Oliver Twist Short Summary

By Charles Dickens, Oliver Twist is about an orphan named Oliver who struggles to remain good in a society that does not offer any help.

An Overview of the Story

Oliver Twist is born in the 1830s in a certain workhouse in England. His mother died at his birth, and her name is not revealed. For the first nine years of his life, Oliver lives in an orphanage but is then transferred to a warehouse later. He is bullied by some boys here to ask for more food after their meals. Oliver becomes an apprentice for Mr. Sowerberry, who was an undertaker. Oliver gets into an altercation with another apprentice who insulted his mother, and he is forced to run away from the wrath of Sowerberry. He escapes to London.

There he is tired and starving when he meets a boy, Jack Dawkins who offers him some shelter. As it turns the owner of the shelter is Fagin, a criminal who turns orphans into pickpockets. Oliver gets his training and goes for his first stealing mission. He is caught after some confusion and escapes conviction for theft. Oliver is taken in by Mr. Brownlow, a man they had stolen from. A portrait in Brownlow’s house resembles Oliver. Later, two members of Fang’s gang kidnap Oliver and take him back to Fang.

Oliver is forced into burglary and ends up getting shot. The owner of the house, Mrs. Maylie and her niece Rose take him in, and he is even invited to spend summer with them in the countryside after they grow fond of him. Fagin is set on capturing Oliver again. The plan is revealed to Rose by Nancy, one of the gang members. Nancy gets murdered for it.

Oliver is reunited with Mr. Brownlow by the Maylies, and it is discovered that Oliver has a half-brother named Monks who have been looking for him to ensure that Oliver does not get a claim to the inheritance. Brownlow gets Monks to give Oliver his share of the inheritance. Rose is discovered to be Oliver’s aunt and the sister of Oliver’s mother. Fagin gets hanged for the crimes. Mr. Brownlow adopts Oliver. They relocate to the countryside with the Maylies to live in bliss