Containing extensive introductory comment on the contexts, critical history and interpretations of Oliver Twist, this comprehensive guide explores the wealth of contextual and critical material that surrounds Dickens' text.

"All that is loathsome, drooping, or decayed is here." In 1842 Dickens sailed to America to observe The New World that held such fascination for the English. He went to magnificent landmarks like Niagara Falls but also included visits to mental institutions and prisons. He met President John Tyler in D.C and the well-educated Laura Bridgman, who was deaf-blind. Dickens found lots to admire, but also noted how coarse and ill-mannered the Americans were. That did not go over well with the Americans. With superb language and humour, Dickens gathered these fascinating observations in this travelogue that will have anyone with the slightest interest in cultural differences completely spell-bound. Charles Dickens (1812-1870) was an English author, social critic, and philanthropist. Much of his writing first appeared in small instalments in magazines and was widely popular. Among his most famous novels are Oliver Twist (1839), David Copperfield (1850), and Great Expectations (1861).

Thirty-five reproducible activities per guide reinforce basic reading and comprehension skills while teaching high-order critical thinking. Also included are teaching suggestions, background notes, summaries, and answer keys. The guide is digital; simply print the activities you need for each lesson. Timeless Classics--designed for the struggling reader and adapted to retain the integrity of the original classic. These classic novels will grab a student's attention from the first page. Included are eight pages of end-of-book activities to enhance the reading experience.

"Mudfog and Other Sketches" by Charles Dickens are an anthology of stories. The Mudfog Papers relates the proceedings of a fictional society, The Mudfog Society for the Advancement of Everything, a Pickwickian parody of the British Association for the Advancement of Science. The fictional town of Mudfog was based on Chatham in Kent, where Dickens spent part of his youth. Dickens' famous character, Oliver Twist, has even appeared in some of these tales.

The story of Oliver Twist - orphaned, and set upon by evil and adversity from his first breath - shocked readers when it was published. After running away from the workhouse and pompous beadle Mr Bumble, Oliver finds himself lured into a den of thieves peopled by vivid and memorable characters - the Artful Dodger, vicious burglar Bill Sikes, his dog Bull's Eye, and prostitute Nancy, all watched over by cunning master-thief Fagin. Combining elements of Gothic Romance, the Newgate Novel and popular melodrama, Dickens created an entirely new kind of fiction, scathing in its indictment of a cruel society, and pervaded by an unforgettable sense of threat and mystery.

Thirty-five reproducible activities per guide reinforce basic reading and comprehension skills while teaching high-order critical thinking. Also included are teaching suggestions, background notes, summaries, and answer keys. The guide is digital and only available on CD-ROM; simply print the activities you need for each lesson. Timeless Classics--designed for the struggling reader and adapted to retain the integrity of the original classic. These classic novels will grab a student's attention from the first page. Included are eight pages of end-of-book activities to enhance the reading experience.