ABSTRACT:Oliver Twist is the second long novel of Dickens. This novel was based on Dickens’ own experience when he was young and showed the people’s miserable life in London at that time. 

The Introduction introduces the author and the novel briefly. In Chapter Two, this thesis tells about the current study of the novel at home and abroad. And then, this thesis analyses the social background, including The New Poor Law and the Chartist Movement. At that time, there were many detestable people who always did some thing evil, while there were still many kind people who keep their benevolence. According to this phenomenon, this thesis analyses and explains clearly. At last, this thesis stresses the social significance of the novel which has a strong romantic sentiment and is full of human sympathy.

Dickens held a lofty moral intention to object to the social unfair and tried to make those poor people get help. This novel expressed the author’s hope for an ideal society.

Key words：social significance; good; evil

CONTENTS

ABSTRACT

中文摘要

Chapter One INTRODUCTION-1

  1.1 A Brief Introduction to the Author-1

  1.2 A Brief Introduction to the Novel-2

Chapter Two LITERATURE REVIEW-3

  2.1 The Current Study of Oliver Twist at Home-3

  2.2 The Current Study of Oliver Twist at Abroad-4

Chapter Three SOCIAL BACKGROUND-5

  3.1 New Poor Law-5

  3.2 The Chartist Movement-6

Chapter Four A Reflection of Social Life-8

  4.1 The Evil Forces of the Society-8

  4.2 The Benevolence of some Kind People-9

  4.3 The Kindness of the Protagonist-10

Chapter Five THE SOCIAL SIGNIFICANCE-12

  5.1 The Importance of a Belief-12

  5.2 A Hope for an Ideal Society-13

Chapter Six CONCLUSION-14

WORKS CITED-15