The Adventures of Oliver Twist - An Annotated Reading of a 19th Century French Literary Masterpiece (Level A)

Author: Hector Malot
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2007-02-01
Features: Le Petit Poucet (The Little Ragamuffin) describes the life experiences of a child named Rémi who was adopted. Rémi was the child of a wealthy family and was kidnapped and abandoned at the entrance of a garden in Paris when he was only five or six months old. He was later adopted by a farmer, whose husband, Jér?me Barbier, was a construction worker in Paris. Rémi lived with the farmer's wet nurse in the countryside, relying on each other. Although their life was very difficult, Rémi experienced the warmth of a family and maternal love. When he was eight years old, Jér?me Barbier was injured and became disabled, returning to the countryside. Due to financial hardship, he sold Rémi to an Italian street performer named Vitalis. Rémi traveled with this kind-hearted performer, living a life of traveling and performing for many years, experiencing the joys and sorrows of the world. He learned to sing and play musical instruments from Vitalis, learned to read, and gained many life philosophies. Just as he began to adapt to this life of performing, Vitalis froze to death on a stormy night at the entrance of a flower farm near Paris, and Rémi nearly froze to death as well. Fortunately, the flower farmer saved Rémi and took him in. Rémi lived with the flower farmer and his four children, forming close bonds and living together for two years. Unfortunately, one year, the flower farmer's crops were damaged by hail, and he was arrested and imprisoned due to an inability to pay debts. Rémi had no choice but to leave the home he loved and once again began a life of wandering.