“Who Is Fagin?”

Erin DanielsCarrie Flack

Jamie HeupelJami Holzaepfel

Fagin is portrayed inaccurately in plays and films.

Fagin presents an incorrect portrayal of

Jews.

Fagin didn’t eat

according to Jewish laws

Fagin did not speak with a Jewish accent as the Jewish

servant Barney did

Paupers and Criminals both regarded as

outcasts

This shows the connection

between Oliver and Fagin

Fagin’s name is not a COINCEDENCE!

Charles Dickens obtains Fagin’s name from Bob

Fagin. Bob Fagin was Dickens’ fellow worker and friend

when he was a boy.

Historical Account of Young Dickens

Dickens’ family wealth deteriorates

The Dickens family moves to London

Charles is forced to quit school

FEBRUARY 1824Dickens’ family moves prison

Charles begins work in the blacking warehouse

Events cause Charles’ feelings of betrayal and

desertion, which later appear in his works

TIME PERIOD LEAVES SCARS

Dickens could not revisit the site of the warehouse

After 25 years, Dickens still felt resentment towards his father because of the agony caused by the warehouse job

Fagin the Jew & Bob Fagin

Bob Fagin was a “mentor” of Charles at blacking

warehouseTaught him to do the job

Protected “the young gentleman”

Ties in with Fagin the Jew

Fagin the Jew trains Oliver

Through games, Fagin demonstrates to Oliver how to pickpocket

Oliver longed for high society, but felt it was futile

Differences between Dickens and Oliver

‍ Dickens entertained his fellow workers

‍ Fagin and the Artful Dodger entertained Oliver

‍ Still correlated because these characters are a part of

Dickens

The “Knock”o Dickens pretends

the house was his when Bob Fagin took him home; direct correlation to Oliver Twist in which Oliver goes up to a house and does the same thing. It is significant to the book.

o Oliver seeking help where he had just been shot

Window IncidentCharles’ Father sees him “displayed” by windowCharles is soon firedCharles feels the two events are connected

Two important “Conscious” moments

Fagin pulling out treasures while Oliver is supposedly sleeping

Oliver sleeping in his “little room”Similarities include:

being half asleep and yet aware of surroundings

Oliver was in the presence of important objects

Dickens and his characters

oHe incorporates himself into all his characters

oHe basically killed himself by reading his books over

and over.

Work Cited

Marcus, Steven. “Who is Fagin?”. Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens. Ed. Fred

Kaplan. 1st ed. Norton Critical Edition. New York:

Norton, 1993. 478-494