The Presentation of Bill Sikes in Oliver Twist Essay -- English Litera

Analyse the presentation of Bill Sikes in the novel Oliver Twist. You should refer to aspects such as the author’s viewpoint, language and the social and historical contest. I am going to write a detailed and accurate piece of writing in the form of an essay to answer the statement above. I will do this by using quotes from the book, my own theories on what the author is trying to portray Bill Sikes as and also my own knowledge of the Victorian era. I will be looking at specific areas, which I feel will help me write a more concluding and correct account of the story â€Å"Oliver Twist.† I will focus on areas such as Bill Sikes behaviour towards others, how characters around Sikes react when he is there and how backgrounds and phrases reflect the character of Sikes. The author of this novel, Charles Dickens has written throughout in 3rd person, I believe he has done this to show Sikes as the character he really is, a mean thoughtless and thuggish person in society, this makes the reader believe that he was actually there witnessing the life and times of Sikes. It is therefore written in an omniscient kind of way, as you feel as though Charles Dickens was watching over Sikes as if God like. I have interpreted to be quite a good way in writing the story because Sikes is anything but an angel, as he goes around stealing and bullying people into doing things for him, like his dirty work. This gives a contrasting effect on the story. It is written in 3rd person to create a judging description on the other characters. This has made characters such as Oliver and Nancy seem good people and then characters like Fagin, Dodger and Sikes seem bad ones. By adding such things as prostitution, thieving (pick-pocket... ... murderer. Dickens may have also written about Sikes ‘accidentally’ hanging himself because if the hundreds of people who had gathered and were know after him, caught up with him, then he would of got hung by them in the town anyway. Why the chase is on to catch Sikes, hundreds of people hear of what he has done and want to see him brutally killed because they believe that it would be justice. â€Å"Each little bridge (and there were three in sight) bent beneath the weight of the crown upon it. Still the current poured on to find some nook or hole from which to vent their shouts, and only for an instant see the wretch†. This shows how much Sikes was hated in his last few moments alive. I also believe that justice was done when Sikes died, he was a bully, a woman beater, a murderer, a kidnapper and both physically and verbally cruel to everyone he met.