Abstract
The paper was divided into sections with the introduction coming first. In the introduction, it was observed that language played an important role in literature as in everyday life; language expressed the themes of literary works. It was noted that this study fell within the framework of stylistic criticism. In another section, Dickens’s deployment of irony to ridicule officials of the work house was treated. Proverbs as a device for cultural projection in Arrow of God was also treated. And varieties of English in the novels under study were noted to contribute to the development of the themes and characters. The main findings of the study included the following: Language conveys the themes and it is a means of characterization. Irony and proverbs are tools of satire used in Oliver Twist and Arrow of God to ridicule individuals and government policies in order to bring about the desired change in the societies portrayed. Language is a major factor in the classification of the novel according to region.