Oliver Twist's Early Life: Workhouse to Apprenticeship (Summary)

Summary

This study guide summarises the first four chapters of Charles Dickens's novel Oliver Twist. It covers Oliver's birth in a workhouse, his harsh childhood there, the workhouse board's decision to apprentice him to a chimney sweep, and his later placement with an undertaker. Students will learn the key events and the treatment Oliver endures in these early chapters.

Key points

Oliver's mother is found in the street, taken to a workhouse, and dies shortly after giving birth to him.
Children in the branch workhouse are half-starved, rarely bathed, and many die from malnutrition, illness, and accidents.
On his ninth birthday, Oliver is taken by Mr. Bumble to the regular workhouse and set to picking oakum.
Oliver is chosen by the other boys to ask for more food, after a thin gruel diet of ground corn and water.
The board approves Mr. Gamfield's offer to take Oliver as an apprentice chimney sweep, after negotiating down the five pounds promised.
Oliver is apprenticed to Mr. Sowerberry, the undertaker, where Mrs. Sowerberry feeds him scraps meant for the dog and makes him sleep among the coffins.

Test yourself

Chapter 1: The Birth of Oliver Twist

The initial chapter describes the birth of the main character, Oliver Twist. His mother is found lying in the street, her shoes in shreds from walking. She is brought to a workhouse in England and, the next night, gives birth to Oliver, delivered by a surgeon and a drunken nurse. Oliver struggles to breathe at first, but once he does, he cries heartily. His mother asks to see him and dies shortly after.

Chapter 2: Oliver's Early Upbringing

The second chapter describes Oliver's upbringing until the age of nine. After his birth, he is sent to a branch workhouse that houses children. The children are half-starved and rarely bathed; many die from malnutrition, illness, and accidents. On Oliver's ninth birthday, Mr. Bumble, the beadle, comes to collect him. He is taken to the regular workhouse, where he appears before the board and is told that he will begin to earn a wage by picking oakum. Residents of the workhouse are fed a thin gruel made from ground corn and water three times a day and are slowly starving. Oliver is housed with other boys his age, who decide that someone must ask for more food. The group is terrified to do so, but Oliver is nominated for the task.

Chapter 3: Punishment and a Near Escape

In Chapter 3, Oliver spends most of his time in solitary confinement, except for the regular beatings he receives in the mornings from Mr. Bumble and his occasional flogging in the dining hall in front of the other boys. The board takes every opportunity to make an example of Oliver while he is still in the workhouse. Mr. Gamfield, a chimney sweep, wishes to take Oliver as his apprentice. He is a frightening-looking man, and Oliver is very afraid of him. The board discusses the matter and approves the assignment, though they negotiate down the five pounds they originally promised because the work is dirty. Mr. Bumble takes Oliver to the magistrate, who is required to sign off on the apprenticeship. Oliver is very frightened and bursts into tears.

Chapter 4: Apprenticed to an Undertaker

In Chapter 4, Oliver becomes apprenticed to Mr. Sowerberry, the local undertaker. He is very frightened to leave the workhouse and becomes even more so when he meets his new mistress and sees his new living arrangements. Mrs. Sowerberry has a complete disdain for children, claiming that they eat too much. She feeds Oliver the scraps she has set out for the dog and requires him to sleep among the coffins.

FAQ

Who is Mr. Bumble in Oliver Twist?

Mr. Bumble is the beadle who collects Oliver from the branch workhouse on his ninth birthday and takes him to the regular workhouse. He also beats Oliver regularly and takes him before the magistrate for the apprenticeship.

What work was Oliver supposed to do in the workhouse?

Oliver was told that he would begin to earn a wage by picking oakum. Residents were also fed a thin gruel of ground corn and water three times a day.

Why was Oliver nominated to ask for more food?

The other boys decided someone must ask for more food and were too terrified to do it, so Oliver was nominated for the task.

Why was Oliver's apprenticeship to Mr. Gamfield negotiated down?

The board negotiated down the five pounds they originally promised because the work of a chimney sweep was dirty.