUE”