I do a nightly storytime for my husband, and our latest book is Oliver Twist. Oliver Twist is my introduction to the quite descriptive world of Charles Dickens.  He is considered one of the literary masters in terms of painting a scene for a reader. You see London through Dickens’ eyes and all of its squalor, whether that be in the poorest areas of town or in the poorest character of men.

Last night I read a passage that stood out to me.  Dickens threw everything he had into this one scene, the obvious climax of the book, to which he spared nothing.  The scene where Sikes, murderer of Nancy, is ultimately hunted down by a mob of outraged citizens.  Instead of being destroyed by these people though, he slips off a roof and ends up hanging himself by the rope meant to help him climb off the roof.  Sikes death is almost anti-climactic given the intensity of the scene.

I say anti-climactic because one cannot help but get swept up in the passion of that scene.  That bloodthirsty crowd, seemingly thousands, blind to anything but the destruction of Sikes.  Sikes the murderer, and the murderer of a woman who up until this point, was invisible in polite society.

Nancy was a thief,  she kidnapped Oliver Twist, and associated with the lowest of London society.  She lived in the dirtiest, filthiest part of town, unbeknownst to any respectable person.  Despite all this though, she steps out of this existence and into the light of the noble act.  Nancy tells her entire story to Rose Maylie, a young beautiful woman who lives well, and has all the comforts that Nancy lacks.  Rose hears her, values her and longs to save her from all the evil in which she resides. To Rose,  Nancy is quite visible.

Nancy is murdered for essentially being a whistleblower.  Sikes soon finds out what she did and beats her to death for it.  Rose and Nancy both knew this may be a consequence which is why Rose begged Nancy to come with her and have a new life. Nancy, however, refused and returned to her old life, well aware of the risks, and ready to face the consequences.

So back to this bloodthirsty crowd who wishes to avenge her death. A mass of people who were most likely not aware of the sacrifice Nancy made, nor her decision to return to what was essentially her death.   These people swarming together, squashing up against each other,  trampling each other in the hunt for Sikes.  Sikes, now half starving and half mad from the guilt and fear he feels from Nancy’s death, is now the hunted.  Had he somehow climbed down that rope and been caught he surely would have been ripped apart.  The crowd, no doubt thinking, he got what he deserved.

Dickens leaves you to think about this, and one cannot help wondering how Rose Maylie would react. Would she have been a part of that vengeful angry crowd? She being the only one who truly knew Nancy?  Would she have called for Sikes’ brutal destruction at the hands of an angry mob?  My guess is she would have reacted true to her character.  Yes, she would have held Sikes responsible for his crime, but would she have spared his life?  Absolutely.

We need to ask ourselves sometimes what we would do if that were us?  Would we show mercy, even to the murderer, or would we be part of that angry mob calling for revenge.  An eye for an eye as it were.

I strive to be the Rose.