Jack Dawkins, better known as the Artful Dodger, is a character in the Charles Dickens novel Oliver Twist. The Dodger is a pickpocket, so-called for his skill and cunning in that respect. As a result he has become the leader of the gang of child criminals, trained by the elderly Fagin. He becomes Oliver closest friend (although he betrayed him when Oliver was mistakenly caught) and he tries to make him a pickpocket but soon realising that Oliver ...
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Jack Dawkins, better known as the Artful Dodger, is a character in the Charles Dickens novel Oliver Twist. The Dodger is a pickpocket, so-called for his skill and cunning in that respect. As a result he has become the leader of the gang of child criminals, trained by the elderly Fagin. He becomes Oliver closest friend (although he betrayed him when Oliver was mistakenly caught) and he tries to make him a pickpocket but soon realising that Oliver won´t so he feels sorry for him. He also has a close relationship with Charley Bates. Ultimately the Dodger is caught with a stolen silver snuff box on his person, and presumably sent to a penal colony in Australia (only alluded to in the novel). The Dodger fails to handle his adversity well, roaring in the courtroom "I am an Englishman, where are my rights?" or similar terms where he considers himself a "victim of society". The judge shows little patience for the Dodger's charades, and orders him out of the courtroom immediately after the...
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