2. John O. Jordan’s “The Purloined Handkerchief” Analysis By: Joshua Kirtley, Stephanie Krumm, Jennie McCully, Tova Salley

3. Overview “The Purloined Letter” Handkerchief’s origin Handkerchief’s importance to social classes Nancy Oliver Economy Application to “The Purloined Letter” Work Cited

4. “The Purloined Letter” Purloined= verb: “to purloin” Anglo-French: “pur-loigner” Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Purloined Letter” Handkerchief displacement from origin

5. Handkerchiefs and Social Classes Handkerchiefs became part of the Victorian dress code. - Upper class=Silk, carried in the pocket. Gentlemen wore “neck cloths” and “cravats.” - Lower class=Cotton, often worn around the neck. Working class wore neckerchiefs.

6. …Handkerchiefs and Social Classes Dickens attempted to form some kind of philosophy of clothing in Oliver Twist. “Power of Dress” - Clothes signify social distinctions. - Power is represented by clothing. - Clothes help maintain social control.

7. Nancy Nancy receives a handkerchief from Rose. - The handkerchief exchange signifies the relationship between Nancy and Rose. The white handkerchief symbolizes purity. The handkerchief’s is significant in Nancy’s death. - It links Rose, Nancy, and Agnes together.

8. …Nancy Sikes strikes through the handkerchief. - He tries to hide the handkerchief. - The handkerchief is present even when he dies.

9. Oliver Oliver is innocent. - “Because his heart and mind are innocent, the idea of theft never occurs to him.” He represents a purloined handkerchief. - He is circulated throughout the text to be claimed by those around him. - He’s sometimes treated like an object.

10. …Oliver He seems to be a blank space that others try to fill up. - Bumble and the Police officer name him. - Fagin tries to teach him thievery. He actually has already been marked. - His mother imprints a kiss on him when he is born.

11. Conclusion Handkerchiefs serve an economic purpose. - Handkerchief production increases. Application to “The Purloined Letter” - A letter always reaches its destination. - The handkerchief does not reach its destination.

12. Work Cited Jordan, John O. “The Purloined Handkerchief.” Oliver Twist. By Charles Dickens. Ed. Fred Kaplan. New York: Norton, 1993. 580-593.