Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Chapters IV/V/VI Recap

Nathaniel here again. Well, since we're on chapter 9 today, I feel it would be good to share my thoughts on chapters 4-6.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chapter IV: Oliver, Being Offered Another Place, Makes His First Entry Into Public Life

Well, this chapter begins by establishing the undertaker, Mr. Sowerberry, and his family and servants. Mr. Sowerberry (hee, if you ignore the spelling, it sounds like sour berry...) talks to Mr. Bumble (we've already established him as not being likable.)

Anyhoo, Oliver gets taken in by Mr. and Mrs. Sowerberry (whom comment that Oliver is very small. No, really? Yes, that was sarcasm.)

Finally, Oliver is led to his bed, and falls asleep. And that's the end... of Chapter IV.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter V: Oliver Mingles With New Associates, Going to A Funeral for the First Time, He Forms an Unfavorable Notion of His Master's Business

Chapter V begins with Oliver awake, and feeling lonely. Well, you have to consider, he's alone. No one to be friends with, or no one to care for him, not even someone to say hi to. That would be horrible, don't ya think?

So, this chapter introduces Mr. Noah Claypool, who's a charity-boy. (and incidentally, someone very important in the other chapters... Oops, spoilers...) But, Noah tells Oliver to "take down the shutters", to which he does, only to be rewarded by a kick from Noah. Gee, so much gratitude. (Yes, more sarcasm...)

And as both Mrs. Sowerberry and Noah talk and then laugh, we get a visual picture of Oliver, cold and shivering, sitting in the corner, eating pieces of stale bread. And this was the treatment of orphans in Victorian-era England. Sad, isn't it?

Anyway, one of the main events is the funeral of a woman named Bayton. What strikes me is that Mr. Bumble says that they've never heard of the family until her death. How could he not? Records? Was she a churchgoer? Or was she not?

So, Oliver ends up going to help Mr. Sowerberry with the funeral and the burial. The chapter ends with Mr. Sowerberry asking Oliver how he liked it, with Oliver's reply being one I can relate to: "Not very well, sir."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter VI: Oliver, Being Goaded By The Taunts of Noah, Rouses into Action, and Rather Admonishes Him

Ok, so the first thing we learn at the beginning is that Oliver has survived the month's trial, and is now formally apprenticed. Unfortunately, for many more months, he meekly submitted to Noah's domination. (See, you kinda start to hate Noah.) Until this chapter.

Noah asks Oliver how's his mother. Oliver replies that she's dead, and not to talk about her, while he's trying not to tear up and start crying. Unfortunately, Noah continues to the point where Oliver overthrows the table and chair, grabs Noah by the neck, (Go Oliver!) shook him by the neck, and throws him to the floor.

Noah then cries for help, which causes Oliver to be "disciplined" by Mrs. Sowerberry, (who also makes comments towards Oliver's mother.) and he is locked into the dust-cellar, with Noah being sent to retrieve Mr. Bumble. (boo!)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ugh. Someone will probably recap Chapters VI, VIII, XI, and blog about X tomorrow. Good night, and good luck!

Nathaniel


No comments:

Post a Comment