OLIVER TWIST. Re-told by Gill Tavner. Activity Ideas in connection with reading Oliver Twist year 6 7. Oliver Twist re-told by Gill Tavner year 6-7

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1 OLIVER TWIST Re-told by Gill Tavner Activity Ideas in connection with reading Oliver Twist year 6 7 Content: Activity - Word Storm Copy Sheet Word Storm Activity - Word collection Copy Sheet Word Collection Activity - Character Introduction Activity Read Oliver Twist Activity Character Description Copy Sheet Fagin & Characters Activity Watch the film Oliver Twist by Roman Polanski Activity Discussion Teacher s Notes Extract from the original text by Charles Dickens Center for Undervisningsmidler UCC Lene Dyson 2011

2 ACTIVITY IDEAS ACTIVITY: WORD STORM Generate words/vocabulary already known. In pairs Each pair has a Copy Sheet Word Storm in front of them. 1) Let the students look carefully at the drawing. Then let them discuss and write down, on the copy sheet, words that come to mind when they see the drawing. Think about: WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHEN? 2) Then tell them it s OLIVER TWIST and let them write down more words. Hang up the filled-in copy sheets in the class room for all to see. MATERIAL: COPY SHEET WORD STORM COPY SHEET - WORD STORM Write down words that come to mind when you see this drawing.

3 ACTIVITY: WORD COLLECTION Generate vocabulary and remember new words *. Individual The students walk up to the filled-in copy sheets and write down words which are new to then on their copy sheet Word Collection. The Word Collection can also be used throughout the work of the book in order for the student to collect new words MATERIAL: COPY SHEET WORD COLLECTION * new words words that are new to the student and which the student wants to learn. COPY SHEET WORD COLLECTION in ENGLISH orphan in DANISH forældreløs

4 ACTIVITY: CHARACTER INTRODUCTION To know the main characters before reading. In pairs Look and read about the characters in the book (p. 4 5). In pairs: Take turns in telling each other what you think a character will be like (predict). EX: I think Oliver is a unhappy child. ACTIVITY: READ OLIVER TWIST Read and understand English fiction Individual / in groups of 4 Individually read (use Glossary for help). Read in groups 4 students together in a group (use Glossary for help): Student 1: Reads a paragraph. Student 2: Re-tells what has just been read. Student 3: Predicts what he/she thinks will happen next. Student 4: Reads the next paragraph. This activity continues in order for the 4 students in the group to take turn to read, re-tell and predict. MATERIAL: GLOSSARY (must be down loaded separately from this link: %20Oliver%20Twist.pdf CFU UCC

5 ACTIVITY: CHARACTER DESCRIPTION Expand vocabulary focus on adjectives in order to describe characters Individual / in pairs 1) Read the text describing Fagin Copy Sheet - Fagin. 2) Find and underline adjectives which describe Fagin. 3) Find adjectives in the book which describe the characters and write them on Copy Sheet - Characters. 4) The students choose a character (or several characters). Write a description using adjectives from Copy Sheet The Characters. Describe the character s LOOK and PERSONALITY. Hang up the descriptions in class. 5) The students write a list of keywords and give a presentation describing their chosen character. Student Reminder: Get ideas from the book but do not copy! MATERIALS: COPY SHEET FAGIN COPY SHEET THE CHARACTERS

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7 ACTIVITY: WATCH the film: OLIVER TWIST by Roman Polanski* Watch, listen and experience the film + In class Let the students find examples while watching the film: focus on impressions - What is your impression of Oliver? from the film. - What is your impression of the time Oliver lived in (19 th century)? * OLIVER TWIST a film by Roman Polanski OBS! Kan lånes fra Center for Undervisningsmidler UCC When do we feel sorry for Oliver? - When do we feel happy for Oliver? ACTIVITY: Discussion Express points of view In class/ groups Discussion points: 1) Oliver is extremely "good" even if he has had a terrible childhood. Do you think this is realistic? Why or why not? 2) Fagin is sentenced to death for his crimes. Do you think that s fair? Why or why not? 3) What would you do if you were Oliver Twist? Link:

8 OLIVER TWIST Teacher s Notes Analysis With a hungry, timid request of Please, sir. I want some more, orphan Oliver Twist takes his first step on a terrifying journey. Oliver Twist is the story of a young orphan boy who reflects the life of poverty in England in the 1830's. The story illustrates the evils of the Poor House's of the time and the corruption of the people who work there. It also shows the depths of London's crime with an emphasis on petty robbery and pick-pocketing. The main evil character of the novel, Fagin, is characterised as a money pincher with no true affections. His main goals are to exploit the people around him so he can better his station and strengthen his power. Fagin himself represents the evils of greed. Oliver, on the other hand, is the complete opposite. Innocent, and loving, Oliver represents all that is good in society. He abhors the thought of stealing, violence, or mistreatment of any sort, and though he is eager to please will not go against the morals instilled in him. He genuinely cares for others around him, and will do anything to make someone want to keep him. Oliver Twist is a story about the battles of good versus evil, with the evil continually trying to corrupt and exploit the good. It portrays the power of Love, Hate, Greed, and Revenge and how each can affect the people involved. Most importantly the good outweighs the evil, and the main characters, that are part of this good, live happily ever after. Theme GOOD versus EVIL Main characters Oliver Twist: The main character of the story and the protagonist. A poor orphan boy; the symbol of innocence and goodness. He is abused and only wants to be loved. His adventures make him the best of friends and the worst of enemies. His goodness triumphs in the end. Mr. Brownlow: Represents purity, integrity and goodness. He takes Oliver in, and discovers his true nature. Nancy: partially righteous, partially villain. A woman who works for Fagin and tries to help Oliver which eventually leads to her death. She is passionate, caring, and loves Sikes, who eventually kills her. Fagin: The main antagonist in the story. Fagin represents evil, greed, corruption and manipulation. Fagin takes Oliver under his wing and tries to make a pick-pocket out of him. Bill Sikes: Another evil character who is a harden criminal. He has a little white dog, Bulls- Eye that follows him everywhere. He kills Nancy in a rage, and accidentally kills himself. Metaphors Bulls-Eye, Bill Sikes' little white dog, is really a metaphor for his own evil personality. The dog, with its willingness to harm anyone on Sikes' whim, shows the true evil of the master. Sikes himself knows that the dog is the symbol of himself and that is why he tries to drown the dog. He is really trying to run away from who he is. This is also illustrated when Sikes dies and the dog does immediately also. Fagin himself is a recurring symbol for the devil. Several times Dickens refers to him with known devil names or symbols. He talks of Fagin with flaming red hair and a beard, along with a three-pronged roasting fork, which all are symbols of Lucifer. Before he is to die, he refuses to pray for himself. He is greedy and mean, trying to pull Oliver and others into his web of evil.

9 Charles Dickens Charles Dickens was born in the southern English town of Portsmouth on 7 February 1812, the second of eight children. He started school at the age of nine, but didn t stay long as his father, who by now was a clerk for the Royal Navy s wages department in Chatham, wasn t actually very good at sums, and was put in prison for being in debt. At the age of twelve Charles was sent to work in Warren s shoe-blacking factory in London, where wages were meagre and conditions appalling. He was very lonely. After three years he went back to school, but he never forgot his awful experience at Warren s. Like many writers, Charles began his literary career as a journalist. He started writing reports for The Mirror of Parliament and The True Sun, and in 1833 he became parliamentary journalist for The Morning Chronicle. Now that he had friends in publishing he was able to publish a series of sketches under the pseudonym Boz. In April 1836 he married Catherine Hogarth, the daughter of his editor and publisher George Hogarth. In that same month his highly successful Pickwick Papers was published, and there was no looking back. As well as writing novels, Charles produced an autobiography, edited weekly magazines including Household Words and All Year Round, wrote travel books, and administered charitable organisations. He was also a theatre enthusiast; he wrote plays and performed before Queen Victoria in His energy was seemingly inexhaustible, and he spent much time abroad. He lectured against slavery in the United States, and toured Italy with his friends Augustus Egg and Wilkie Collins. Wilkie Collins was another well-known Victorian writer who inspired Dickens last and unfinished novel The Mystery of Edwin Drood. Charles and Catherine had ten children, but when most of their children had left home they grew apart from each other, and separated in Towards the end of his life Charles had a long relationship with the actress Ellen Ternan. He died of a stroke in 1870.

10 Extract from the original text by Charles Dickens (chapter two): At the Workhouse: The room in which the boys were fed, was a large stone hall, with a copper at one end: out of which the master, dressed in an apron for the purpose, and assisted by one or two women, ladled the gruel at mealtimes. Of this festive composition each boy had one porringer, and no more--except on occasions of great public rejoicing, when he had two ounces and a quarter of bread besides. The bowls never wanted washing. The boys polished them with their spoons till they shone again; and when they had performed this operation (which never took very long, the spoons being nearly as large as the bowls), they would sit staring at the copper, with such eager eyes, as if they could have devoured the very bricks of which it was composed; employing themselves, meanwhile, in sucking their fingers most assiduously, with the view of catching up any stray splashes of gruel that might have been cast thereon. Boys have generally excellent appetites. Oliver Twist and his companions suffered the tortures of slow starvation for three months: at last they got so voracious and wild with hunger, that one boy, who was tall for his age, and hadn't been used to that sort of thing (for his father had kept a small cook-shop), hinted darkly to his companions, that unless he had another basin of gruel per diem, he was afraid he might some night happen to eat the boy who slept next him, who happened to be a weakly youth of tender age. He had a wild, hungry eye; and they implicitly believed him. A council was held; lots were cast who should walk up to the master after supper that evening, and ask for more; and it fell to Oliver Twist. The evening arrived; the boys took their places. The master, in his cook's uniform, stationed himself at the copper; his pauper assistants ranged themselves behind him; the gruel was served out; and a long grace was said over the short commons. The gruel disappeared; the boys whispered each other, and winked at Oliver; while his next neighbours nudged him. Child as he was, he was desperate with hunger, and reckless with misery. He rose from the table; and advancing to the master, basin and spoon in hand, said: somewhat alarmed at his own temerity: 'Please, sir, I want some more.' The master was a fat, healthy man; but he turned very pale. He gazed in stupefied astonishment on the small rebel for some seconds, and then clung for support to the copper. The assistants were paralysed with wonder; the boys with fear. 'What!' said the master at length, in a faint voice.

11 'Please, sir,' replied Oliver, 'I want some more.' The master aimed a blow at Oliver's head with the ladle; pinioned him in his arm; and shrieked aloud for the beadle. 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. 'For _more_!' said Mr. Limbkins. 'Compose yourself, Bumble, and answer me distinctly. Do I understand that he asked for more, after he had eaten the supper allotted by the dietary?' 'He did, sir,' replied Bumble. 'That boy will be hung,' said the gentleman in the white waistcoat. 'I know that boy will be hung.'