Style

Oliver Twist

by Charles Dickens

Oliver Twist: Style 1 key example

Chapter 36
Explanation and Analysis—Tragicomic:

The style of the novel is tragicomic, intertwining comedy and tragedy to make readers laugh at the institutions and people responsible for orchestrating tragic situations. The narrator often functions as a lighthearted and bumbling guide through the tragedy of Oliver's life. For instance, the heading of Chapter 36 reads:

[Chapter 36] IS A VERY SHORT ONE, AND MAY APPEAR OF NO GREAT IMPORTANCE IN ITS PLACE, BUT IT SHOULD BE READ NOTWITHSTANDING, AS A SEQUEL TO THE LAST, AND A KEY TO ONE THAT WILL FOLLOW WHEN ITS TIME ARRIVES