Multiple Choice Questions
1. A workhouse shows
(a) The story is set in Victorian era
(b) Harsh living conditions
(c) Abject poverty in England
(d) All of the above.
Answer: (d) All of the above.
2. After the doctor assisted in the birth of the baby he
(a) went to tend to other patients
(b) went home to have dinner
(c) went to speak to Mr Bumble
(d) All of the above
Answer: (b) went home to have dinner.
3. How did the old woman conclude that the young woman had come from far away?
(a) Nobody knew her
(b) Her shoes had holes
(c) She was lying on the pavement
(d) All of the above
Answer: (d) All of the above.
4. How did they know that the young woman was not married?
(a) She did not have a ring on her finger on her left hand.
(b) She was found lying on the sheet
(c) She walked alone all the way
(d) None of the above.
Answer: (a) She did not have a ring on her finger on her left hand.
5. Who gave the name to Oliver Twist?
(a) The old woman
(b) Mr Bumble.
(c) The doctor at the workhouse.
(d) The young woman.
Answer: (b) Mr Bumble.
6. The bowls never needed washing as the boys
(a) drank up all the soup and cleaned them with their spoons.
(b) were given new bowls
(c) got them cleaned by others
(d) None of the above.
Answer: (a) drank up all the soup and cleaned them with their spoons.
7. Why did the master turn pale?
(a) The soup had finished
(b) He was sick
(c) Oliver asked him for more food
(d) The boys hit him.
Answer: (c) Oliver asked him for more food.
8. What punishment was given to Oliver for asking more food?
(a) He was made to clean the entire workhouse
(b) He was made to clean all the bowls
(c) He was asked to cook food for everyone.
(d) He Oliver was shut up for a week in solitary confinement.
Answer: (d) He Oliver was shut up for a week in solitary confinement.
9. How much money was offered to the person who would take Oliver?
(a) Twenty pounds.
(b) Five pounds.
(c) Two pounds.
(d) One pound.
Answer: (b) Five pounds.
10. Who was Mr Sowerberry?
(a) Cook in the workhouse.
(b) A coffin maker for the workhouse.
(c) A friend of Mr Bumble.
(d) A member of the board.
Answer: (b) A coffin maker for the workhouse.
Extract I
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
Oliver Twist was born in a workhouse. His mother, a young woman, lay ill in bed. A doctor and an old woman stood by her side. She lifted her head from the pillow.'Let me see the child and die,' she said. 'Oh, you mustn't talk about dying yet,' said the doctor.
(i) What is a workhouse? What does it say about the setting of the story.
Answer: A workhouse is an institution where poor people are housed and
provided with work. It indicates that the story is set in a time and place
where the poor and homeless are treated inhumanely, specifically in
Victorian England.
(ii) Who were present in the room where Oliver was born? Why?
Answer: In the room where Oliver was born, there was a doctor and an
old woman present. They were likely there to assist with the birth and to
attend to the needs of Oliver's mother during her labor.
(iii)What was the Oliver's mother's wish? How did she try to fulfil her
wish? What happened to the young woman soon after that?
Answer: Oliver's mother's wish was to see her child before she died.
She tried to fulfill her wish by asking to see Oliver immediately after his
birth. Unfortunately, she passed away soon after seeing and kissing him.
(iv) What did the old woman tell her about her wish? What did the old
woman say about her to the doctor.
Answer: The old woman tried to console Oliver's mother by telling her not to
talk about dying. After the young woman's death, the old woman remarked that
the young woman was better off dead than leading a miserable life.
(v) What evidence is given in the story to say the young woman was poor and
not married?
Answer: The evidence in the story that suggests the young woman was poor and
not married is the fact that she gave birth in a workhouse, and the doctor
noted the absence of a wedding ring on her finger.
Extract II
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
The doctor raised the dead woman's left hand. The usual story,' he said. 'I see that she has no ring on her finger. She wasn't married. Good night!' He went home to his dinner. The old woman sat down on a chair in front of the fire and began to dress the baby. She dressed him in the very old clothes used for babies who were born in the workhouse. The child was an orphan, born into a world which had no love or pity for him.
(i) When the doctor raised the young woman's hand, what did he notice? What
does this indicate about the young woman?
Answer: When the doctor raised the young woman's hand, he noticed that she
did not have a ring on her finger. This indicates that the young woman was
not married.
What did the old woman do after the doctor went home? What does this say
about life in a workhouse?
Answer: (ii) After the doctor went home, the old woman sat down in front of
the fire and began to dress the baby. This indicates the bleak and cold
environment of the workhouse, where even newborns were not given proper care
or warmth.
Who gave the name to the new baby? What logic did he follow while naming the
babies?
Answer: (iii) The baby, Oliver, was named by Mr. Bumble. He named babies in
an alphabetical order, which is an impersonal and dehumanizing way to name
orphans.
Oliver was an orphan 'born into a world which had no love or pity for him.'
Give example from the extract that Oliver experienced lack of love.
Answer: (iv) The extract mentions that Oliver was dressed in 'very old
clothes used for babies who were born in the workhouse', which suggests a
lack of care and love. Additionally, the line 'born into a world which had
no love or pity for him' directly highlights the lack of love Oliver
experienced.
What was the condition of children in England as shown in the story?
Answer: (v) The condition of children in England, as shown in the story, was
miserable. Children in workhouses were treated inhumanely, with little care
or love. They were underfed, under-clothed, and often subjected to cruelty.
Extract III
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
No one was able to discover who the baby's father was, or what his mother's name was. Mr Bumble, an important officer in the town, invented a name for the baby. He chose the name Oliver Twist. We name the new babies here in order from A to Z,' he explained when people asked. I named the last one Swubble. This one is Twist. The next one will be Unwin'.
(i) Why was no one able to discover the identities of the baby's parents?
Answer: No one was able to discover the identities of the baby's parents
because Oliver's mother had been picked up from the street and died
shortly after giving birth, leaving no information about herself or the
child's father.
(ii) Who was Mr Bumble? What did he do for the baby?
Answer: Mr. Bumble was an important officer in the town responsible for
the workhouse. He named the baby 'Oliver Twist'.
(iii) How were the babies named? What does the name Twist allude to?
Answer: The babies in the workhouse were named in alphabetical order from
A to Z. The name 'Twist' might allude to the unexpected and challenging
twists and turns that Oliver's life would take.
(iv) Why did Oliver look thin and pale? How do you think the other boys
looked?
Answer: Oliver looked thin and pale because he was undernourished and
ill-treated in the workhouse. The other boys probably looked similar to
Oliver, being underfed and under-clothed.
(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?
Answer: The boys were given thin soup thrice a day. On Sundays, they
received an extra small piece of bread. This reflects the poor and
inhumane conditions of the workhouse, where the inmates were barely given
enough food to survive.
Extract IV
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
One day Oliver and his friends decided that one boy would walk up to the master after supper and ask for more soup. Oliver was chosen. In the evening, the boys sat down at the tables. The master stood by the pot, and the soup was served. It disappeared quickly. The boys whispered and made signs to Oliver. He stood up from the table and went to the master, with his bowl and spoon in his hands. Please, Sir,' he said, I want some more.' The master was a fat, healthy man, but he went very pale. He looked with surprise at the small boy. What?' said the master at last in a quiet voice. Please, sir,' repeated Oliver, I want some more.' The master hit Oliver with his spoon, then seized him and cried for help. Mr Bumble rushed into the room, and the master told him what Oliver had said. He asked for more?' Mr Bumble cried. 'I cannot believe it. One day they will hang the boy.'
(i) What is said about the physical appearance of the master? Why was he
surprised?
Answer: The master is described as a fat, healthy man. He was surprised
because it was audacious and unexpected for a boy like Oliver to ask for
more food, given the strict and harsh conditions of the workhouse.
(ii) Why was Oliver hit with the master's spoon? What was Oliver's asking
for more food seen as?
Answer: Oliver was hit with the master's spoon because his request for
more food was seen as an act of defiance and audacity. Asking for more
food was seen as a challenge to the authority of the master and the
established system of the workhouse.
(iii) Whom did the master call for help? What did that person say against
Oliver?
Answer: The master called for Mr. Bumble for help. Mr. Bumble expressed
his disbelief at Oliver's request and predicted that Oliver would end up
being hanged one day for his audacious behavior.
(iv) How did he punish Oliver? Was the punishment proportionate to the
offence?
Answer: Oliver was hit by the master, seized, and later locked up in a
cold, dark room for a week. He was also beaten by Mr. Bumble. The
punishment was not proportionate to the offence; it was excessive and
cruel for a simple request for more food.
(v) What are your feelings for young helpless Oliver?
Answer: I feel immense sympathy and sadness for young Oliver. It's
heartbreaking to see a child treated with such cruelty and neglect,
especially when his only "crime" was expressing hunger and asking for more
food.
Extract V
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
Oliver was a prisoner in that cold, dark room for a whole week. Every morning he was taken outside to wash, and Mr Bumble beat him with a stick. Then he was taken into the large hall where the boys had their soup. Mr Bumble beat him in from of everybody. He cried all day. When night came he tried to sleep, but he was cold, lonely and frightened.
(i) Who shut Oliver the cold dark room? Where was Oliver imprisoned for a
whole week and why?
Answer: Mr. Bumble shut Oliver in the cold dark room. Oliver was imprisoned
in the workhouse for asking for more food.
(ii) What forced Oliver to make that offence? Why was he chosen to commit
that offence?
Answer: Oliver was forced to ask for more food due to perpetual hunger. He
was chosen by the other boys to commit that offence because he was probably
the youngest or the weakest.
(iii) Was it proper for Mr Bumble to beat Oliver in front of everyone? Why
did he do so?
Answer: No, it was not proper for Mr Bumble to beat Oliver in front of
everyone. He did so to set an example and deter the other boys from defying
authority.
(iv) What are your feelings for Mr Bumble and the workhouse culture of
Victorian Times?
Answer: Mr Bumble represents the cruel and heartless authority figures of
Victorian times. The workhouse culture of the Victorian era was harsh,
treating the impoverished without compassion or kindness.
(v) Why could Oliver not sleep at night? What does it show about the
condition of children in Victorian England?
Answer: Oliver could not sleep at night because he was cold, lonely, and
frightened. This shows that the children in Victorian England, especially in
workhouses, endured harsh and inhumane conditions.
Extract VI
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
But one day, outside the high workhouse gate, Mr Bumble met Mr Sowerberry. Mr Sowerberry was a tall, thin man who wore black clothes and made coffins. Many of his coffins were for the poor people who died in the workhouse.
(i) Who was Mr Sowerberry? Describe his appearance.
Answer: Mr. Sowerberry was a coffin maker. He was a tall, thin man who wore
black clothes.
(ii) What do you think, his black clothes signify? What was the notice at
the gate? What did the notice state?
Answer: His black clothes signify mourning or his association with death.
The notice at the gate was about a reward for anyone who would take Oliver
in. The notice stated that the person would get a reward of five pounds.
(iii) Why did Mr Bumble say that he would be rich one day?
Answer: Mr Bumble said he would be rich one day, probably hinting at the
many deaths in the workhouse and the resulting business for the coffin
maker.
(iv) Which theme of the story is reflected in the extract? Explain it
briefly.
Answer: The theme reflected in the extract is the harsh conditions and
treatment of the poor in Victorian England. The workhouse residents, many of
whom were old or infirm, often died, reflecting the terrible conditions they
lived under.
(v) What does the notice reflect about the treatment of children in
Victorian Times?
Answer: The notice reflects the cruelty and lack of compassion towards
children in Victorian Times, showing them as commodities rather than human
beings.
Project Work
1. Oliver's Life in the Workhouse:
Answer: Oliver's life in the workhouse was marked by extreme hardship
and deprivation. He was born into a world devoid of love and pity. His
mother died shortly after giving birth to him, and he was immediately thrust
into a cold, uncaring environment. As an orphan, he was given the name Twist
and subjected to a life of poverty and neglect. He and his companions were
under-clothed and under-fed. They received meager portions of thin soup
three times a day, and even on Sundays, they were given only a small piece
of bread. Oliver's existence was characterized by constant hunger, physical
discomfort, and the absence of any familial warmth or support.
2. Treatment of Oliver and Other Children by the Staff:
Answer: The staff at the workhouse treated Oliver and the other children
with cruelty and indifference. They were responsible for overseeing the
miserable conditions in which these young orphans lived. When Oliver had the
audacity to ask for more food, the response from the staff was shock,
disbelief, and violence. The master, a fat and healthy man, turned pale at
Oliver's request and proceeded to hit him with a spoon. This act of defiance
was met with severe punishment. Mr. Bumble, another authority figure, was
equally shocked and believed that Oliver's actions were a sign of future
criminality. As a result, Oliver was locked in a cold, dark room for a week
and subjected to physical beatings. This treatment was intended as a
deterrent to prevent other children from daring to ask for more or challenge
the authority of the staff.
3. Alternatives to Treating Children in Such a Way:
Answer: Instead of subjecting children to the harsh treatment seen in the
workhouse, there were several humane alternatives that could have been
considered:
- Education: Providing the children with access to education would have empowered them with knowledge and skills for a better future.
- Nutritious Food: Ensuring that the children received proper nutrition and balanced meals would have promoted their physical well-being.
- Compassionate Care: Offering emotional support and a nurturing environment could have helped these orphans heal from their traumatic pasts.
- Vocational Training: Offering vocational training and skills development would have prepared them for employment and self-sufficiency.
- Family Support: Efforts could have been made to reunite children with surviving relatives or place them in caring foster homes.
4. Treatment of Orphans in the Workhouse in the Victorian Era:
Answer: Orphans in the workhouse during the Victorian era faced harsh and
inhumane conditions. The workhouses were overcrowded and operated on a
strict regimen of discipline and deprivation. Children, especially orphans,
were subjected to physical and emotional abuse. They were often under-fed,
clothed in rags, and denied basic comforts. The workhouse authorities aimed
to deter any sign of rebellion or requests for more by implementing brutal
punishment. Orphans were treated as a burden on society rather than as
vulnerable individuals in need of care and support. The workhouse system
reflected the prevailing social attitudes and policies of the time, which
prioritized cost savings over the well-being of the poor and marginalized.
For your project, you can use these descriptions and insights to create a
comprehensive and creative presentation or report on Oliver's life in the
workhouse, the treatment of children by the staff, alternative approaches to
caring for orphans, and the broader context of how orphans were treated in
Victorian-era workhouses.
