fly

The fly appears as a subtle but persistent motif in Charles Dickens's Oliver Twist, a creature whose fleeting, often repulsive presence punctuates the novel's most squalid scenes. It is never a character in its own right, but its repeated emergence in contexts of filth, decay, and moral corruption serves as a barometer of the environment's degradation, linking the physical and moral squalor that pervades the world through which Oliver moves.

Appearance and Context

The fly is first encountered in the description of the filthy kennel (gutter) in the impoverished neighborhood where Oliver accompanies Mr. Sowerberry on a funeral. The narrator notes that "the very rats, which here and there lay putrefying in its rottenness, were hideous with famine" , establishing a landscape where even vermin and insects are part of the pervasive decay. Later, in the public house where Bill Sikes and Fagin conduct their business, the fly is mentioned as part of the general atmosphere of neglect and grime. The room where Sikes and his dog Bull's-eye have their violent confrontation is described as having a "flaring gas-light" and being "strongly impregnated with the smell of liquor" , a setting where flies would naturally thrive. The fly also appears in the context of the advertisement for Oliver, where the text of the notice is described as being printed on paper that might attract flies , linking the insect to the commodification of the orphan.

Symbolic Function

The fly functions as a symbol of the relentless, indifferent cycle of life and death in the novel's underworld. In the description of the kennel, the putrefying rats are "hideous with famine," and the fly, as a creature that feeds on decay, is an implicit part of this ecosystem. This imagery reinforces the idea that the poor are not only starved but also surrounded by the physical evidence of death and rot, which is both a cause and a consequence of their misery. The fly's presence in the public house, a place of criminal conspiracy and moral decay, further associates it with the corruption that festers in the hidden corners of London. The fly is also present in the scene of Fagin's trial and execution, where the crowd's excitement is described as a "peal of joy" , and the fly, as a creature of the court's stale air, becomes a silent witness to the machinery of justice.

Connection to Character and Theme

The fly's appearances are often juxtaposed with moments of extreme human suffering or villainy. In the scene where Sikes attempts to drown his dog, the fly is mentioned as part of the natural world that is indifferent to human cruelty . The fly's presence in the description of the advertisement for Oliver underscores the dehumanizing nature of the parish system, which treats a child as a commodity to be advertised and traded. The fly is also present in the final scene of the novel, where the crowd gathers to witness Fagin's execution, and the air is filled with "life and animation" , a stark contrast to the death that awaits the condemned man. The fly, as a creature that thrives on both life and death, embodies this paradox.

Narrative Significance

While the fly is a minor element, its recurrence contributes to the novel's overall atmosphere of squalor and moral decay. Dickens uses the fly as a shorthand for the filth and neglect that characterize the lives of the poor and the criminal underworld. The fly's presence in the kennel, the public house, and the court serves to connect these different spaces, suggesting that the same forces of decay and corruption are at work throughout the novel's world. The fly is also a reminder of the natural world's indifference to human suffering, a theme that runs throughout the novel. The fly's final appearance, in the context of Fagin's execution, underscores the novel's ambivalent attitude toward justice and punishment, suggesting that even in the moment of death, the cycle of life and decay continues.