OLIVER ASKS FOR MORE

[BEETA WORKBOOK ANSWERS]

1. (i) What is a workhouse? What does it say about the setting of

the story?
Ans: A workhouse was a place where people who were unable to
support themselves, such as the poor, elderly, and orphaned, were
sent to live and work in exchange for basic necessities like food and
shelter.

The fact that Oliver Twist was born in a workhouse suggests that the
story takes place in the Victorian era and place where poverty and
inequality were significant issues. The setting reflects the pathetic
condition of English society back then. It shows the "other side" (the
poor people's perspective). It reflects the poor economic condition of
the people.

(ii)Who were present in the room where Oliver was born? Why?
Ans: There were three people present in the room where Oliver was
born: his mother, a doctor, and an old woman.
The fact that Oliver's mother was in a workhouse suggests that she
may not have had access to private medical care or the support of
family members during her pregnancy and birth, so the doctor and
an old woman were likely provided by the workhouse as part of their
institutional care.

(iii) What was the Oliver's mother's wish? How did she try to fulfill
her wish? What happened to the young woman soon after that?
Ans: Oliver's mother's final wish was to see her newborn child before
she died.

She tried to fulfil her wish by requesting the old woman and the
doctor to let her hold the child before she died.

Unfortunately, the young woman died soon after giving birth to

Oliver.
(iv) What did the old woman tell her about her wish? What did the
old
woman say about her to the doctor?
Ans: As her final wish, she wanted to see her son and then die
peacefully.
To this old lady said that she must not talk about dying and
remarked ‘You are too young to die’.
The old woman said that the girl was brought to the workhouse the
previous night when she had been found lying in the street and
seemed to have walked a long way, and her shoes also had holes in
them. Nobody knew where she came from or where she was going.

(v) what evidence is given in the story to say the young woman was
poor
and not married?
Ans: The evidence that suggests the young woman who gave birth to
Oliver was poor and unmarried included her worn-out shoes, the
absence of a wedding ring, and her physical appearance. These
details imply that she might have been in a difficult financial
situation and lacked the resources to care for her child on her own,
which is why she ended up in the workhouse where she gave birth
and later, died.

2. (i) When the doctor raised the young woman's hand, what did
he notice? What does this indicate about the young woman?
Ans: When the doctor raised the young woman's left hand, he noticed
that she did not have a ring on her finger. This indicates that the
young woman was not married.
In the context of the story, this detail helps to establish the young
woman's social and economic status and the fact that unmarried
women in this time period
often faced significant challenges in supporting themselves and their
children.

(ii) what did the older men do after the doctor went home? What does
this say about life in the workhouse?
Ans: After the doctor left for dinner, the old woman sat down on a
chair in front of the fire and dressed the baby in very old clothes that
were used for babies who were born in the workhouse.
This highlights the harsh living conditions and the lack of
compassion towards the less fortunate during that time period.

(iii) Who gave the name to the new baby? What logic did he follow
while naming the babies?
Ans: Mr. Bumble, an important officer in the town, gave the name to
the new baby.
Mr. Bumble followed the logic of naming the babies in alphabetical
order, from A to Z. He named the last one Swubble and chose the
name Oliver Twist for the newborn. He explained that the next baby
would be named Unwin.

(iv) Oliver was an orphan "born into a world, which had no love or
pity for him". Give example from the extract that Oliver experience, a
lack of love.
Ans: One example from the extract that shows Oliver's lack of love is
the fact that he was named according to the alphabetical order by a
workhouse employee and he was dressed in very poor hand-me-down
clothes. This shows that the authorities had little to no love or care
for such unfortunate children.

(v) what was the condition of children in England as shown in the

story?
Ans: The story depicts the miserable conditions of children in
England, especially those who were born into poverty and had no
families to support them. Children in workhouses were subjected to
harsh living conditions, inadequate food, and little to no care or
affection. They were treated as if they had no value and were forced
to work long hours in difficult conditions. The story also highlights
the lack of support and resources available for women who found
themselves in difficult circumstances, such as Oliver’s mother.

3. (i) Why was no one able to discover the identities of the baby's
parents?
No one was able to discover the identities of the baby’s parents
because the woman who gave birth to the baby did not have any kind
of identification with her. No one knew where she came from or
where she was going.

(ii) Who was Mr Bumble? What did he do for the baby?

Mr. Bumble was an important officer in the town.

Mr. Bumble had named the baby in the alphabetical order as he was
born an orphan in the workhouse. He had named the baby Oliver
Twist.

(iii) How the babies were named? What does the name Twist allude
to?
The babies in the workhouse were named alphabetically from A to Z.
Mr. Bumble named the last one Swubble and chose the name Oliver
Twist for the newborn. He explained that the next baby would be
named Unwin.

The name Oliver Twist alludes to the outrageous reversal of fortune

that he was going to experience in the workhouse. The boys living in
the workhouse was expected to survive on the three serving of thin
soup that they were given and the harsh conditions in which they
were kept.

(iv) Why did Oliver look thin and pale? How do you think the other
boys' looked
Give reasons to support your answer?
Oliver looked thin and pale because the boys were given three
servings of thin soup and a small piece of bread on Sundays.

The other boys must have looked the same because they all lived in
the similar condition as Oliver. They were always cold and hungry.

The reason for the pitiable condition of the boys in the workhouse
was that children in these institutions were often neglected,
mistreated, and deprived of basic necessities like food, warmth, and
affection. The workhouse system was designed to be punitive, rather
than supportive, and many children were subjected to harsh
discipline and long hours of labour.

(v) What was the normal food given to the boys? What was the extra
food given to them on Sundays? What does it reflect about the
inmates of the workhouse?
The normal food that the boys were given were thin servings of thin
soup on weekdays.

On Sunday, they were given a small piece of bread along with soup.

This reflects that the children in these institutions were often

neglected, mistreated, and deprived of basic necessities like food,
warmth, and affection. The workhouse system was designed to be
punitive, rather than supportive, and many children were subjected
to harsh discipline and long hours of labour.

4. (i) What is said about the physical appearance of the master?

why was he surprised?
Ans: It is said that the master was a "fat, healthy man", but when
Oliver asked for more food, the master went very pale and looked at
the small boy with surprise.
The reason for the master's surprise was that Oliver's request for
more food went against the established rules and expectations of the
workhouse. No boy had ever dared to ask for more food.

(ii) Why was Oliver hit with the Master's spoon? What was Oliver's
asking for more food seen as?
Ans: Oliver was hit with the Master's spoon and was later punished
for asking for more food because it was seen as an act of insolence
and disobedience against the authorities of the workhouse and its
established rules and regulations.

The workhouse was a place where children were supposed to be

grateful for whatever little they were given, and asking for more was
seen as a violation of the rules and an act of rebellion. The Master's
reaction and punishment of Oliver reflect the harsh and punitive
conditions of the workhouse, where the children had no voice or
rights and were subjected to the absolute authority of their superiors.

(iii) Whom did the master call for help? What did that person say
against Oliver?
Ans: The master called for help and Mr. Bumble rushed into the
room.

When Mr. Bumble heard what Oliver had said, he exclaimed, "He
asked for more? I cannot believe it. One day they will hang the boy."
This suggests that Mr. Bumble did not have a favourable opinion of
Oliver and viewed him as a troublemaker who would grow up to be a
criminal or worse as he disobeyed the authorities and the established
rules and regulations of the workhouse.

(iv) How did he punish Olivier? What is the punishment

proportionate to the offence?
Ans: Oliver was punished quite harshly for his request for more food.
The master hit him with a spoon and Mr. Bumble proclaimed, "I
cannot believe it... One day they will hang the boy." Oliver was then
taken away and locked in a dark room for a week. Every morning he
was taken out to wash and beaten with a stick. Then he was taken to
a room where the boys had their soup and he was beaten again to
serve as an example to the boys about the consequences of their
disobedience. At night, he was cold, hungry and frighetened.

This punishment is not proportionate to the offence since it was just

a request for more food, and the severity of the punishment is a
reflection of the harsh and unforgiving environment of the
workhouse.

(v) What are your feelings for young, helpless Oliver?

Ans: I feel extremely bad for Oliver as he was only nine years old. He
never had enough food or warm clothes. He was not loved or cared for
by anyone. He was beaten mercilessly and locked up in a cold and
dark room where he was frightened day after day. Children like
Oliver in those days were seen as a liability and they were not cared
for at all. I feel no human being especially children should be treated
in that manner.

5. (i) Who shut Oliver in a Cold dark room? where was Oliver
imprisoned for a whole week and why?
Ans: Oliver was imprisoned in the cold dark room by Mr. Bumble.

Oliver was punished so harshly because he had asked for more gruel
because he was hungry and that was a crime in the eyes of the
organizers of the workhouse and an act of disobedience and insolence.

(ii) What forced Oliver to make that offense? Why was he chosen to
commit to that offience?
At the time of the story, Oliver was a nine year old boy. He was pale
and thin. Oliver and the other boys at the workhouse never had a full
stomach and were always hungry. They were served three meals of
thin soup everyday and a piece of small bread on Sunday. These
harsh conditions led the boys to decide to ask for more food and
Oliver was chosen.

Oliver was chosen by the other boys to commit that offense probably
because he was the youngest and smallest amongst them.

(iii) Was it proper for Mr bumble to beat Olivier in front of everyone?

Why did he do so?
Ans: No, it was not proper for Mr. Bumble to beat Oliver in front of
everyone. It was an inhumane act of cruelty.
Mr. Bumble beat Oliver in front of everybody so that all the other
boys would see the punishment for further disobedience. Oliver was
beaten up cruelly every day and Mr. Bumble hoped that the boys
would be frightened and never dare to ask for more food. He wanted
to set an example through the beating he gave Oliver.

(iv) What are your feelings for Mr bumble and the workhouse culture
of Victorian times?
Ans: Mr. Bumble seems to be a cruel and authoritarian figure who
takes pleasure in exerting his power over the poor and vulnerable.
The workhouse culture of Victorian times was one of
institutionalization and exploitation, where the poor were subjected
to harsh living conditions, meagre food, and hard
labour. Children were particularly vulnerable, and the treatment
they received was often brutal and inhumane.

(v) Why could Olivia not sleep at night? What does it say about the
condition of children in Victorian England?
Ans: Oliver could not sleep at night because he was hungry, cold, and
scared.

This reflects the poor condition of children in Victorian England,

particularly those living in workhouses. Children in these
institutions were often neglected, mistreated, and deprived of basic
necessities like food, warmth, and affection. The workhouse system
was designed to be punitive, rather than supportive, and many
children were subjected to harsh discipline and long hours of labour.

6. (i) Who was Mr. Sowerberry? Describe his appearance.

Ans: Mr. Sowerberry, was a tall and thin man who wore black clothes
and made coffins. He earned money by making coffins for the poor
people who died in the workhouse.

(ii) what do you think his black clothes signify? What was the notice
at the gate? What did the notice state?
Ans: The black clothes of Mr. Sowerberry, who was a coffin maker,
signify that he was a professional mourner and his business was
associated with death.
The notice at the gate offered a reward of five pounds to anyone who
would take Oliver Twist away from the workhouse.
This notice reflected the callousness and indifference of the
workhouse authorities towards the plight of the orphans and their
eagerness to get rid of them.

(iii) Why did Mr Bumble say that he would be rich one day?
Ans: Mr. Bumble said that Mr. Sowerberry would be rich one day
because he made coffins for the poor people who died in the
workhouse. And due to the poor care and nourishment many orphans
are dying.
Mr. Sowerberry had a steady source of income, and as more and more
people died in the workhouse, his business would grow. Therefore,
Mr. Bumble predicted that Mr. Sowerberry would become rich one
day.

(iv) Which theme of the story is reflected in the extract? Explain it

briefly.
Ans: The extract reflects the theme of poverty, highlighting the
desperate living conditions of people in the workhouse who lacked
basic necessities like food and shelter. Mr. Sowerberry's job of
making coffins for the poor who died in the workhouse illustrates the
grim reality of poverty. The workhouse master's
willingness to sell Oliver for a small amount of money highlights the
exploitation of the vulnerable. Overall, the extract portrays the
pervasive impact of poverty on people's lives during that time.

(v) What does the notice reflect about the treatment of children in
Victorian times?
Ans: The notice reflects the harsh treatment of children in Victorian
times. It was common for children to be put to work at a very young
age, often in dangerous and unhealthy conditions, and for very little
pay. The notice at the workhouse gate, offering a small reward for
the return of a boy who had run away, shows how little value was
placed on the lives of these children. The notice highlights the
societal disregard for the welfare and rights of children
during this time.