Allison Epstein's 'Fagin the Thief' gives a Charles Dickens character a second chance

Summary

NPR's Book of the Day: Allison Epstein's 'Fagin the Thief' Gives a Charles Dickens Character a Second Chance

Release Date: March 25, 2025

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Introduction

In the March 25, 2025 episode of NPR's Book of the Day, host Andrew Limbong delves into a fascinating literary reimagining with author Allison Epstein. Epstein's novel, "Fagin the Thief," breathes new life into one of Charles Dickens' most controversial characters, Fagin, from the classic novel "Oliver Twist." This episode explores Epstein's motivations, research, and creative process in transforming Fagin from a stereotypical villain into a nuanced, fully realized character.

Revisiting a Dickens Classic

Andrew Limbong opens the conversation by pondering the fine line between fan fiction and literary reimagining. He states, "What counts as fan fiction versus what is a literary reimagining?" (00:02). Epstein responds by emphasizing her intent to treat Dickens not as an untouchable literary titan but as a skilled writer subject to critique. She aims to move Fagin beyond the two-dimensional, anti-Semitic portrayal often criticized in Dickens' work.

Epstein's Motivation and Research

Epstein explains her personal connection to Fagin, mentioning that her introduction to the character was through Ron Moody's portrayal in the 1968 film adaptation. However, upon reading the original "Oliver Twist," she found Fagin to be a more complex figure than the musical rendition suggested.

"There’s still something alive and interesting about him in a way that I just didn’t want to let go of," Epstein shares (02:38). To create a believable backstory, she immerses herself in historical research, focusing on the Jewish enclaves in London's slums, such as Stepney. "I was just really in love with that idea of a small culture kind of keeping its own sense of togetherness," she notes (03:10).

Building Jacob Fagan's Story

In "Fagin the Thief," Epstein reimagines Fagin as Jacob Fagan, starting from his troubled childhood in the grimy London slums. A pivotal moment occurs when young Jacob witnesses the hanging of his father for thievery, a common fate in that era. "It seemed like it was a fate that was coming for my character of Fagan sort of from the moment he was born," Epstein explains (03:53). This traumatic experience, coupled with the loss of his mother, forces Jacob into a desperate struggle for survival, steering him towards a life of crime.

"What do I have to do today to make sure that I am alive to see tomorrow?" Epstein articulates Jacob's internal conflict (04:56). This mindset drives him to establish a criminal network, not merely out of malice but as a means to protect himself and others from the harsh realities of their environment.

Addressing Anti-Semitism in Dickens' Portrayal

A significant aspect of Epstein's novel is her response to the anti-Semitic undertones in Dickens' Fagin. Epstein discusses how Dickens, initially resistant, eventually recognized the problematic nature of his portrayal. "Dickens is such a wonderful hero and champion of the oppressed. But at the same time, he seems to have no particular sympathy for the character of Fagan," Epstein recounts (05:06). This critique serves as a foundation for Epstein's effort to humanize Jacob Fagan, providing depth and empathy where Dickens left Fagin as a flawed caricature.

Creating a Multifaceted Refuge

Epstein redefines Fagin's lair not just as a criminal hub but also as a refuge for vulnerable children. "It's a different way because, of course, in Dickens's portrayal of Fagan, he's always kind of portrayed as a child snatcher and an opportunist," she explains (06:05). While maintaining Fagin's survival instincts, Epstein adds layers to his character, emphasizing his identification with the children and his desire to prevent them from facing the same dire circumstances he did.

Reflections on Dickens as a Writer

Towards the end of the interview, Epstein reflects on Dickens' strengths and limitations as a storyteller. "I am repeatedly impressed by how strong Dickens is of a storyteller and how much of a picture he can paint of the world that his readers both knew and didn't know," she praises (07:37). However, she also critiques the pedestal on which Dickens is often placed, suggesting that this elevation can hinder contemporary writers from offering fresh perspectives. "There are things I disagree with in his writing, things I would do differently," Epstein admits, advocating for a balanced appreciation that acknowledges both Dickens' genius and his flaws.

Conclusion

Allison Epstein's "Fagin the Thief" offers a compelling reinterpretation of a classic literary antagonist, providing depth and humanity to a character historically marred by anti-Semitic stereotypes. By exploring Jacob Fagan's origins, struggles, and motivations, Epstein not only addresses the problematic aspects of Dickens' portrayal but also enriches the narrative with contemporary insights on survival, identity, and compassion. This episode of NPR's Book of the Day underscores the enduring relevance of classic literature and the power of thoughtful reimagining to foster understanding and empathy.

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Notable Quotes:

• “What counts as fan fiction versus what is a literary reimagining?” — Andrew Limbong (00:02)

• “There’s still something alive and interesting about him in a way that I just didn’t want to let go of,” — Allison Epstein (02:38)

• “I was just really in love with that idea of a small culture kind of keeping its own sense of togetherness,” — Allison Epstein (03:10)

• “What do I have to do today to make sure that I am alive to see tomorrow?” — Allison Epstein (04:56)

• “Dickens is such a wonderful hero and champion of the oppressed. But at the same time, he seems to have no particular sympathy for the character of Fagan,” — Allison Epstein (05:06)

• “There are things I disagree with in his writing, things I would do differently,” — Allison Epstein (07:37)

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This comprehensive summary encapsulates the essence of Allison Epstein's "Fagin the Thief" as discussed in the NPR podcast, highlighting the key themes, Epstein's creative approach, and her critical engagement with Dickens' original work.

Transcript

[Andrew Limbong]

Hey, it's NPR's Book of the Day. I'm Andrew Limbong. What counts as fan fiction versus what is a literary reimagining? I thought about that question a lot listening to today's interview. It's with author Allison Epstein, whose new novel Fagan the Thief gives us a deeper understanding of Fagan, the criminal ringleader in Charles Dickens novel Oliver Twist. And in this interview with npr, Scott Simon Epstein talks about treating Dickens not like some sort of literary legend, but but like a writer, of course, an extremely talented and hardworking one, but not somewhat immune to criticism. She talks about turning Fagan from a caricature, Dickens himself considered antisemitic, to a fully realized character. After the break, this message comes from.

[Scott Simon]

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[Narrator]

Sometimes there are second chances in literature. Charles Dickens Fagan, the central scoundrel in his 1838 novel Oliver Twist, leads a crime ring that exploits hungry orphans to rob a unsuspecting Londoners. Sveagan sings in Oliver the musical inspired by Oliver Twist.

[Andrew Limbong]

In this life, one thing counts in.

[Allison Epstein]

The bank, large amounts.

[Narrator]

I'm afraid these don't grow on trees.

[Andrew Limbong]

You got the pick a pocket or two.

[Narrator]

You got a pick a pocket or two. Boys.

[Allison Epstein]

You got a pick a pocket or two.

[Narrator]

That's Ron Moody in the 1968 film. His portrayal in Dickens own novel present Fagan as calculating, miserly and cruel depictions that have often been accused of being anti Semitic. But what made Fagan who he was? Alison Epstein's new novel gives us Jacob Fagan from the age of six growing up in grimy London slums, what he does to get by and what he becomes. Her new novel, Fagin the Thief. And Alison Epstein joins us from the studios of WBEZ in Chicago. Thank you so much for being with us.

[Allison Epstein]

Thank you so much for having me.

[Narrator]

Why did you want to give this almost signature rapscallion a backstory?

[Allison Epstein]

Well, I'm glad we started with the clip of Ron Moody. Actually. That was my introduction to the character of Fagin. And then as I got old enough to read the actual Oliver Twist, I very quickly realized this is a very different kind of character in the Dickens novel than in the musical. It's a two dimensional, stereotypical portrayal, without question, but there's still something alive and interesting about him in a way that I just didn't want to let go of.

[Narrator]

Tell us about this small enclave of Stepney in London where he grew up.

[Allison Epstein]

That's one thing that Dickens really never talks about in Oliver Twist is where does Fagin come from? He just appears out of a cave in the eastern side of London. And I really had to think, you know, where would a person like that grow up? Where would a person like that come from? And as I was doing research, there were little enclaves of Jewish families that would settle in London as they would emigrate and they kind of would stick together. And I was just really in love with that idea of a small culture kind of keeping its own sense of togetherness.

[Narrator]

There's a very vivid scene in which young Jacob sees a man hanged for being a thief. And his mother wants him to see it. Why?

[Allison Epstein]

In the novel, she's pretty convinced that that's the road that he's on for his trajectory. In my novel, I imagine that Jacob Fagan's father was a thief as well, and he was hanged for thieving, which was of course very common at that time. And it seemed like it was a fate that was coming for my character of Fagan sort of from the moment he was born. And his mother, of course, sees that coming and tries to stay, stop it. But as you can imagine, from where we know Thagan from, that's maybe not as successful as she had hoped.

[Narrator]

And she dies when Jacob is young, what does that leave him? What are his options in life?

[Allison Epstein]

She is the most important person in his life, Jacob's mother. And once she passes away, he really is standing sort of on the precipice of the rest of his life and there's no one next to him to help him decide where does he go next. So the most important thing for him becomes survival. What do I have to do today to make sure that I am alive to see tomorrow?

[Narrator]

Let me ask you something. You address in the afterword is Dickens original portrayal of Fagan so grotesquely anti Semitic that even, even Dickens regretted it?

[Allison Epstein]

He did eventually. It took him some time. The novel was published originally in the 1830s and it was of course serialized out. As the novel wrapped up, he received a letter from a Jewish woman from London who was sort of taking him to task for his portrayal of Fagan. She commented that, you know, Dickens is such a wonderful hero and champion of the oppressed. But at the same time, he seems to have no particular sympathy for the character of Fagan. He refers to him almost exclusively as the Jew. And Dickens at first kind of pushed back against that feedback. But to give him credit, the next time he came about to write a Jewish character in one of his novels, it was a very different portrayal, let's say, than how he approached Fagan.

[Narrator]

And I'm interested in, dare I call it, this dynamic. Fagan, Jacob Fagan, settles in an abandoned building that becomes his criminal headquarters, but also a kind of refuge for children like him. Right.

[Allison Epstein]

Yeah, that was something that was important to me as I was working on a retelling of the original to think about sort of in a. In a different way. Because, of course, in Dickens's portrayal of Fagan, he's always kind of portrayed as a child snatcher and an opportunist who sees these small, vulnerable children and takes advantage of them. And there's certainly still some of that. I wouldn't call my Fagan an altruist in any particular way, but I did think, you know, there's a reason that someone would go into a life like that. And one thing that seemed clear to me was part of it is identification. That's a. A life that he had and is trying to help others to not have.

[Narrator]

There's a short line in the novel that, among many others, stays with me in particular. And it is said of Fagan, quote, unquote, in you. Of course, if he wants to eat today, he has work to do.

[Scott Simon]

Yeah.

[Allison Epstein]

There's no way around what. What has to happen. We can judge him and his. His court of thieves all we like for a life of lawlessness. But if they don't turn to that, what is the alternative? It doesn't seem possible to me that he would go out and get an ordinary job at a law firm and come back home at 5pm to a nice home. That's not the path that he's on. That's not the opportunity he's being offered.

[Narrator]

Reimagining and rewriting Dickens, what do you come to appreciate and. And maybe not like about his work?

[Allison Epstein]

I am repeatedly impressed by how strong Dickens is of a storyteller and how much of a picture he can paint of the world that his readers both knew and didn't know. In Oliver Twiss in particular, there's a real bifurcation between the kind of polite world of society that Dickens does give. But then this underworld that his readers would have been completely unfamiliar with. And Dickens brings it to life so well. He is the absolute perfect source for someone writing historical fiction because he gives you everything you need to understand the time that he's living in. It's brilliant. As far as what I don't like about Dickens, it's a funny question because I think sometimes we have a tendency for writers like Dickens or like a Shakespeare will take them and put them on such a pedestal in a canon that we'll think this, this author is a genius, and therefore this author could not have written a book that could be any better. It's already perfect the way that it is. And I think the more time I spent with Dickens for this project, the more I was able to see him as a working writer who was trying to figure things out, who would make a plot decision in a novel that maybe didn't make any sense or maybe was not the route I would have chosen. There's things I disagree with in his writing, things I would do differently. That doesn't mean I write off Dickens as a fraud and an imposter, just that he's just out there making a living doing an incredible job of it.

[Narrator]

Alison Epstein her new novel, Fagin the Thief. Thank you so much for being with us.

[Allison Epstein]

Thanks so much for having me.

[Andrew Limbong]

And just a reminder that signing up for book of the day plus is a great way to support NPR's book coverage and public media. And you'll get to listen to every episode sponsor free. So please go find out [e-mail] BookOfTheDay.

[Scott Simon]

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