The novel Oliver Twist was actually published as a serial between 1837 and 1839. The book was really meant to be a commentary on workhouses in Britain during that time period. The Poor Law was meant to help out England's poor by giving them a means to help themselves--the Poor House. These Poor Houses were horrible places with cramped conditions, meals eaten in silence, and same-sex accommodations. There was also scarcities in food and good clothing. The Poor House was not a place people wanted to go--it was meant to be an encouragement for people not to go there. Dickens created the character Oliver Twist to show the side of London that no one wanted to see--poor children, beggars, and pickpockets and to hopefully encourage real social change. Since Dickens was widely read by members of Parliament, this was a good strategy.
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