OLIVER TWIST ASKS FOR MORE: SUMMARY, GLOSSARY AND QUESTION-ANSWERS

 

OLIVER TWIST ASKS FOR MORE.

Introduction to Oliver Asks for More

‘Oliver asks for More.’ is the story of an orphan boy named Oliver who is brought up in a workhouse. He lives in a world with no love and pity for him. He has to endure harsh living conditions in the workhouse where he is ill-treated and starved. When he was chosen for a risky task of asking for more food, he was sent into confinement. 

Summary of the Story

The story begins with the description of a workhouse as a building for the poor and homeless. At the time when the story was written, workhouses homed the poor and homeless in inhumane conditions. The inmates were usually the old, the orphans or disabled- all who could not work in factories and generate income. The living conditions were so miserable that the able-bodied lazy people would rather work instead of living in a workhouse. 

 

Oliver was born in a workhouse to a poor young woman, who had been picked up from the streets. Oliver’s mother died after kissing her newborn baby on his forehead. Oliver was dressed in very old clothes as he was an orphan in a world which had no love or pity for him. 

 

As Oliver was an orphan, Mr. Bumble, an important officer in the town named him Twist. He used to name orphans in alphabetical order. 

 

At the age of nine, Oliver was a pale, thin child who like other orphans was under-clothed and under-fed. They were all fed watery soup thrice a day in a big hall. Each child had a small bowl into which the master served the soup. The children were always hungry and hence they decided among themselves that one of them would ask for more soup. Oliver, being the youngest and the weakest, was chosen to be the one to ask for more soup. 

The master, a fat man, turned pale with disbelief at Oliver’s strange request. He asked Oliver to repeat his request. When Oliver repeated his request, he hit Oliver with a spoon, caught him and called for help. Mr. Bumble rushed in. He too was shocked at Oliver’s apparent audacity to ask for more food. Oliver was locked up in a dark and cold room and a notice was put up at the workhouse gate that the one who took in Oliver would get a reward of five pounds. 

 

Oliver was a prisoner for a week. Each morning he was taken out of the dark room to wash, after that he was beaten by Mr. Bumble. Then he was taken to the large hall where the orphans had their soup. He would be again beaten by Mr. Bumble with a stick, in front of the other orphans. After all this, he was sent to his prison where he cried during the day and could not sleep at night as he was cold, lonely and frightened. 

 

One day, Mr. Sowerberry, the coffin maker for the workhouse residents was accosted by Mr. Bumble. Mr. Bumble pointed to the five pound reward and asked Mr. Sowerberry if he knew someone who wanted a boy to work. Indirectly, he tried to give away Oliver.

Glossary

1. raised: lifted

2. discover: find

3. disappeared: vanished

4. whispered: talked in a whisper

5. healthy: strongly built

6. seized: caught

7. coffins: boxes for the dead

8. prepared: made ready

9. pointed: indicated

10. explained: described

11. pot: container

 Multiple Choice Questions

Answer the following questions by choosing the most appropriate options.

(i) Where was Oliver Twist born?
(a) in a private clinic
(b) in the workhouse
(c) in a park
(d) in a discarded building

(ii) Oliver’s mother pressed her cold lips to his face and then ……………… .
(a) smiled
(b) began to weep
(c) fell back and died
(d) went to sleep

(iii) The doctor raised the dead woman’s left hand and commented that she had no ring on her finger. What does this mean?
(a) She was very poor.
(b) She wasn’t fond of jewellery.
(c) She wasn’t married.
(d) None of the above

(iv) The orphan boy was given the name Oliver Twist by …………… .
(a) Swubble
(b) Unwin
(c) The old woman at the workhouse
(d) Mr Bumble

(v) The bowls in which soup was served to workhouse boys never needed washing. Why?
(a) They were made of glass.
(b) They were made of bone-china.
(c) The boys cleaned them with their spoons.
(d) All of the above

(vi) When Oliver asked for more soup how did the master react?
(a) He was pleased.
(b) He was utterly surprised.
(c) He shouted at Oliver.
(d) He started beating Oliver.

(vii) Oliver was shut up in a dark room. He remained a prisoner for …………….. .
(a) a whole week
(b) five days
(c) six months
(d) twenty four hours

(viii) The soup disappeared quickly. Why ?
(a) The boys were very hungry.
(b) The quantity was not enough.
(c) It was very tasty.
(d) Both (a) and (b)

(ix) How much money was offered to the person who would take Oliver Twist?
(a) ten pounds
(b) five pounds
(c) one pound
(d) four pounds

(x) What was the profession of Mr. Sowerberry ? He made ……………. .
(a) buildings
(b) utensils
(c) coffins
(d) shoes

(xi) What describes Oliver’s physical appearance?
(a) Strong and healthy
(b) Pale and thin
(c) Energetic and playful
(d) Well-dressed and happy

(xii) How many meals did the boys receive each day?
(a) two
(b) three
(c) five
(d) one

(xiii) How old was Oliver when the story takes place?
(a) 5 years old
(b) 9 years old
(c) 15 years old
(d) 12 years old

(xiv) How often did the boys receive bread?
(a) Everyday
(b) Only on Weekdays
(c) Only on Sundays
(d) Never

(xv) What was the purpose of Oliver approaching the master after supper?
(a) To complain about the food
(b) To ask for more soup
(c) To thank him for the meal
(d) To deliver a message

(xvi) Who was Mr. Bumble?
(a) A kind old man who cared for Oliver
(b) The headmaster of a prestigious school
(c) A cruel official at the workhouse
(d) Oliver’s best friend

(xvii) What can you infer about life in the workhouse?
(a) Conditions were harsh.
(b) Food was scarce.
(c) Children were beaten and ill-treated.
(d) All of the above

(xviii) What is the main theme explored in this story?
(a) The importance of good manners
(b) The power of friendship
(c) The cruelty of poverty and injustice
(d) The value of hard work

(xix) How did Oliver likely feel throughout this ordeal?
(a) Content and well-rested
(b) Scared, hungry, and lonely
(c) Angry and defiant
(d) Protected and cared for

(xx) Who is the author of the story “Oliver asks for More”?
(a) Charles Darwin
(b) Charles Dickens
(c) Charles Babbage
(d) Charles Bukowski

Answer Key
i. (b) in the workhouse
ii. (c) fell back and died
iii. (c) She wasn’t married.
iv. (d) Mr Bumble
v. (c) The boys cleaned them with their spoons.
vi. (b) He was utterly surprised.
vii. (a) a whole week
viii. Both (a) and (b)
ix. (b) five pounds
x. (c) coffins
xi. (b) Pale and thin
xii. (b) three
xiii. (b) 9 years old
xiv. (c) Only on Sundays
xv. (b) To ask for more soup
xvi. (c) A cruel official at the workhouse
xvii. (d) All of the above
xviii. (c) The cruelty of poverty and injustice
xix. (b) Scared, hungry, and lonely
xx. (b) Charles Dickens

 

Passage 1
Among other buildings in a town in England, there was a house for poor people who had no money, and nowhere to live. This was called the workhouse.
Oliver Twist was born in a workhouse. His mother, a young woman, lay ill in bed. A doctor and an old woman stood by her side. She lifted her head from the pillow.
‘Let me see the child and die,’ she said.

(i) Who lived in the workhouse?
Ans. Poor people, who had no money and nowhere to live, lived in the workhouse.

(ii) How were the babies born in the workhouse named?
Ans. Babies born in the workhouse were named in alphabetical order from A to Z by the workhouse authorities. The baby before Oliver was named Swubble and the baby after Oliver would be named Unwin.

(iii) Who was present in the room where Oliver was born?
Ans. Oliver’s mother, a doctor, and an old woman were present in the room where Oliver was born.

(iv) The baby’s mother wished for two things. What were they?
Ans. The baby’s mother wished for two things. Her wishes were-

1. To see her child (Oliver).

2. To die after seeing him.

The doctor reacted to the mother’s wish to die by saying, “Oh, you mustn’t talk about dying yet.”

(v) How did the doctor react to one of the wishes?
Ans. The doctor tried to reassure her and offer hope for her recovery.

 

Passage 2
The doctor put the child in her arms. She pressed her cold white lips to its face, and then fell back.
‘She is dead,’ said the doctor.
‘Yes, poor dear,’ said the old woman, as she took the child away from its dead mother. ‘Poor dear.’
‘She was a good-looking girl,’ said the doctor, as he put on his hat and gloves. ‘Where did she come from?’
‘She was brought here last night,’ said the old woman.
‘She was lying in the street. She had walked a long way and her shoes had holes in them. Nobody knows where she came from, or where she was going to.’

(i) Who does ‘she’ refer to in the first line? What wish had she expressed earlier?
Ans. ‘She’ refers to Oliver’s mother. She had wished to see the child before she died.

(ii) After kissing the baby the woman fell back. What happened to her? What do the words ‘Poor dear’ indicate?
Ans. Oliver’s mother died after kissing her baby. The old woman said the words “Poor dear!” indicating sadness and sympathy for the young woman’s tragic situation.

(iii) What was the doctor told about the baby’s mother?
Ans. The doctor was told that the baby’s mother had been brought to the workhouse the night before. She was lying in the street and had walked a long way.

(iv) Looking at the dead woman’s ringless hand, what did the doctor conclude?
Ans. The doctor concluded that the woman wasn’t married because she had no ring on her finger.

(v) What did the old woman do when the doctor had gone home for dinner?
Ans. After the doctor had gone home for dinner, the old woman dressed the baby in the old clothes used for workhouse babies.

Passage 3
No one was able to discover who the baby’s father was, or what his mother’s name was. Mr Bumble, an important officer in the town, invented a name for the baby. He chose the name Oliver Twist.
‘We name the new babies here in order from A to Z,’ he explained when people asked. ‘I named the last one Swubble. This one is Twist. The next one will be Unwin.’
At the age of nine, Oliver was a pale, thin child. He and the other workhouse boys never had enough warm clothes or food. They were given only three meals of thin soup every day. On Sundays they had a small piece of bread.

(i) What were the workers of the workhouse not able to find out?
Ans. The workers at the workhouse couldn’t find out Oliver’s parents’ identities.

(ii) Who was Mr. Bumble? What did he do for the baby?
Ans. Mr. Bumble was an important officer in the town. He took it upon himself to name the baby. He named him Oliver Twist.

(iii) Who are ‘we’ mentioned in the passage? How did ‘we’ name new babies?
Ans. “We” refers to the people in charge of naming the workhouse babies, likely officials like Mr. Bumble. They named the babies in alphabetical order from A to Z.

(iv) How did Oliver look at the age of nine? Why did he look thin and pale?
Ans. At nine, Oliver was a “pale, thin child.” This suggests that he wasn’t healthy. The lack of proper nourishment and warmth led to his thinness and paleness.

(v) What was the usual food of workhouse boys? What special thing was given to them on Sundays?
Ans. The usual food of the workhouse boys was a bowl of thin soup thrice a day. This suggests a very meagre diet. On Sundays, they received a slight improvement – a “small piece of bread,” which might have been a special treat compared to their everyday meals.

Passage 4
The master hit Oliver with his spoon, then seized him and cried for help. Mr Bumble rushed into the room, and the master told him what Oliver had said.
‘He asked for more?’ Mr Bumble cried. He cannot believe it. ‘One day they will hang the boy.’
He took Oliver away and shut him in a dark room. The next morning a notice appeared on the workhouse gate. Five pounds were offered to anybody who would take Oliver Twist.

(i) Why did the master hit Oliver with his spoon?
Ans. Oliver asked for more food and the master reacted harshly, hitting him with the spoon as punishment for his “daring” request.

(ii) Whom did he call for help? What did that person do?
Ans. He called for Mr Bumble. Mr. Bumble is an official at the workhouse. He rushed into the room after being called and was informed about Oliver’s request for more food.

(iii) “He asked for more?” In which tone is this sentence spoken? Why?
Ans. Mr. Bumble’s question, “He asked for more?” is likely spoken in a tone of disbelief, shock, and possibly even anger. He finds it disgraceful that Oliver dared to ask for more food.

(iv) What did the notice on the gate of the workhouse say?
Ans. The notice offered five pounds to anybody who would take Oliver Twist. This suggests they wanted to get rid of Oliver and were willing to even pay someone to take him away.

(v) What impression do you form of the working of the workhouse?
Ans. The workhouse seems like a cruel and harsh place. Punishing a nine-year old child for asking for more food, the disbelief at such a request, and offering money to get rid of a child - all these point towards a system that prioritizes control and cost-efficiency over the well-being of the children.

Passage 5
‘The usual story,’ he said. ‘I see that she has no ring on her finger. She wasn’t married. Good night!’
He went home to his dinner. The old woman sat down on a chair in front of the fire and began to dress the baby. She dressed him in the very old clothes used for babies who were born in the workhouse. The child was an orphan, born into a world which had no love or pity for him.

(i) Who is ‘he’ referred to in the first line?
Ans. Here, “he” is referred to the doctor.

(ii) What does the absence of a ring on the finger show?
Ans. The absence of a ring suggests that the woman wasn’t married.

(iii) When ‘the doctor’ had gone home, what did the old woman do?
Ans. After the doctor had gone home, the old woman cared for the newborn baby and dressed him in old clothes.

(iv) The newly born baby was dressed in ………… .
Ans. The newly born baby was dressed in very old clothes used for babies who were born in the workhouse. This implies the workhouse provided basic necessities but didn’t have anything new or special for the children.

(v) What light does the last line throw on the society of that time?
Ans. The last line suggests a cold and uncaring society. It paints a picture of a place where orphans, especially those born into poverty, received little to no love or compassion.

Passage 6
Oliver was a prisoner in that cold, dark room for a whole week. Every morning he was taken outside to wash, and Mr Bumble beat him with a stick. Then he was taken into the large hall where the boys had their soup. Mr Bumble beat him in front of everybody. He cried all day. When night came he tried to sleep, but he was cold, lonely and frightened.
But one day, outside the high workhouse gate, Mr Bumble met Mr Sowerberry. Mr Sowerberry was a tall, thin man who wore black clothes and made coffins. Many of his coffins were for the poor people who died in the workhouse.

(i) What had Oliver done that he was put in prison?
Ans. Oliver was put in a dark room because he dared to ask for more soup.

(ii) Why did Mr. Bumble beat Oliver in front of everybody?
Ans. Mr. Bumble beat Oliver in front of everybody as a punishment for requesting more food. He also wanted to set an example and deter others from doing the same.

(iii) Why could Oliver not sleep at night?
Ans. Oliver couldn’t sleep at night because he felt cold, lonely and frightened. The experience of being locked up and beaten must have been terrifying for a young child.

(iv) How did Mr Sowerberry earn money for a living?
Ans. Mr. Sowerberry earned his living by making coffins.

(v) What information did Mr Sowerberry give to Mr. Bumble?
Ans. Mr. Sowerberry had prepared coffins for two women who died in the workhouse. This is just informing Mr. Bumble about his recent work related to the workhouse.

Passage 7
They were fed in a big hall. A large pot stood at one end of the room, and the soup was served by the master. Each boy had one small bowl of soup and no more. The bowls never needed washing, because the boys cleaned them with their spoons until they shone.
One day Oliver and his friends decided that one boy would walk up to the master after supper and ask for more soup. Oliver was chosen.

(i) Where were the boys fed?
Ans. The boys were fed in a big hall.

(ii) How was the soup served?
Ans. The soup was served by the master from a large pot at one end of the room.

(iii) How much soup did each boy receive?
Ans. Each boy received one small bowl of soup and no more.

(iv) Why didn’t the bowls need washing?
Ans. The bowls didn’t need washing because the boys cleaned them with their spoons until they shone. This implies the boys were very hungry and likely scraped every bit of soup from the bowls.

(v) What decision did Oliver and his friends make?
Ans. Oliver and his friends decided that one boy would walk up to the master after supper and ask for more soup. They chose Oliver for this task.

Passage 8
In the evening, the boys sat down at the tables. The master stood by the pot, and the soup was served. It disappeared quickly. The boys whispered and made signs to Oliver. He stood up from the table and went to the master, with his bowl and spoon in his hands.
‘Please, sir,’ he said, ‘I want some more.’

(i) What were the boys doing after the soup was served?
Ans. The boys were whispering and making signs to Oliver, encouraging him to do something.

(ii) What did Oliver do with his bowl and spoon?
Ans. Oliver stood up from the table and went to the master with his bowl and spoon in his hands.

(iii) What did Oliver say to the master?
Ans. Oliver politely addressed the master with “Please, sir,” and then directly stated his request, “I want some more.”

(iv) Were the boys well-fed?
Ans. The boys at the workhouse were not well-fed. The soup “disappeared quickly,” implying that the boys received a small portion of gruel that wasn’t enough.

(v) What can you infer about the atmosphere at dinner time?
Ans. The boys’ secretive whispers and signs, combined with Oliver’s act of asking for more, suggest a tense atmosphere where the boys were likely hungry and possibly fearful of asking for more food.

Courtesy: SuccessCDs