雾都的孤儿

这本书的阅读经历是我联想到了读过的另一部狄更斯的作品，亦是关于从乡下到伦敦来的孤儿的故事《Great Expectation》。让我大脑中突然梦幻联动的是两个主人公初到伦敦时对这座城市的印象。在oliver twist的眼中“Oliver had never seen a dirtier ormore miserable place. The streets in this district were narrow and muddy, and there were terrible smells everywhere. Children wandered around even at this time of night, in and out of the manyshops, playing and screaming. The pubs were full of peoplefighting, and big, evil -looking men stood in doorways or at dark corners. Oliver almost wanted to run away.”这是一座龌龊而悲惨的地方。而不约而同的根据pip的说法“At that time everybody in England agreed that London was a wonderful city. So I was surprised to find it rather ugly, withnarrow dirty streets, and people crowded into tiny houses. I was frightened by its huge size. At Smithfield, the meat market, Iwas shocked by the dirt and blood everywhere. Then I came to Newgate Prison, where a drunk old man showed me the placewhere prisoners were hanged, and told me excitedly that four men would die there tomorrow.I was disgusted by this news.My first impression of London could not have been worse.” 他认为这里不像人们口中的好，而是肮脏又乱哄哄的。这些描述都提现了孩童眼中资本主义工业化社会初期的不堪凌乱。也是他们从或贫穷或悲惨的童年中走来，来到不完美的新世界的迷茫恐惧的体现。狄更斯毕生的活动和创作，始终与时代潮流同步。他以写实笔法揭露社会上层和资产阶级的虚伪、贪婪、卑琐、凶残，满怀激愤和深切的同情展示下层社会，特别是妇女、儿童和老人的悲惨处境，并以严肃、慎重的态度描写开始觉醒的劳苦大众的抗争。与此同时，他还以理想主义和浪漫主义的豪情讴歌人性中的真、善、美，憧憬更合理的社会和更美好的人生，这两部作品作为他脍炙人口的佳作更是值得品味。