The extract is taken from the novel Oliver Twist written
by Charles Dickens. Right from the title the intelligent reader can notice that
novel's title is the name of the main charachter, who is a child exploited in a
factory as it generally happened in the Victorian age.

In the text the writer adopts an third person omniscient aand intrusive
narrator, which guides the reader and helped him to make up an opinion.

The extract deals with the scene of the dinner in a workhouse. Right from the start
the reader can observe the metonimic use of the language when the narrator uses
the word "copper" referring to a large cointainer made of metal. By
using metonymy the writer suggests the materialistic way of thinking of that
period,.

Going on the master is described using religious language as if he was a priest. Then
the narrator describes the hunger of the poor kids of the workhouse. With the
terrible hunger come to the surface their animal instincts and they are
described as cannibals.

Moving on after a discussion the children
decided that Oliver had to ask some more to eat.

When he ask for more, the master became pale and immediately after hit oliver
because of the fear of being unable to manage the situation.

The description of the master's appearance is in contrast with the children's appereance: he is
fat and healty.