An Analysis of the Body Images in Oliver Twist

【Abstract】Dickens depicts some body images in Oliver Twist which reveal the relationship between power and body. This essay attempts to discuss three kinds of body images： the disciplined body， the abused body and the resistance of body. According to the discussion， it discloses that people are under the control of power. They are disciplined by social systems and those who possess power in many ways. Being disciplined， they become the docile bodies. The disciplined bodies still try their best to get freedom by resisting the strong power. Although the power of their resistance is so weak， it also reflects their desire to challenge the evil and unjust social systems and are eager to pursue freedom.

【Key words】body images； discipline； power； Oliver Twist

【作者簡介】李幸（1989-），女，布依族，貴州都勻人，黔南民族師范學院，講師，研究方向：英美文學。

1. Introduction

Charles Dickens （1812-1870） is considered as one of the greatest English novelists in the nineteenth century. His works not only mainly focus on disclosing the dark side of British society of the Victorian Age， but also criticizes the hypocrisy of the legal systems， workhouses， and middle class moral values in Victorian Age. This paper aims to analyze the power which is embodied in the characters in Oliver Twist from the perspective of Foucault`s Power Theory. In this way， it is clear that the power can be embodied by disciplining the body and the whole society to achieve the political intention； power shows its supremacy by doing some violent things on bodies， However， being oppressed， it will arouse peoples resistance.

2. The Disciplined Body

Panopticism is a kind of prison， which is designed by Jeremy Bentham originally （Wang， 2005： 82）. It is a circular building with a central tower. A monitor who is in the central tower can gaze every prisoner easily and clearly. At that time， people regard this kind of prison as the most civilized way to control the prisoners. However， Foucault notices in Discipline and Punish that Panopticism is the ideal mode to discipline and punish people in the modern society， for the reason that the prison is a good way to “maximizing control of prisoners with a minimal staff ” （Wang， 2005： 83）. Thus， the power can discipline body easily and efficiently. The purpose of this modern approach is to produce the docile body. Foucault also discusses Panopticism in depth that the prison is not just the only way to control people， other institutions such as schools， armies， hospitals and even the whole society are the typical Panopticism in the modern society （Wang， 2005： 86）.

In Oliver Twist， the workhouse where Oliver lives during his childhood is just a kind of Panopticism （Pu， 2011： 109）. Oliver is controlled by the social system and officials of the workhouse， which is embodied on the arrangement of time and space. Oliver is an orphan， so he had to be raised in the workhouse according to The Poor Law. What`s more， the law is also the symbol of the country， which means that the country possesses the power. As Zuo （2010） emphasized in his essay that the law is the other useful way to control people to get the docile bodies. He is disciplined to “pick oakum to-morrow morning at six o`clock and say some prayers every night” （Dickens， 1994： 8）. The officials in the workhouse contract with the water-works and corn factory to make unlimited water and food. Those people who work for them “issued three meals of thin gruel a day， with an onion twice a week， and half a roll on Sunday”（Dickens， 1994： 9）. It is obvious that Oliver is disciplined to work for them without any payment； and the officials try to make some rules to control the poor. The power becomes more precise at the aspect of time. Their bodies are alienated eventually.

The power of discipline can be also embodied at the point of space. Discipline needs some closure space （Foucault， 1999： 160）. Oliver is locked in the dark and isolated room for punishing his acquirement for another bowl of porridge. This dark room separates Oliver from others and the outside world on the geographical area. The result is that Oliver can not communicate with others， which makes he feel afraid of the real world.Being in this strange place， he feels that he is desolated because he doesn`t have any friends and relatives to care about him. The feeling of fear is haunting in his heart and penetrates into his consciousness deeply， which makes him to be conquered. This dark space leads to the closure of his psychology. Imperceptibly， Oliver is controlled.

From the previous study， the workhouse is just as a typical Panopticism. People in the workhouse must do the fixed things in the fixed time. Oliver cant escape from the dark society because he is under the control of the power.

3. The Abused Body

Violence is the other way for the governors to produce the docile bodies. As Foucault mentions that those who possess power can show their controlling influence by doing violent things on the bodies. To some extent， violence is also an efficient way to control people`s thought， which makes power become a lasting operation mechanism （Wang， 2015： 77）.

When Oliver is sent to the coffin shop， he is abused by Noah. At first， as for Noah， he “was a charity-boy， but not a workhouse orphan” （Dickens， 1994： 27）， and his family is not so good and he is inferior to him. So when he meets Oliver for the first time， he starts the conversation in a superior way. In this way， it can show his supreme power. Noah “administrated a kick to Oliver， and entered the shop with a dignified air” （Dickens， 1994： 27）. At this time， Oliver can not resist him and he becomes docile and is disciplined because of the Noah`s supreme power. Being treated violently， Oliver has no ability to fight with them， what he has done is just follow their rules.

Nancy is one of the most complicated character in this novel.The second time when Nancy wants to help Oliver， she decides to tell the truth to Lucy. Unluckily， she is watched by Noah unfortunately. “We can control what people do merely by observing them”（Wang， 2005： 82）. “Power can`t works without the help of observation. Though the observation， it makes power works efficiently” （Foucault， 1999： 200）. Although Nancy even doesn`t know she is watched， but the supreme power of Fagin and Sikes makes her so scared. She was shuddering. And she said “I have such a fear and dread upon me to-night that I can hardly stand” （Dickens， 1994： 293）. Why she is so frightened？ The reason must be that Nancy is abused by Fagin and Sikes for a long time， so she lives in the great influence of their power. Therefore， Nancy is controlled by Fagin in anywhere and anytime unconsciously.

From the experience of Oliver and Nancy， it is clear that power works not just in the social institutions， but it penetrates into the most subtle and pervasive place of the society. People who possess power hope to show their power by doing some violent things on other`s bodies. It is also a way to discipline others to get the “docile body”.

4. The Resistance of Body

“Where there is suppressed， there is resistance， power is related to resistance from beginning to end” （Wang， 2015：78）. Although power can penetrate into our life， it will encounter all kinds of resistance inevitably. Being disciplined and punished， it will arouse people`s consciousness to fight with the power and torture.

When Oliver is sent to the coffin shop， he is abused by Noah cruelly， but at that time his body and consciousness is controlled by Noah. when Noah insults his dead mother， it “aroused his spirit at last” （Dickens， 1994： 36）. under the control of Fagin， Oliver is required to go street to watch other thieves “work”. Then he finds that their job is to steal people`s money and handkerchiefs， he “stood looking on in silent amazement. Later he regained consciousness， then he took to his heels； and not knowing what he did， made off as fast as he could lay his feet to the ground” （Dickens， 1994： 60）. Oliver is so frightened that he runs away from the street. Although he is trained to be a thief unconsciously by Fagin， he never follows Fagin`s rules.

In the disciplinary society， although people make great effort to fight to the power， they are still under the control of it. Thus， it is difficult for people to fight against the power. Someone may die in the process to escape from the power and death is a kind of result to resist power. “However， death is also a way to make a serious critique to the dark society. It also brings people to the original state of life， which is full of light and freedom” （Wu， 2010： 45）. Nancy is raised and controlled by Fagin whom forces her to help others to “work” for . She also suffers from cruelties because of her boyfriend Sikes. Being in the evil and dark place， Nancy never loses her kindness， she attempts to help Oliver get out of the control of Fagin and Sikes for many times by sacrificing herself. Unfortunately， she is killed by Silks cruelly in the end. The night when she is killed， there was a beam of light shone on her body， which symbolized that Nancy`s sacrifice will bring a light and freedom. Her death will brings a new life； and shows their determination to resist the power.

5. Conclusion

On the basis of all of the analysis and discussion， it is clear that people are disciplined and punished by power in many ways. According to Foucault power theory， the power of discipline is not just embodied in prisons， is also reflects in the social institutions. In Oliver Twist， workhouse is a mode as Panopticism. Oliver and others are governed by the special arrangement of time and space. Except for being disciplined by the mode of prison， doing some violent things on other`s bodies is another way to control people. Oliver and Nancy are abused by Fagin and Sikes on different degrees. Through this way， not only can Fagin and Sikes control their body， but also suppress their consciousness of resistance. Being controlled， it will arose people`s consciousness to resist with power. They strive to fight with the evil and unjust society to get freedom. Although they endeavor to challenge the power of discipline， their effort is so week before the power. It is obvious that the power of discipline and punishment has penetrates into our life， we can can`t escape from being disciplined. However， it also shows people are eager for freedom at any cost.

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