OliverTwistisan1838novelbyCharlesDickens.Itwasoriginallypublishedasaserial.

　　LikemostofDickens'work,thebookisusedtocallthepublic'sattentiontovariouscontemporarysocialevils,includingtheworkhouse,childlabourandtherecruitmentofchildrenascriminals.Thenovelisfullofsarcasmanddarkhumour,evenasittreatsitsserioussubject,revealingthehypocrisiesofthetime.

　　Ithasbeenthesubjectofnumerousfilmandtelevisionadaptations,andthebasisforahighlysuccessfulBritishmusical,Oliver!.

　　Plotsummary

　　Spoilerwarning:Plotand/orendingdetailsfollow.

　　OliverTwistisbornintoalifeofhardshipandmisfortune.Orphanedfromtheonsetofhislifeduetohismother鈥檚deathinchild-birthandhisfather鈥檚conspicuousabsence,OliverismeagerlyprovidedforunderthetermsofthePoorLaw.Thus,Oliverspendsthefirstnineyearsofhislifewithinabranch-workhouseoftheoneinwhichhehadthemisfortunetobeborn.Alongwithotherjuvenileoffendersagainstthepoor-laws,Oliverisbroughtupwithlittlefoodandfewcomforts.

　　Aroundthetimeoftheorphan鈥檚ninthbirthday,Mr.Bumble,aparishbeadle,removesOliverfromthebranch-workhouseandputshimtoworkinthemainfacility.Oliver,whotoilswithverylittlefood,remainsintheworkhouseforsixmonths.Afterthatperiod,Oliverbreechesregulationsbyrequesting,onbehalfofanotherboy,thathereceiveanotherportionofgruel.TheboardofgentlemenwhoadministertheworkhouseareoutragedbyOliver鈥檚request,perceivinghimasungrateful.DesiringtogetridofOliver,theboardoffersasumofmoneytoanypersonwishingtotakeontheboyasanapprentice.Mr.Sowerberry,anundertakeremployedbytheparish,eventuallytakesOliverintohisservice.

　　Whileintheserviceoftheundertaker,OliverisabusedbyNoahClaypole,acharityboyandapprenticeofMr.Sowerberry.Ononeparticularlyoccasion,inanattempttobaitareactionoutofOliver,Noahinsultstheorphan鈥檚latemother.OlivertakesgreatoffensetoNoah鈥檚wordsandproceedstoattacktheboy.ThedisagreementbetweenthetwoisheightenedwhenMrs.Sowerberry,whodislikesOliver,issummoned.FollowinganadministrationofpunishmentforattackingNoah,forthecharityboytwiststhecircumstancesofthefighttomakeOliverseemlikeanunprovokedmurderer,theorphandecidestofleefromtheundertaker.Leavingduringthenight,hewandersaimlesslyatfirst.However,hesoonsetshisdestinationasLondon.

　　DuringhisjourneytoLondon,OliverencountersJackDawkins,whoisalsoknownastheArtfulDodger.DawkinsprovidesOliverwithafreemealandtellshimofagentlemaninLondonwhowillaidhiminbecomingestablished.Gratefulfortheassistancehehasbeengiven,OliverfollowsDawkinstothegentleman鈥檚residence.Thus,OliverunwittinglystumblesintotheassociationofaJewishcriminalnamedFagin,thegentlemanofwhomDawkinsspoke.OliverresideswithFaginandhiscriminalassociatesforsometime,unawarethatoftheirunlawfuloccupations.

　　Withtime,Olivergoesoutuponapick-pocketingexpeditionwithtwoofFagin鈥檚underlings:DawkinsandaboynamedCharlieBates.Thoughheisunawareofthecriminalintentionsoftheotherboysuntilarobberyactualtakesplaceanddoesnotparticipate,Oliverfindshimselfaccusedofstealing.Heiseventuallyfreedfromaccusationandputunderthenurturi