Need help answering this question: Standard Oil has been characterized as a menacing octopus that devours small oil businesses. Look at the cartoon below. Bill Sikes is a fictional criminal from Charles wingspanens’ novel Oliver Twist. How does the nursery rhyme characterize Standard Oil? Write your own Nursery Rhyme to characterize one of the industrialists.

http://curriculum.kcdistancelearning.com/courses/AMHISTx-HS-A08/b/unit08/images/HIS02-107.39601.jpg

Question

Need help answering this question: Standard Oil has been characterized as a menacing octopus that devours small oil businesses. Look at the cartoon below. Bill Sikes is a fictional criminal from Charles wingspanens’ novel Oliver Twist. How does the nursery rhyme characterize Standard Oil? Write your own Nursery Rhyme to characterize one of the industrialists.

http://curriculum.kcdistancelearning.com/courses/AMHISTx-HS-A08/b/unit08/images/HIS02-107.39601.jpg

anonymous · Answer

Hi Cypgardner - Start by breaking down the issue. The question is "How does the nursery rhyme characterize Standard Oil? What do you see in the picture? Is Standard Oil portrayed as a good guy or a bad guy? Who is he stepping on? What is the message the cartoon is trying to send?

I haven't read Oliver Twist, but by Googling this issue I got an idea of what the character Bill Sikes is all about, and see that many cartoons were created about Standard Oil relating to anti-trust issues. My take on it is that Standard Oil is the monster stepping on the back of the common man while brazenly claiming he has no rights, and while the policeman yawns in the background. Does this help you get started?

anonymous · Answer

Yes thank you very much!