Oliver Twist - Book the First, Chapter the Second

Treats of Oliver Twist's Growth, Education, and Board

Does he mean 'treatment' when he uses the word treats? Slightly confusing.

So, in the second chapter, we learn about Oliver growing up. And he has a hard life. After using some extraordinarily long sentences (81 words!) we learn that Oliver is 'farmed' to another workhouse 3 miles off (so there goes my theory about him being brought up by drunk nurse), and supervised by an old lady who takes most of the money allotted for the care of the children and spends it on herself:

"thereby finding in the lowest depth a deeper still".

 The woman gets the children to exist "upon the smallest possible portion of the weakest possible food", and a very large number of them die.

I can see why Oliver will run away.

Also, they always know when inspections will be, so the children can be made to look all neat. Grrr, ill-treatment of children really infuriates me.

And now we fast-forward to Oliver's eighth birthday, and are introduced to two new characters: Mrs Mann, the "good lady of the house" (I already hate her), and Mr Bumble the beadle (a type of policeman I think).

Wait.

His name is MR BUMBLE?? How could anyone ever take him seriously.

What I imagine Mr Bumble looks like.

Mr Bumble is angry at being locked out, but Mrs Mann flatters him and he calms down. Also, he has a cane and is fat. They go into the brick-floored (?!) parlour, and Mr Bumble has some gin (and is pleased to hear that Mrs Mann gives it to the children, although as they gave children opium, gin is not so bad). No-one's ever found Oliver's dad, and Mr Bumble named Oliver.

Prediction: Oliver's dad will turn up again later in the book. Maybe as a thief, or maybe as dead, but he won't just be dropped.

"...Oliver was then led away by Mr Bumble from the wretched home where one kind word or look had never lighted the gloom of his infant years."

:-(

He's interviewed by the board (and he gets confused and thinks it's going to be a living piece of wood which is amusing), and is told he has to pick 'oakum' by picking apart old rope. Apparently it rips up your fingers.

I'm not quite sure I understood the next bit, but a law was passed that made more poor people die by a combination of less food and more work? However, the end bit of the chapter I understood very well.

"'Please, sir, I want some more.'"

Even though Oliver was chosen by lot to go up and ask, he's very brave! And I've heard this line of the story before, of course, it's very well-known. Oliver is abused by the master (I hate him now too), and Mr Bumble is called. The next exchange was quite amusing:

"The board were sitting in solemn conclave when Mr Bumble rushed into the room in great excitement, and addressing the gentleman in the high chair, said, - 'Mr Limbkins, I beg your pardon, sir; - Oliver Twist has asked for more.' There was a general start. Horror was depicted on every countenance."

The amusement vanishes when Mr Limbkins orders that Oliver is to be hung! (And shouldn't it be hanged?) The gentleman in the white waistcoat puts up a poster saying they'll pay someone 5 pounds to take Oliver off their hands. And that's the end of the chapter.

Now, the blurb definitely says he runs away, so either someone takes him and then he runs away, or he just runs away. I'm not sure what it will be, especially as he's locked in solitary confinement at the moment. However, I am quite excited to find out tomorrow!