Question

Why do you think Mr Bumble was angry with Oliver? How do you think Oliver felt? Was the master fair? Why/Why not. Write a few sentences. read them to the class

Answer 1

Mr. Bumble was angry with Oliver because the boy asked for more food.

I think Oliver didn't expect that reaction, so he was confused and scared.

The master wasn't fair. He certainly couldn't give Oliver more soup (because other boys were hungry too), but it was cruel of the master to hit Oliver.

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Мистер Бамбл рассердился на Оливера, потому что мальчик попросил добавки.

Думаю, Оливер не ожидал такой реакции, поэтому был сбит с толку и напуган.

Надзиратель был несправедлив. Он, конечно, не мог дать Оливеру еще супа (потому что другие мальчики тоже были голодны), но с его стороны было жестоко бить Оливера.

Answer 2

Mr. Bumble was angry with Oliver because Oliver had the audacity to ask for more food in the workhouse. Mr. Bumble, the parish beadle, was responsible for maintaining order and discipline among the orphans and paupers in the workhouse. Oliver's request for more food was seen as a breach of the strict rules and an act of ingratitude. Mr. Bumble likely felt that Oliver was being disrespectful and ungrateful for the meager provisions he was already receiving.

Oliver, on the other hand, likely felt a mix of fear, hunger, and confusion when Mr. Bumble scolded him. He was a vulnerable and orphaned child who had endured a life of hardship and deprivation. His request for more food was a desperate plea born out of hunger and desperation, not an act of defiance.

The fairness of the master's reaction depends on one's perspective. From a legal and institutional standpoint, Mr. Bumble might have been enforcing the rules of the workhouse, which were likely designed to be austere to discourage people from seeking refuge there. However, from a moral and compassionate standpoint, Mr. Bumble's anger and refusal to provide more food to a starving child could be seen as deeply unfair and cruel. This episode from Charles Dickens' novel "Oliver Twist" highlights the stark contrast between the harsh realities of the workhouse system and the innocence of a young boy's plea for basic sustenance.