ABSTRACT:Charles Dickens is an outstanding realistic writer in the history of British literature and the representative and founder of British critical realism literature. Oliver Twist, one of his notable works, has provoked strong reactions and aroused wide attention since its publication. Oliver Twist was written in 1838 under the background of Victorian England, the most glorious period in British history, which witnessed a period of significant social, economic and technological progress in the United Kingdom. London, as the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, gratefully became the developing center of politics and economy and witnessed the changes either in material life or spiritual life. However, behind the wealth and prosperity lied the poverty and sufferings of the lower class. The pursuit of money and material dictated people’s physical world and spiritual world, which led to the pragmatic shrew urban life and indifferent relationship between people. Pragmatism emphasizes on the importance of experience, action and practicality, it has a strong tendency of realism, which exerts the concept of “those who suite their actions to the time are wise”, thus personal interest and result take precedence over reasoning, logic and morals. This paper will center on the plots of Oliver Twist to analyse the pragmatic spirit in urban life, explore the reasons lying behind the phenomenon and offer some implications on the adaption to the process of urbanization.

Keywords: Pragmatism; morality; utilitarian; urban life

Table of Contents

ABSTRACT

中文摘要

1 Introduction-1

2 Literature Review-2

3 Pragmatism Mirrored by the Characters-3

3.1 Arful Dodger-3

3.2 Monks-4

3.3 Fagin-6

4 the Relationship Between the Pragmatism and Urban Life-7

4.1 Interpersonal Relationship-7

4.2 Urban Design-8

4.3 Resource Allocation-9

4.4 Reflections on the Adaption to Urbanization-9

5 Conclusion-10

References-12