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Born into a poor English family in 1812, Charles Dickens worked his way up from a life of poverty and debtor's prison, to become a writer of national acclaim. In his Victorian era, he was an exception to the rule because it was very difficult to break through the barriers of social class and better oneself. Because of his bleak childhood, Dickens was one of the few writers of his day who could express the horrors …

…character of Oliver Twist is a good person who is controlled by other people and forces around him in an evil society. He is exploited because he is a pauper and an orphan, and he is used as a shield by other people when he takes the blame for their misdeeds. Although Oliver is not a deep or dynamic character, Dickens uses him as a perfect foil to highlight the negative sides of Victorian society.