We are learning about the Victorians this term and we are especially enjoying reading Oliver Twist and writing our very own pieces of Historical fiction. We have been investigating how Charles Dickens helped create a picture of the world he lived in through the descriptions in his written words. We have also identified how he created suspense and tension through imagery, detail and manipulating the speed in which the action develops. Here are some examples of our work. We hope you like them!
An extract from Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens
“It was nearly two hours before day-break; that time which in the autumn of the year , may be called the dead of night; when the streets are silent & deserted; when even sounds appear to slumber, and profligacy & riot have staggered home to dream.”
An extract from “Bill searches for Nancy” by Ferdinand
“The night was a cold iceberg, melting when the moon came out and the street started to shimmer. The buildings camouflaged next to the fresh night sky. The cobbled road twinkled in the night sky like stars. That was the only source of light there. The other dim, faint lights made no effort in giving light. The horse-carts looked like faint shadows.
The night was cool, full of breeze; the wind was fierce, pushing the trees.
Suddenly a door burst open and feet clattered. The night grew darker as Bill Sikes approached the street. His teeth gritted as he thought of how Nancy betrayed his clamped soul. Bill Sikes hands coiled up into clenched fists, his vile face crumpled into scrunched paper. Sikes raged through the street with indignation, swiftly twisted his head; left and right, hunting for the honest girl. His breath grunted out like a raging bull. Bill’s patience was losing its strength. THEN!!…”
An extract from “Bill searches for Nancy” by Rebecca
“Dimly flickering gas lamps glowed creepily, slightly lighting up the windows of the small shops. A lost top hat rolled around, sometimes half flying along the stone paving when a strong breeze picked up. You could just see the twinkling stars, millions and millions of them just hovering there as if hung up as a Christmas decoration. You could also see the moon, the source of the silvery white rays surrounded by shadows.
A rat scurried across the stone cobbles and darted under a fence. Another came padding out of an ally and sniffed at the horse manure dotted all over the road. A bang and the scratching of claws against stone showed there was a cat around and all the rats hid from view.
Suddenly a door burst open and Bill came tearing out wild with fury. He tore down the street franticly looking for Nancy. He stumbled and tripped on the cobblestone his body taut, sweating with rage. His heart was pounding against his chest, his fists clenched tight and his evil face as pale as a sheet. He smashed into a lamp post for he was blinded with tears of anger and then he swiftly turned the corner into an ally way and the terrified cat slinked out. He rushed to the crooked arms when a jagged streak of lightning crossed the sky. A torrential rain soaked Bill as he reached the crooked arms he pushed through the crowd of sleeping drunkards and there she was….”
An extract from “Bill searches for Nancy” by Michael
“Suddenly a door burst open, Bill looked like a gruesome warrior as he made his way through the narrow, hollow street. He crashed into a gas lamp but he still continued stomping away in the blackened moonlight. His grotesque big toe slowly made its way through his spoilt, filthy shoe and when teeth grinded together hell let loose and thunder and lightning poured like the rain and hail did throughout the stormy night. He clenched his fist the way a polar bear would gnaw on his daily income of fish. He stamped his feet like a horse galloping on the lumpy stone road. His cheeks were as purple as the mixture of the waste pouring out of the ancient windows.
Bill gradually stormed towards the terrace house; his blood still throbbed through his head like oil in the River Thames. He was like a grumpy Killer Whale devouring everything in its way.
And then there she was, standing still in the moonlight…”
An extract from “Bill searches for Nancy” by Renee
The lamp posts were dimly lit down the street, flickering. The roads were covered with manure and dusty dirt. The lights of the brick terraced houses went out and the town felt pitch black.
Shutters were shut, doors were locked, and the streets were empty. It was like the world was a vacant box full of air. The shouting and crying stopped just as the moon arrived. It twinkled in the sky like a shiny silver coin.
All the shops and markets closed no one would even dare to go out. The cold winter night, everywhere no one was around to neither talk nor play.
Suddenly a door burst open Bill came out as angry as ever. He stomped all the way down stairs and out into the cold, dark, cruel night off to find Nancy the betrayer. His face was red like blood; he clenched his fists as he stomped to find Nancy.
The sky was full of darting lightning bolts and grey storm clouds shooting down like needles poking you in the face. Bills breath was shown in the air; it looked like a tuft of fog. His hair was wet, his blood was boiling.”
An extract from “Bill searches for Nancy” by Gabriel
“Silence came back and forth between the cobbled streets, twisting and weaving in and out of dingy lanes and streets, trying to keep people in the force of utter enthrallment and sleep, flying up into the darkness of the atmosphere and beyond the stars.
Suddenly a shadowy figure burst out of a ramshackle cobbled streets and rushed along the cobbles, muttering unspeakable words to himself about the one who betrayed him, Nancy. He dashed in and out in a fit of rage, with his teeth and fists clenched, up the high street during that ferocious thunderstorm down all those little alleys searching for Nancy, the culprit for aiding that boy he hated so much, the little tyke, Oliver Twist. And there Nancy was, hiding in the dark depths of the shadows … “
An extract from “London at night” by Jesse
“The Victoria Regina post boxes were in the shadowy corners of the cobble stone street; the rusty street sign was hanging off one corners dimly lit by the quaint gas lamps, which were as tall as 2 men!
The slimy horse manure covered the street, burying the iron wheels of the empty out of action horse omnibus; there was the smell of manure mixed with the stench of perpetually rising mire. You could hear the drip drip drip of the cholera infested water dripping from the pump.”
An extract from “London at night” by Archie
“The lamp lighter was trying with no effort to stay as silent as possible in the ankle deep puddles of horse manure which were waiting to be moved to the cesspit. The whisk of the wind circled the now silent church towers threatening to blow them of its stand.
The occasional flicker of the gas lamps made the street dimmer than a chamber in the tower of London.
Suddenly a door burst open and Bill Sikes ran out of the door. Without warning a thunderstorm immediately broke out. Paying no attention, with clenched fists and gritted teeth he ran on through the night.
Raging on to find his betrayer, his face purple with loathing; brushing past lamp posts, jumping over pot holes, fists clenched teeth ground together while a tiny part of his mind wanted to stop ….”
An extract from “Bill searches for Nancy” by Esther
“Suddenly a door burst open…He sprinted along the peaceful streets, his heart pounding like a tiger, rapidly, his fist were clenched!
He bashed through the hard lamp-posts, passing the oily blackness of the River Thames. His forehead had 3 lines the sign of anger. He looked with his hands above his forehead….”
An extract from “Bill searches for Nancy” by Megan
“Through the dark, dangerous streets you could hardly see the flickering gas lamps; the street was as quiet as a deserted house.
The ground was thick with mire, the lamps flickered in the moon light; the street was still and silent, there was rubbish everywhere the cobbles were as rough as a tree bark.
The streets were jet black, dirt covered the ground like an old and tattered table cloth covers a filthy table, and the sky was an indigo blue.
Suddenly the door burst open Bill Sikes came bounding out, his heart pounding in his chest. All he heard was BANG, the rain dribbling down his face.
He was bounding as fast as a horse down a deserted street. He could hardly see where he was going; the fog was so thick; his feet bleeding in his tattered and worn shoes.
He was getting closer and closer and there Nancy was………”
An extract from “Bill searches for Nancy” by Mia
“Suddenly a door burst open as Bill rushed out into the empty high street. Bill’s eyes screwed up as he clenched his fist with anger. He searched everywhere for his darling.
The thunder suddenly struck and the rain came pouring down. Bill got drenched as he sprinted though the rain. He ran down the street beside the terraced houses.”
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Very descriptive!