“Who Is Fagin?” Erin Daniels Carrie Flack Jamie Heupel Jami 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 1824 Dickens’ 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 warehouse Taught 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 Incident Charles’ Father sees him “displayed” by window Charles is soon fired Charles 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 o He incorporates himself into all his characters o He 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. 1 st ed. Norton Critical Edition. New York: Norton,