Oliver Twist · Chapter
Wherein Is Shown How the Artful Dodger Got Into Trouble explained
Noah Claypole, now going by Morris Bolter, moves into Fagin's den.
What happens
Noah Claypole, now going by Morris Bolter, moves into Fagin's den. Fagin explains his philosophy of mutual self-interest to bind the gang together. He reveals that the Artful Dodger has been arrested for pickpocketing and sends Noah, disguised as a country bumpkin, to observe the trial. At Bow Street, the Dodger puts on a defiant, theatrical performance in the dock, asserting his rights and mocking the proceedings. Noah returns to report the Dodger's bravado to Fagin.
Themes in this chapter
Crime and Punishment
The Dodger's arrest and trial highlight the criminal justice system's treatment of young offenders, blending farce with the threat of the gallows.
Class and Hypocrisy
Fagin's 'number one' philosophy exposes the selfishness underlying the criminal underworld, while the Dodger's mockery of the court reveals class tensions.
Characters to notice
- Fagin
Explains his philosophy of 'number one' to Noah, blending truth and fiction to secure loyalty and fear.
- Noah Claypole
Now called Morris Bolter, he moves into Fagin's house and is sent in disguise to observe the Dodger's trial.
- The Artful Dodger
Arrested for pickpocketing, he puts on a defiant and theatrical performance in the dock at Bow Street.
- Charley Bates
Guides Noah to Bow Street and waits for his return to report on the Dodger's trial.
Key passages
“Every man’s his own friend, my dear... He hasn’t as good a one as himself anywhere.”
Fagin tells Noah that a person's best ally is always themselves.
Fagin's core philosophy of self-interest as the glue of his gang.
“The gallows, my dear, is an ugly finger-post, which points out a very short and sharp turning that has stopped many a bold fellow’s career on the broad highway.”
Fagin warns Noah that the gallows is a grim warning that has ended many criminals' lives.
Fagin uses the threat of execution to bind Noah to him.
“I’m an Englishman, ain’t I? Where are my priwileges?”
The Dodger demands his rights as an Englishman in court.
The Dodger's defiant claim to legal rights, mocking the proceedings.