IntroductionCharlesDickensisaprominentBritishcriticalrealistinthe19thcentury,andisparticularlyfamousforhisvividcomiccharacterizationsandforcefulsocialcriticism.DickenswriteslotsofnovelsandoneofthemostfamousisOliverTwist.Thisthesiswillfocusondiscussingcriticalrealisminthenovel.DickensdepictsatruthfulpictureofcapitalistEnglandofthetime,exposesthesocialinjusticeandthevicesoftheupperclassesandsympathizeswiththecommonfolksfortheirmiserableexistence.What’smore,healsoshowshumanitarianinthenovel.Asaresult,thepaperwillanalyzeOliverTwisttounderstandsocialconditionsofthetime,toexperiencethesufferingsofthepoorandthecontrastofgoodandevil.WhenitcametotheresearchabroadaboutOliverTwist,ForeignscholarGilbertKeithChesterton(2013)pointedoutthatDickenspicturedahorribleanduglyworld,andhisrealismwasassociatedwithsomesimpleviewofmorals.AndDickenshopedtoreformthesocialsysteminsocialandpoliticalaspects.GilbertthoughtthatDickens’swritingwasthefirststrokewhichwasnotonlysignificantbutevenstartling.Itwastherevoltoftheweakagainstthestrong.WhenitcametothedomesticresearchofOliverTwist,researchershadanalyzedCharlesDickens’scriticalrealismfromdifferentperspectives.AccordingtoscholarZhuHong(1989),Dickenswasonlyacriticalwriterbutalsoapopularfictionwriter.ThescholardiscovereddifferentfacesofCharlesDickensthroughtheperspectiveofphenomenonofliteratureandart.Hisnovelwasafightagainstthecapitalismandalsoaverypopularnovelthatsuitableforpublicreading.AndOliverTwistwassuchabook.Inaddition,YanXingzhi(2005)claimedthatDickensmadeanattackupontheevilsofthesocietyfromtheperspectiveofurbanunderclass.However,hetriedtofacilitatepracticalreformationwhichwasnotbasedonrationalthinking.Dickenswasquiteperceptualreformist.ByanalyzingthestoryofOliverTwist,anotherscholarChangShuai(2018)cametoaconclusionthatDickensrevealedthedarknessofcapitalismthroughwritingcarnivalspiritofthewholenovel.Heanalyzedthecarnivalsquare,carnivalcollectives,carnivallanguageandcarnivalritualstoprovokereadersthinking.ZhaoYanqiu(2017)analyzedcriticism,growth,detectionandlovefouraspectsofOliverTwist’stheme.AndhealsodiscussedaboutthecomplexandartisticstructureandthelimitationofDickensasamaleauthor.SuYin(2014)analyzedthemiserablecharactersinDickens’snovelsfromphysicalandpsychologicalaspectsandalsoexplainedtherootofthemiseryandthesocialandhistoricalproblems.Inaddition,SuYin(2014)analyzedDickens’slifeexperienceandrichlifehardshipstoexplainhissenseofmisery.ZhangCong（2018）discussedthecontradictionsofCharlesDickens’sunderclassnarrativebyanalyzinghisthreeworks,includingOliverTwist,HardTimesandTheTaleofTwoCities.ZhangCongthoughtthatDickensmadeavoicefortheunderclass,buthedidn’trealizethemisfortuneoftheunderclasswascausedbysocialconditions.Luo(1981)’sACriticalBiographyofCharlesDickenswasanexcellentbooktoacknowledgethelifeofCharlesDickensandhisworks,what’smore,itincludedmanyfamouswriters,criticsandevenhisclosefriends’commentsandthoughtsaboutCharlesDickens.Intheend,mymainresearchpurposeistoanalyzecharactersandartisticstylestodiscusscriticismofcapitalism,thecontrastofthegoodandevilofhumannatureandtheappreciationofhumanitarian.WewilllearnthatDickensexposesustoaworldofcrimeandmeanness,terriblesocialphenomenaandtheessenceofconflictsinOliverTwist,buttherearestillsomepreciousthingssuchasloveandkindnessinthatworld.Finally,thepaperwilldiscusstheinfluenceofcriticalrealismonwesternliterature.1.CriticalrealismCriticalrealismwasanewliterarytrendcreatedbyanumberofcriticalrealistsinthe19thcentury.Criticalrealismliteraturewasformedonthebasisofinheritingtherealistictraditionofpreviousliterature.Itwidelyandtrulyreflectedeveryaspectofsocietyandprofoundlyrevealedrealcontradictionsinthesociety.However,comparedwithrealism,criticalrealismhaveanotherfeaturewhichitnotonlyreflectedtherealitybutalsoseriouslycriticizedthecorruptionandgreedofthecapitalismandshowedgreatsympathyforthepoor.ManyfamouswritersincludedStendhalofFrance,Balzac,DickensofEnglandandTolstoyofRussiaallmadegreatcontributiontocriticalrealism.Theydescribedtherichnessandprofundityofsociallife.Inthenovel,theyprovidedmoreinformationandmaterialsthanthosehistoriansandeconomists.1.1.ThedefinitionofcriticalrealismAsweallknow,criticalrealismwasprevailinginthe19thcenturyduringtheVictorianeraofBritain.Itfocusedonthereallifeandreflectedthereality,describedthesufferingsofcommonsandraisedtheurgentsocialproblems.Itcriticizedsocialsystemandthatexisted,butitfailedtosolvetheproblemsbecauseitssocialandpoliticalpropositionwasreformism.Inaddition,itexpressedsympathyforthepeopleatthebottomofthesocietyonthebasisofhumanitarianism.1.2.SocialandhistoricalbackgroundCriticalrealismwascreatedundercertainsocialandhistoricalbackground.First,withtherapiddevelopmentofcapitalism,Britainwasbecomingstrongerinindustryaroundtheworld.TheBritishsocietywasexperiencingatransformationwhichturnedagricultureandcountrysideintoindustryandcities.Nevertheless,undertheprosperity,theclasscontradiction,especiallythecontradictionbetweentheworkersandthecapitalists,wasbecomingincreasinglytense.Asaresult,aserioussocialcrisiseruptedin1830s.Therefore,criticalrealismemergedtodescribehardconditionsinsocietyandseriouslycriticizedthecapitalism.Thiswasonefactorthatinfluencedtheriseofcriticalrealism.Second,NewPoorLawappearedtocriminalisethepoorin1834.ThePoorLawwasestablishedandallowedthepoortodependonpublicassistanceonlywhentheydidthenecessaryworktheyasked.Andthemembersoftheworkhousepushedthepoortodoheavyandunbearableworktosqueezeeverythingfromthem.Therefore,theconflictsbetweentheNewPoorLawandtheunderclassintensified.Manypeoplewouldratherdiethanseekingforgovernmenthelp.Thepovertylawdidn’timprovethelifestandardofthepoorbuttorturedthemosthelplessandtheweakness.Inthe1836,theChartermovementwaslaunched,andalthoughitendedinfailure,itshowedthestrengthoftheBritishworkingclassandthedeterminationofpeopletoresistexploitation.Dickenswaslivingduringthetime,andheexperiencedandwitnessedit.HewasavigorouscriticoftheNewPoorLawandherelentlesslylampoonedit.1.3.ThefeaturesofcriticalrealismThefeaturesofcriticalrealismincludethreerespects.Itreflectedtherealityobjectively,concretelyandgenuinely,disclosedandcriticizedtherealitystronglyandcreatedthetypicalcharactersunderthetypicalcircumstances.What’smore,criticalrealismgenerallyhadmildhumanitarianthoughtsandastrongreformisttendency.First,criticalrealismreflectedthesocialrealitytrulyandobjectively.Criticalrealismwasalsobasedonthereflectivetheoryofmaterialism.Itdepictedandreflectedlifeasitis.Anditalsofaithfullyandobjectivelyreflectedsociallifethroughordinarydailythemeandrevealedsocialcontradiction,"reproducingthereallifetruly"wasthecommonsloganofalmostallcriticalwriters.Second,criticalrealismrevealedandcriticizedtherealityprofoundly.Romanticismemphasizedthedescriptionofidealsandtheexpressionofstrongpersonalfeelings.Whilecriticalrealismemphasizedtheexposureandcriticismofrealityandtheexpressionofstrongdissatisfactionandresistancetoreality.Theircriticismpointedtothevariouscrimeandatrocitiesinthecapitalistsociety,pointingtothecorruptsystem,depravedfiguresanduglymoneyrelationsandfalsemoralcustomsinthesocietyanddecadentfeudalaristocracy.Thesewriterswhodaredtofaceuptosocialphenomenonhadthecouragetotearoffallthemasks,broketheoptimismofcapitalismandarousedpeopletowavertheroleofoldsystem.Third,criticalrealismpaidattentiontorealityofdetailsandemphasizeddescriptionoftypicalcharactersintypicalenvironments.Criticalwritershadsuccessfullycreatedavarietyofcharacters.Thedevelopmentofthesecharacterswasformedinaspecificenvironment.specificenvironment.Theywereindifferentspecificenvironmentsandconflicts,showingtheirdifferentcharacteristicsandalwaysdevelopingandchangingwiththeenvironment.Whendescribingtypicalcharactersintypicalenvironments,criticalrealismalsostrivedtoaccuratelyrepresenttherealityofdetails,highlightingtheaccuracyoftherealityoftheenvironment,eventsandcharacters.Criticalwritersbelievedthatpeopleweretheproductsofthecertainsociety.Andenvironmentdeterminedtheactionandfateofcharacters.Therefore,thecharacterstheycreatedwerecloselyassociatedwiththecertainenvironment.Forth,criticalrealismhadmildhumanitarianthoughtsandastrongreformisttendency.Humanitarianwastheidealogicalweaponwithwhichcriticalwriterscriticizetheevilofcapitalismandfeudaltyranny.Theycondemnedtheinhumanityofthebourgeoisie.Inthenovels,theycontrastedtherapacityandhypocrisyoftheupperclasswiththepovertyandsufferingsofthepoorpeople.Theydepictedthemiserableexistenceofthecommonpeopleandexpressedgreatsympathyforthem.Theydemandedtherestorationofthenatureofthoseupperclasseswhowerecorrodedbythepowerofmoney,anddemandedthattheytreatthelaborerswithtoleranceandkindness.However,theyneverthoughtofoverthrowingexistsocialorderbyusingexcessesorviolentrevolutions.Insteadsomewritersfantasizedaboutusingmoralforceorsocialreformtosolvesocialcontradictions.2.CriticalrealisminOliverTwist2.1.CondemnationofthedecayinthesocietyTherealistsofthe19thcenturypaintedafullpictureofthebourgeoissociety.Theygaveabitingdescriptionoftherapacity,hypocrisyandsordidnessofthebourgeoisie.Theymercilesslyexposedandcriticizedvainandevilmembersofthesocietyandtheirinjustice,corruptionandwretchedness.Therefore,thenoveltheycreatedbecamethemostwidelyreadandchallengingexpressionofprogressivethoughtatthattime.Inthe1830s,thepooratthebottomofBritishsocietytrulyhadnovoicenomatterinanyaspect.Withasenseofjusticeforthepoorandtheweak,CharlesDickensspokeforthem.Someonemaysaythathischildhoodexperienceinfluencedhiswholeviewtohisnovelslater.DickensalsocreatedthebooktotestifytothemistreatmentofchildreninVictoriansociety.Asasuccessfulwriter,Dickensinmanywaysunderstoodthetoughsituationofchildrenanddrewattentionsandsympathyfromhisreadersbycreatingcharacters.Inhisworkshegavethepoorthesupportthattheydesperatelyneeded.InOliverTwist,thisdarkandsordidworldwaspresentedbyDickensfromtheperspectiveofanorphan,alostchildwhosesenseofbewildermentandfrightremindedoneofhowthetwelve-year-oldDickenshadhimselfrespondedtothesoul-crushingexperienceoftheblackingworkhouse.2.2.CondemnationoftheNewPoorLawThelawiswidelycriticizedasawaytosavemoneybyestablishingacentralizedsystem.Inthissystem,onceadmitted,theyarenotallowedtoleave.Andpeoplehavetoworkhardtogetfoodandclothing.Menandwomenhavetoliveindifferentareasandafamilywasseparated.Workhousesaredeliberatelymadetobeasmiserableaspossibleinordertopreventthepoorfromrelyingonpublicassistance.Theconditionsofthepoorhousearesobadthatonlythetrulydesperatewillseekrefugethere.“Thepoorchoosebetweenbeingstarvedbyagradualprocessinthehouse,orbyaquickoneoutofit.”(CharlesDickens,1997:)DickensisdeeplytroubledbytheharshprovisionsofthePoorLawAmendmentof1834.InthefirstelevenchaptersofOliverTwist,heprovidesamostbitingandthoroughexposureoftheterribleconditionoftheworkhouseofthetimeandthecrueltreatmentofapoororphanbyallsortsof“gentlemen”.Inthenovel,OliverTwistwasbornintheworkhouseandsufferedalot.Becauseofhungry,Oliveraskedonedayforasecondservingofporridge.Thescandalizedauthoritiesputhiminsolitaryconfinementandpostedabillofferingfivepoundstoanymasterwhowouldtakehimofftheparish.ThosedetailswereonlytoattackthenineteenthcenturyNewPoorLaw.ThenovelOliverTwistconveyedconcernaboutthenegativeeffectsofpovertyandtheshortcomingsofthepoorsystem.ThenovelhasalwaysbeenandwilleverberememberedasamostpowerfulweaponagainsttheNewPoorLawandtheworkhousesystem.2.3.CriticalviewoftheCapitalistSystemInOliverTwist,Dickenscreatesalivelypictureoflowlifeunderthecapitalisticsystem,settingagainsttheseamyundersideoftheLondoncriminalword.Inthenovel,parishofficersoccupymostofthemoneythatbelongstoorphansandtreatthembadly.Theplotdemonstratesthehypocrisyofthepettymiddle-classbureaucrats,whotreatasmallchildcruellyunderthemaskoftheChristianvirtue-givingcharitytothelessfortunate.Thecorruptandhypocriticalcapitalistsystemisamonsterwhichdrinksbloodandeatsmeatofthepeople.BypresentingeverydayexistenceofthelowestmembersofEnglishsociety,Dickensgivesvoicetothosewhohasnovoice,establishingalinkbetweenpoliticsandliteraturewithhissocialcommentary.Inthenovel,Dickensalsocriticizesthatthejudicialsystemisabsurd.Thejudgewhoisincompetentandcruel,hefollowshispreferenceforconvictionanddeniesOliver’srighttodefensebecauseofhispoverty.Povertyalsomakesmanypeoplesuffertheinjusticeimpoverished.3.TheanalysisoftypicalcharactersThecharactersinOliverTwistarevividanddistinct,sincetheyarefromDickens’srichlifeexperienceandstory.Theyareallvividandtheirwordsanddeedscorrespondwiththeirroles.AndDickens’everycharacterhasitssocialsignificancewhichletsreadersunderstandandthinkdeeply,andthenreflectandcriticizethesociallife.Inthisway,thenovelwillfullyexpresstheprofoundsignificanceofcriticalrealism.SothepaperisgoingtoanalyzethepopularheroOliverandfamousvillainoldFagintolearnaboutthecharacters’featuresandtoanalyzethegoodandevilinthenovel.3.1.OliverTwistMostpeoplearefamiliarwithorphanOliverasheimpresseslotsofreaderswithhismiserablelifeexperience.Andhiskindnessandcourageinthenovelattractsustolearnmorefromhim.Oliver,astheprotagonistofbookOliverTwist,wasaninnocentandsensitiveboyatfirst,whobecamemorebraveandstrongerafterexperiencingthecrueltyandcoldnessoftheworld.First,asalittlechildofunknownparentage,hehadsufferedlotsofbullyingandmisery.BywritingthesorrowfullifeofpoorOliver,DickenexposedtheevilsofthecapitalistsocietyandmercilesslystrokethedarknessandhypocrisyofBritishsociety.“'IheardthedoctortellthemIwasdying,'repliedthechildwithafaintsmile.'Iamverygladtoseeyou,dear;butdon'tstop,don'tstop!''Yes,yes,Iwill,tosaygood-b'yetoyou,'repliedOliver.'Ishallseeyouagain,Dick.IknowIshall!Youwillbewellandhappy!'”(CharlesDickens,1997:74)ItcouldbeseenfromherethatOliverwassuchakindboy.OnhiswaytoLondon,hemethisfriendDickwhowasseriouslyill,andheprayedforhimandconsoledhimeverythingwouldbeallright.HemadehisbestwishesforDick.WhenOliverfinallygothishappiness,hethoughtofDicktoo.HewantedDicktowearnewclothes.Lethimbeeducatedashimself.Oliverwastheonewillingtosharethingsheownedwithhisfriend.HesympathizedwithDick'smiserablefate,eventhoughhisownfatewastragictoo.Second,Oliverisagratefulandkindboywithstrongdignityinthenovel.“'Theybelongtotheoldgentleman,'saidOliver,wringinghishands;'tothegood,kind,oldgentlemanwhotookmeintohishouse,andhadmenursed,whenIwasneardyingofthefever.Oh,praysendthemback;sendhimbackthebooksandmoney.Keepmehereallmylifelong;butpray,praysendthemback.”(CharlesDickens,1997:144)OliverwasappreciatedthatMr.Brownlowtookcareofhimwhenhewassick.Eveniftheytookhislife,hedidn’twanttobetrayMr.Brownlow.Whatagoodandkind-heartedboywholivedinthisfilthyworld.What’smore,OliverBeggedthievestosendbooksandmoneyback,orhewouldbemisunderstood.Thoughhewasalittleorphanlivingatthebottomofthesociety,hehadhisownself-esteemandmoralstandard.Inhishearthadalwaysmaintainedapureworldandakindheartwhichcouldnotmakehimdegenerateorcompletelydegenerate,butshoweveryonehisoutofthedirtquality.Third,Oliverwasgraduallygrownupintoabraveandstrongboy.WhenNoahinsultedOliver’smotherandherantoLondonalone,hewasnottheweakboyheusedtobe.“Thecruelinsulttohisdeadmotherhadsethisbloodonfire.Hisbreastheaved;hisattitudewaserect;hiseyebrightandvivid;hiswholepersonchanged,ashestoodglaringoverthecowardlytormentorwhonowlaycrouchingathisfeet;anddefiedhimwithanenergyhehadneverknownbefore.”(CharlesDickens;1997chapter6)“London!--thatgreatplace!--nobody--notevenMr.Bumble--couldeverfindhimthere!Itwastheveryplaceforahomelessboy,whomustdieinthestreetsunlesssomeonehelpedhim.Asthesethingspassedthroughhisthoughts,hejumpeduponhisfeet,andagainwalkedforward.”(CharlesDickens,1997:70)Heplannedallthethingsheneededtofortheescapetrip.Ontheway,Oliverwentthroughfatigue,hungerandcold.Whenherestedforawhile,hehadtosleepinthewildernessanddarkness.Whenhepassedthroughthevillage,hewasevictedasabeggar.Thepassers-bywerecoldandignoredhim.However,duetothecoldsociety,Oliverbecamemorebraveandstrongthanbefore.ThroughanalyzingOliver’ssometypicalfeatures,wecanlearnthattheimageofOliverisquiteplump.ThenovelsucceedsinshapingtheimageoflittleOliver.Andthenitexposesallkindsofuglyfacesandcruelfacts,anditexpressesaninvaluablethoughtofbenevolenceandattacksVictorianideaswhichpoorpeoplearebornevil.ByanalyzingOliver’spreciousfeatures,wecanseeastrikingcontrastbetweenOliverandthecomplicatedsociety.Dickenswantstotelluswhattherealworldis,tellingustofacethecruelfactandthecoldnessofthesocietyandtoappreciatepreciousbeautyandgoodqualities.WeshouldlearnfromOliverwhokeepgoodheartandinnocentspiritinthedirtyanduglyworldandneverstopprogressingandgrownup.3.2.FaginAnothertypicalcharacteroldFaginwastheheadofthieves.Hewasregardedastheembodimentofevilandalsoatragicfigureinthenovel.Thethesiswillanalyzehimfromseveralplotsaswell.First,thenovelhadadetaileddescriptionofoldFaginfromtheperspectiveofappearance.AndtheappearanceofFagininthenovelwasthathisfacecouldn’tbeclearlyseenbuthisexpressioncouldbeeasilyread.“HewasaveryoldshriveledJew,whosevillainous-lookingandrepulsivefacewasobscuredbyaquantityofmattedredhair.”（CharlesDickens,1997:81）Thiswasclearlynotanoldmanwithakindface,butatypicalimageofadirty,sordidandwickedman,withanevillookonhisface.FaginwasasophisticatedoldJewishwithredhair.Redhairusuallyimpliedthesymbolofevil,especiallywithanuglyface.ThepurposeDickensdepictedhisuglyappearancewastoembodyhisuglysoul,becauseone’sfacialfeaturealwaystoldsomethingofone’snature,andFaginwassowickedthathebecameasynonymforabettorinEnglish.Second,Faginwasamiserandlovedmoneyverymuch.Becausehehadagreatdesireformoneywhichmadehimdolotsofevilthings.“Hiseyesglistenedasheraisedthelid,andlookedin.Dragginganoldchairtothetable,hesatdown;andtookfromitamagnificentgoldwatch,sparklingwithjewels.'Aha!'saidtheJew,shrugginguphisshoulders,anddistortingeveryfeaturewithahideousgrin.”(CharlesDickens,1997:82)Whenhelookedatthejewelry,hiseyesglistenedandhisfacetwistedasiflikeademon.Thetemptationofmoneyblindedhiseyesandheart.Thushisuglyappearancebecameevenuglier.However,wecanseektherootofit.Thesinofpovertyseducedthepoorintobeingcompelledbycapitalismandbeingtheslaveofit.Besides,hemadedirtydealswithgangstersandwaswellconnectedwithmanypeoplemadehimcalculatingandhypocritical.Hewasatypicalcharacterthatrepresentedmostofthepeoplewholivedatthebottomofthesociety.Thoughanalyzinghim,peoplecouldseethereallifeoftheunderclass.Theirliveswerefullofpovertyandmessedupwithcrimesandtrivialmatters.Third,Dickensdescribedthenarrowstreetsweremuddy,theairstank,thepeopleweremixedandtheapartmentsweredilapidated.SuchplaceswerebreedinggroundsforevilanditwastherightplaceforFagin.Moreover,Dickensdepictedtheunderclass’slivingenvironmentandshowedtheoppressionofthecapitalism.Andittrulyreflectedtheconflictinthecapitalistsociety.DickensportrayedFagininabitterandsatiretoneinthenovel.“TheJewgrinned;and,makingalowobeisancetoOliver,tookhimbythehand,andhopedheshouldhavethehonorofhisintimateacquaintance.”(CharlesDickens,1997:75)WhenhemetOliver,FaginginnedandpretendedtobenicetoOliver,buthediditonlybecauseofhisowngreedyambitionsandselfishdesiresformorebenefits.BecausehewantedtomakeOliverstealthingsforhim.Infact,thenameFaginwasthesynonymforabettorForth,hewasalsotherealmonsterwhodroppedstonesonhisfellowswhentheyhavefallenintoawell.Whenthesordidbusinesscametolight,heranawaywithouthesitationandbetrayedhisassociates.“Therewasanother,andadarkerobject,tobegained.Sikesknewtoomuch,andhisruffiantauntshadnotgalledFagintheless,becausethewoundswerehidden.”(CharlesDickens,1997:212)Atlast,Faginendeduphislifewithbeinghanged.Thiswashisdeserveddestinyandfinalfateofbadguys.Stealthwasoneofthemostseriousproblems,anditmadepeople’ssoultwistedandabnormal.Becauseofgreedandpursuitofwealth,hegraduallybecamemorelikeadevil.Nonetheless,Faginwasalsoatenderoldmaninfrontofkids.Hetookcareofthehomelesschildrenandhewasseldomferociousandharshinfrontofthem.Sometimesthedenwasevenfulloflaughter.Faginwasnotviciousallthetimeandhadagoodnessofhumanity.Andthispartofhimhadnotbeeninfluencedbytheevilsociety.Buthisevildilutedhislittlegood.TheimageofoldFaginwasquiterichandvividthroughwritingdifferentperspectivesofFagin.Astheproductionofthatindustrialsociety,Faginwasonetypicalfigurewhichrepresentedlotsoflostpeopleatthattime.Fagin’sgreed,evilandcrueltywerethecharacteristicsthatmostpeoplehad.Atfirst,theymaykindandpurelikeOliveraswell,buttheyweregraduallycontaminatedbythedirtysociety.DickensdescribedthetrueimageofFagin,whathedidwassoreal,justlikewhatwouldhappeninthereallife.Infact,Dickenswantedtocondemncorruptsocialsystem,degeneratedpeopleandcorruptedcapitalism.AndDickenswasbraveenoughtofacetoterriblesocialphenomenonandprobedtherootsofthesins.4.Theanalysisofartisticstyles4.1.GothicstyleCharlesDickenscreatedthenovelworldwithhisvividandgreatartisticskillswhichmadehisnovelreallypopularartisticform.Thispart,CharlesDickenscombinedgothicstylewithcriticalrealismtorevealandcriticizethedarknessofsociety.Thecombinationmadehisnovelmorevividandfullofintensecriticalrealism.First,oneplotinthenovelwasthatOliverreadthebookwhichFaginleftwithhim,thenovelread：“Theterribledescriptionsweresorealandvivid,thatthesallowpagesseemedtoturnredwithgore;andthewordsuponthem,tobesoundedinhisears,asiftheywerewhispered,inhollowmurmurs,bythespiritsofthedead.”(CharlesDickens,1997:145)Thedescriptioninthenovelwasquiteterrifyingandcreepy.ItseemedthatthecontentofthebookFagingaveOliverrepresentedthefinalfateofFaginhimself.Hewastheonewhocommittedthemostheinouscrimes,thesameasthecriminalsinthebook.Dickensusedthegothicstyletorendertheplotaswellascriticizethesinoftheevil.Second,weknewmysteriouscastlesalwaysappearedingothicnovels.ButinOliverTwist,DickenschangedthecastlesintoLondoncity.Hedepictedthemiserableurbanlife,andparasitesofthecity,likecriminals,banditsandthieves.Theyweredegradedbytheinfluenceofsocialenvironment.“Adirtierormorewretchedplacehehadneverseen.Thestreetwasverynarrowandmuddy,andtheairwasimpregnatedwithfilthyodours.Therewereagoodmanysmallshops;buttheonlystockintradeappearedtobeheapsofchildren,who,evenatthattimeofnight,werecrawlinginandoutatthedoors,orscreamingfromtheinside.Thesoleplacesthatseemedtoprosperamidthegeneralblightoftheplace,werethepublic-houses;andinthem,thelowestordersofIrishwerewranglingwithmightandmain.”(CharlesDickens;1997:77)DickensdescribesthehorriblesightoftheBritishcity,suchasthecrimes,thechaosanddirtyenvironment.Dickensisaptatusinggothictechniquestorenderthesettingandtheplotsofthenovel.ThenovelOliverTwistgivesusafeelingofdarknessandgloom.Asamatteroffact,Dickenswell-depictsthetoughandoppressivelifeoftheunderprivilegedinLondon.Wecanrealizethecruelofthecapitalism,theycrushtheenergyandeverythingofthepoortomakebenefitofthemselves.Wecanseetheterribleenvironmentthatthepoorliveinthechaosandcrimes.TheenvironmentCharlesDickensdescribesinthenovelembodiesthecharacteristicsandhistoricalbackgroundofthattime.Underthegroundofreality,heusesgothic