Oliver Twist - Plot Summary

Introduction part:

Charles Dickens published his second novel in the 1830s called Oliver Twist or the Parish Boy's Progress. A baby boy born on a baby farm had come through countless injustices throughout the novel. The book aptly describes the imperfections of the era, namely malnutrition, orphanage, antisemitism and prejudice. Oliver joined a gang of pickpockets led by a Jewish criminal Fagin. Let's find out if Oliver will ever be able to find his place in the hopeless city of London.

Oxford Bookworms: Oliver Twist (Cover)

The Rising Action:

At the beginning:

At the baby farm:

Oliver Twist is born into a life of poverty in a baby farm in the fictional town of Mudfog near London. Oliver was orphaned by the loss of his mother at his birth, Agnes. He doesn't know so much of the whereabouts of his father's mysterious disappearance.

At the workhouse:

One day he dares to ask for more food because he draws the short straw. I'm 100% sure that a lot of people are familiar with the famous quote:

"Please, sir, I want some more."

The famous quote

That is what Oliver says when he asked for another portion of gruel. The officials frown upon his request and decide to remove him from the workhouse. Mr Bumble, Oliver's beadle pays £5 for an undertaker, Mr Sowerberry, to take on Oliver as his apprentice. He takes him into his service and employs him as a mourner due to Oliver's character at children's funerals.

In the hands of Mr Sowerberry:

Mr Sowerberry lives in an unhappy marriage with his wife and they looked down and mistreat Oliver from the beginning. There he meets Noah Claypole, his fellow apprentice, who bully him due to Noah's being a green-eyed monster of him. Oliver suffers unnecessary hardships and is given insults about his mother who has already died at that time.

Not surprisingly, Oliver lost his temper and beats Noah. Noah's mother takes her son's side and they compel Mr Bumble to beat the innocent boy for his behaviour. Mr Bumble had regularly beaten Oliver at the workhouse. He was a ruthless and cruel man when it comes to punishments. As an aftermath of this, Oliver decides to escape from the abusive hands of the Sowerberry Family. He ran away to London in the hope of seeking a better life there.

The injustice of social status

London, the Artful Dodger and Fagin:

A coincidence:

Oliver has escaped from the family that ostracized him and has been walking to London all day long. He meets Jack Dawkins, working as a pickpocket, more commonly known as the Artful Dodger, and Charley Bates. They provided him a free meal and tell him of a gentleman living in the city of London who will give him shelter. Oliver has yet been not aware of their criminal occupations. He fails to see the dishonesty in their action and agrees to follow them gratefully.

The Dodger and the hopeless boy

At the boys' lodging:

Initially, Oliver thinks that they are in charge of making handkerchieves. He was confused that the boys play to pick everything out of one another's pocket inconspicuously. Oliver considered their "ritual" more than strange. He participated in the game and acquired the basics of his new job.

A theft:

One day, they think that Oliver is experienced enough to go on the street and apply what he had learnt. The Dodger and Bates steal the handkerchief of an old gentleman, Mr Brownlow. The victim first saw Oliver running away and starts to pursue him. He thought that Oliver was the perpetrator. But later there was no evidence or whatsoever that could prove Oliver's guilt.

At the young boy's accusation in the courtroom, Mr Brownlow could hardly believe that Oliver was guilty. Despite the biasedness of the magistrate, Oliver's case has now been cleared and been dismissed.

The Dodger and Charley's theft

At Mr Brownlow's home:

Mr Brownlow takes the boy, who had yet collapsed then, to his home with Mrs Bedwin. She takes care of the young boy and no soon after Oliver recovers rapidly. Fagin and his gang are afraid of Oliver betraying them and disclosing sensitive information to his new friends. For this reason, they decide to bring back Oliver to their lair at Saffron Hill.

The kidnap:

One day, Mr Brownlow has sent him out of the street to pay for some books but a member of the gang, a young girl, Nancy takes him back to their home. They take the £5 note from him that Mr Brownlow entrusted Oliver. Despite his resistance, the gang dragged him back.

Note: Nancy is the only person who is sympathetic with him unlike other members of the gang throughout the story.

Nancy kidnaps Oliver

At Saffron Hill:

Fagin aims to turn Oliver into a criminal and forces him to participate in a burglary with Bill Sikes. He's an experienced housebreaker / burglar. Nancy was his girl with whom he lived in an abusive relationship (domestic violence).

Nancy, Bill Sikes and Bull's Eye
(their dog)

The burglary:

Bill Sikes threatened him to kill him provided that he doesn't cooperate. The burglary goes wrong and Oliver was shot in the left arm. Sikes abandoned the wounded young boy and leaves as if nothing had happened. Oliver finally ends up under the care of the people he intended to rob. He meets there Miss Rose and her guardian Mrs Maylie.

Oliver to be caught red-handed

Mystery of a man called "Monks":

A new character, Monks, planed out their dreadful plan with the Jew, Fagin, to destroy Oliver's reputation. Monks find out about Fagin's intention of turning Oliver into a criminal. The two agreed to not reveal Monks' relation to Oliver. Monks is Oliver's half-brother and he wanted to keep this sensitive information in secrecy. They were unaware that Nancy eavesdropped on their conversation and knows exactly what they have an intention of doing.

Monks and the Jew (Fagin)

Back in Oliver's hometown:

In Mugfog, things get better for Mr Bumbles, the beadle. He has married Mrs Corney thereby getting himself into an unhappy marriage. They are constantly arguing and they sometimes have quarrels. After a heated debate, Mr Bumbles decides to visit the local pub where he meets Monks. Monks questioned him about Oliver. The beadle tells him that her wife can provide him detailed information. Of course, not for free. Monks obtained the proof of Oliver's parentage, a locket and a ring. He gets rid of the evidence by throwing the two into the river.

Monks and the Bumbles

Nancy's concerns:

Bill Sikes' girl, Nancy, is ashamed of her role in kidnapping Oliver, she is worried about the young boy's well-being and safety. She visits Rose Maylie informing her about what Monks and Fagin have plotted against Oliver. They wanted to get Oliver in their hands on the boy due to private ends.

The next night, Nancy tried to leave for a walk but Sikes refuses permission to let her out. He knows she's up to something but he has no clue what she's planning. The first thing that has come to his mind is a new boyfriend. Nancy isn't cheating on Sikes, so there was no conspiracy theory.

Meanwhile Noah Claypole:

Whilst all of these actions, Noah and her lover Charlotte has fallen out of Mr Sowerberry's undertaker business. They fled to London and join Fagin's gang in the hope of getting a roof over their head. Their task is children robbery.

The Artful Dodger's conviction:

Jack Dawkins is accused of theft and has been sentenced to be transported to Australia as a punishment for what he did.

The Artful Dodger's conviction

Climax:

Spying on Nancy and her death:

Fagin knows that Nancy is planning something, thus she sends Noah to find out Nancy's plan. She has a conversation with Rose and Brownlow about the rescue of Oliver from the hands of Monks and Fagin. He eavesdrops on everything and informs the Jew about the betrayal.

Fagin immediately passes the information to Sikes twisting the story as if Nancy has disclosed her lover, Sikes. This was of course, totally untrue. As a consequence of this, Sikes beat Nancy to death and flees to the outskirts of London to escape from the police.

Noah's spying on Nancy

Sikes' death:

Sikes felt a victim to his own conscience. He was haunted by the visions of his former girl. Finally, he returns to London and has found a hiding place. He has an intention of stealing money from Fagin thereby fleeing to France. In the end, he hangs himself accidentally when he tries to escape on the roof.

Sikes' misfortune

Resolution:

A secret to be revealed

At the end of the whole novel, it turns out that Oliver is Monks' half-brother. Their father was Edward Leeford. Monks was from his first marriage and Oliver was from his second wife, Agnes Flemming, who had died at Oliver's birth. Mr Brownlow has a picture of Agnes and he has noticed a resemblance between Oliver and her. Hence he investigates further to find out more.

What happened to Monks?

Monks was an extremely selfish person haunting his brother to destroy him. He wanted to gain all their father's will. In the end, their halves the inheritance. Monks moved away, ends up in prison and die.

Fagin's death:

Oliver and Mr Brownlow visited the Jew in Newgate Prison In the hope of retrieving papers from Monks. Fagin is sentenced to be executed by hanging.