Bring on the tough stuff - there’s not just one right answer.
- Is this novel potentially dangerous to readers’ morals? Why did some contemporary critics think so?
- Why isn’t Fagin able to corrupt Oliver?
- Why do both of the "fallen women" of the novel (Nancy and Agnes) die before the end of the novel?
- Does the novel create sympathy for the members of Fagin’s gang at any point?
- How would the novel be different if Oliver were a girl?
- In the Bayton episode, the dead woman’s mother repeats, "it’s as good as a play" (5.71). What is the role of performance and theatricality in Oliver Twist?
- How do Cruikshank’s illustrations add to, interact with, or detract from the meaning of the text itself? (If your edition doesn’t include the illustrations, you can check them out here).