In writing David Copperfield and Oliver Twist, author Charles Dickens depended on his memories and experiences as a child. These instances provided Dickens' with ample descriptions and depictions of life as a child growing up during Dickens' own era in England. In 1849 Dickens' began writing a novel based on his earlier life experiences. This novel came to be David Copperfield, a semi-autobiography that draws heavily on his life in both character and incident. Oliver Twist also draws from his past and present, referring to his views on the English legal system and poverty, but focuses mainly on social class distinctions. Dickens own childhood was nightmarish, living in poverty and with his family being imprisoned for debt.
             Dickens' wrote Oliver Twist to expose his theories and beliefs of the way the Victorian middle class frowned upon the poor during the 1830's in England. The novel also criticized the legal system, the workhouses and middle class moral values of its era. The character of Oliver was born into an unfortunate situation of being an orphaned child. His mother passed away shortly after his birth in a workhouse and Oliver was still un-named. His name was as it was due to alphabetical order. In the workhouse all the children are under fed and treated horribly. The intentions of the workhouses are to ensure early death for the destined to be criminals like Oliver. Instead of outright killing them they set them up in places where conditions are likely to kill them. Oliver was shifted from a group home, back to the workhouse and eventually ends up in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Sowerberry where he is fed with left over dog food. Oliver fought through that and the increasing jealousy of housemate Noah Claypole. After an insult Oliver became enraged and was locked up in a cellar and beaten. The following morning Oliver ran away from the Sowerberrys. This entire event showed how Dickens&ap...