Student Question

Describe Oliver's journey to Chertsey in Oliver Twist. What was his realization upon reaching the house?

Quick answer:

Oliver's journey to Chertsey in "Oliver Twist" involves traveling with Bill Sikes and Toby Crackit through oppressive darkness and fog to a house eighteen miles from London. Upon reaching a detached house surrounded by a wall, Oliver is frightened and realizes their expedition's purpose is housebreaking, robbery, and possibly murder. In desperation, he pleads with Bill to release him, but Bill threatens him with a pistol until Toby intervenes.

Expert Answers

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In chapter 22, "The Burglary," of Charles Dickens's Oliver Twist, Bill Sikes, Toby Crackit, and Oliver Twist are making their way in the oppressive darkness and heavy fog to the house at Chertsey, about eighteen miles southwest of London. Oliver's eyebrows and hair are half frozen from the damp of the fog and the cold of the night.

They hurry down the deserted main street of the town, past darkened houses and an occasional barking dog. They make a left turn, walk another quarter of a mile past the town, and stop by a "detached house, surrounded by a wall."

Quick as a wink, Toby is over the wall and calling for Oliver to be hoisted up. Bill gives Oliver a boost over the wall, and all three are soon in the grass on the other side of the wall and walking carefully and cautiously toward the house.

Oliver is frightened half out of his mind, and it's then that he realizes that:

housebreaking and robbery, if not murder, were the objects of the expedition.

Oliver falls to his knees and cries out to Bill to let him go and to not make him steal (or worse). Bill then shouts an oath and pulls a pistol on Oliver; it is implied that he would have shot him if Toby hadn't knocked the gun out of Bill's hand. Toby gathers up Oliver, puts his hand over Oliver's mouth, and drags him to the house.

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