This module has helped me come out of my comfort zone in terms of my writing style. I have never written for a blog before and I am used to writing in an academic style, knowing that it will only be my tutors reading my work. However, the blog brought in a public element to … Continue reading Prison Voices: The Evaluation
The Artful Dickens: Juvenile Crime in ‘Oliver Twist’ and 19th century London
TheĀ most recent report onĀ Youth Justice StatisticsĀ (2016/17) for England and Wales states that:Ā 'In the year ending March 2017, around 1.2 million people were sentenced at court. Of these just 25,700 (2%) were aged 10 ā 17.' Whereas in the period encompassing the publication of Charles Dickens' serialised novelĀ Oliver Twist (published 1837-39): 'between 1830 and 1860, over … Continue reading The Artful Dickens: Juvenile Crime in ‘Oliver Twist’ and 19th century London
From Criminal to Colonist – Soloman Wiseman and his influence on Grenville’s ‘The Secret River’
It is not uncommon for novelists to draw inspiration from their own lives and bring their history to life through characters and plot twists which are not far from the truth. Kate Grenville is no exception; her protagonist William Thornhill is based on her ancestor Soloman Wiseman and his journey from English convict to colonial … Continue reading From Criminal to Colonist – Soloman Wiseman and his influence on Grenville’s ‘The Secret River’
Oliver Twist – Fagin by the Fire
Dickens' social reformist novel, Oliver Twist, shows us the reality of life for orphans living in poverty in the 19th century who turned to crime in order to fight to survive. Dickens uses a caricature-style to exaggerate both the Artful Dodger and Fagin and portray them as rebellious ruffians. The above image - illustrated by … Continue reading Oliver Twist – Fagin by the Fire
Juvenile Crime – who is to blame?
In the current cultural climate, films, video games and the media can be held heavily responsible for having a negative influence on young children. Back in the 19th century, newspapers and literature at the time also had an impact on the behaviour of young boys. Many of whom ended up being convicted of crimes and … Continue reading Juvenile Crime – who is to blame?
Through the Cracks of the Prison Wall
From the 1850's onward, prisons shifted from being a place of rehabilitation and reform, to a place with the intention of deterrence through punishment; an idea heavily influenced by Foucault and his ideas of imposing separation and solitude on inmates. Prison Memoirs are one of the key genres of text we can use today to … Continue reading Through the Cracks of the Prison Wall
Convict Tattoos and Personal Identity
The convicts of the 19th century and the documentation of their crimes help us identify Australian history and delve deeper into the lives of those convicted and transported there; their hopes and dreams, their upbringing, their family, even their professions, can all be reflected in the markings that they had inscribed on their body. Tattoos … Continue reading Convict Tattoos and Personal Identity
Eight Persons Murdered!
Criminal broadsides - often thought of as 'Literature of the Streets' - were intended to tell the realities of a criminal's life, trial and execution. Although they were often partially a product of the writers' imaginations and incorporated multiple perspectives. These affordable penny broadsides were common amongst the general public and often gave the criminal … Continue reading Eight Persons Murdered!
Crime Back in Time 