The Facts on File Dictionary of Allusions - Green Valley High School

Oliver into joining his wily gang of young pickpockets,
but is eventually brought to justice and
executed. It is thought that Dickens based his
memorable character on a real person, Isaac “Ikey”
Solomons (c. 1785–1850). His father’s an old Fagin
who won’t rest until he’s got his hands on everything
you’ve got. See also artful dodger.
Fair Deal A policy that offers the prospect of
everyone being fairly treated. A favorite slogan of
modern politicians introducing new po liti cal solutions,
it recalls the original Fair Deal introduced
by President Harry S. Truman (1884–1972) in
January 1949. Truman’s mea sures aimed to
improve the lot of the poorly paid and the poorly
housed as well as advancing the cause of civil rights
and better social security. <strong>The</strong> governor unveiled his
Fair Deal apparently convinced that the press would
approve wholeheartedly.
fairy godmother A person or or ga ni za tion that
proves to be a generous source of much- needed
fi nancial or other help. <strong>The</strong> fairy godmother is a
stock character of fairy tales and pantomimes, the
most famous example being the fairy godmother
who provides cinderella with the clothes and
magic coach she needs to attend the royal ball.
“Mrs. Adams’s conception of a glue factory as a
fairy godmother of this family was an absurd old
story which Alice had never taken seriously”
(Booth Tarkington, Alice Adams, 1921).
faith, hope, and charity <strong>The</strong> three theological
virtues (in contrast to the cardinal virtues of
prudence, temperance, fortitude, and justice).
Paul identifi es the virtues in 1 Corinthians 13:13,
using “charity” as a synonym for “love” and singling
out charity as the most important of the
three: “And now abideth faith, hope, charity,
these three; but the greatest of these is charity.”
“Still—if I have read religious history aright—
faith, hope, and charity have not always been
found in a direct ratio with a sensibility to the
three concords, and it is possible—thank Heaven!
—to have very erroneous theories” (George
Eliot, Adam Bede, 1859).
faith will move mountains With faith anything is
possible. This saying comes from Matthew 17:20:
“If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall
say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder
place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be
impossible unto you.” A variant form is faith can
move mountains. She fi rmly believes that she can
make him change his ways, and faith will move mountains,
so she may yet succeed.
faith without works A person’s good intentions
are meaningless unless supported by good actions.
<strong>The</strong> phrase comes from the Book of James 2:14–
26: “Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have
works: show me thy faith without thy works, and I
will show thee my faith by my works. . . . But wilt
thou know, O vain man, that faith without works
is dead? Was not Abraham our father justifi ed by
works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the
altar?” (James 2:14–21). <strong>The</strong> government has expressed
good intentions but failed to do much about them, and
critics have observed that it is a case of faith without
works.
Falernian ( fblerneebn) Of or having to do with
a wine of a superior quality. <strong>The</strong> term refers to a
particularly fi ne wine that was made in the Falernian
region of Campania in Roman times. Its qualities
were praised by Horace and Virgil among
others. “Sand- banks, marshes, forests, savages,—
precious little to eat fi t for a civilized man, nothing
Falernian
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