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The Irony of Dickens In Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist, a boy named Oliver lives his strange life in Fagin’s pickpocket street gang, and workhouses. Through his life he has people and groups of people who both help and deceive him. Charles Dickens uses a technique known as ironic reversal of values to make a profound effect in the way the novel is perceived. That is, characters with the responsibility to aid Oliver don’t, …

…they are a gang of pickpockets. Fagin starts off the novel by showing great support for capitol punishment, but in the end he is the one being put to death. Mr. Bumble begins as a well off beadle but ends up as a pauper in the workhouse he was in charge of. The use of ironic reversal of values is used to such great perfection that it adds another dimension to the story Oliver Twist.