OLIVER TWISTSOLIVER TWISTS I NOVEL BY CHARLES I NOVEL BY CHARLES

DICKENS………………DICKENS………………

ABOUT THE AUTHORABOUT THE AUTHOR

Born-Born-Charles John Huffam DickensCharles John Huffam Dickens7 February 1812)7 February 1812)LandportLandport, , PortsmouthPortsmouth,,England England Died-Died-9 June 1870) (aged 58)9 June 1870) (aged 58)Gad's Hill PlaceGad's Hill Place, , Higham, KentHigham, Kent,,England England Cause of death-Cause of death-StrokeStroke Resting placeResting placePoets' CornerPoets' Corner, , Westminster AbbeyWestminster AbbeyNationalityNationalityBritishBritishOther nick Other nick names-names-Boz Boz Citizenship-Citizenship-UK UK Occupation-Occupation-Writer Writer Years activeYears active1833–18701833–1870Notable Notable worksworksSketches by BozSketches by Boz, , The Old Curiosity ShopThe Old Curiosity Shop, , Oliver TwistOliver Twist, , Nicholas NicklebyNicholas Nickleby, , Barnaby RudgeBarnaby Rudge, , A Christmas CarolA Christmas Carol, , Martin ChuzzlewitMartin Chuzzlewit, , A Tale of Two CitiesA Tale of Two Cities, , David CopperfieldDavid Copperfield, , Great ExpectationsGreat Expectations, , Bleak HouseBleak House, , Little DorritLittle Dorrit, , Hard Hard TimesTimes, etc, etc

HOW IT ALL GOES DOWN………..HOW IT ALL GOES DOWN………..

Oliver is born in a workhouse in a small Oliver is born in a workhouse in a small town about 70 miles from town about 70 miles from LondonLondon, , England in the early part of the 19th England in the early part of the 19th century. His mother dies almost century. His mother dies almost immediately after his birth. Nobody immediately after his birth. Nobody knows who she was, but the doctor knows who she was, but the doctor notices that she wasn't wearing a notices that she wasn't wearing a wedding ring (scandalous!).wedding ring (scandalous!).

Oliver is brought up at a "child farm" in the Oliver is brought up at a "child farm" in the country until he is about eight years old. country until he is about eight years old. At this point, the parish officials running At this point, the parish officials running the child farm decide it’s time for him to the child farm decide it’s time for him to start working, and they send him back to start working, and they send him back to the workhouse. the workhouse.

But Oliver commits the unpardonable But Oliver commits the unpardonable offense of asking for more food when he is offense of asking for more food when he is close to starving, so the parish officials offer close to starving, so the parish officials offer five pounds (a pretty good amount of five pounds (a pretty good amount of money) to anyone who’s willing to take money) to anyone who’s willing to take Oliver on as an apprentice. The parish Oliver on as an apprentice. The parish officials eventually send Oliver off with a officials eventually send Oliver off with a coffin-maker.coffin-maker.

AT the coffin-maker’s shop, Oliver isn’t AT the coffin-maker’s shop, Oliver isn’t treated much better than he was at the treated much better than he was at the workhouse or the child farm. The coffin-workhouse or the child farm. The coffin-maker, Mr. Sowerberry, isn’t so bad, but maker, Mr. Sowerberry, isn’t so bad, but his wife, Mrs. Sowerberry, and the other his wife, Mrs. Sowerberry, and the other apprentice, Noah Clay pole, have it in for apprentice, Noah Clay pole, have it in for Oliver from the start. Oliver gets in Oliver from the start. Oliver gets in trouble for knocking Noah down (he trouble for knocking Noah down (he totally had it coming). totally had it coming).

After being abused some more, Oliver After being abused some more, Oliver decides to set out for London on foot.decides to set out for London on foot.

When he’s almost there, he runs into an When he’s almost there, he runs into an odd-looking young man named Jack odd-looking young man named Jack Dawkins (better known as The Artful Dawkins (better known as The Artful Dodger). The Dodger buys him lunch and Dodger). The Dodger buys him lunch and offers to introduce him to a "gentleman" offers to introduce him to a "gentleman" in London who give a place to stayin London who give a place to stay

Once in London, it quickly becomes Once in London, it quickly becomes clear to the reader (but not to Oliver) clear to the reader (but not to Oliver) that the Dodger and his friends are an that the Dodger and his friends are an unsavory bunch. The old "gentleman," unsavory bunch. The old "gentleman," Fagin, trains kids to be pickpockets, Fagin, trains kids to be pickpockets, and then he sells off what they steal. and then he sells off what they steal.

But Oliver doesn’t realize what’s up until But Oliver doesn’t realize what’s up until he’s actually out with the Dodger and he’s actually out with the Dodger and another one of the boys, named Charley another one of the boys, named Charley Bates. Oliver sees the pair steal the pocket Bates. Oliver sees the pair steal the pocket handkerchief out of a nice-looking old man's handkerchief out of a nice-looking old man's pocket. When Oliver turns to run away, the pocket. When Oliver turns to run away, the nice-looking old man sees him run and yells, nice-looking old man sees him run and yells, "stop, thief!""stop, thief!"

Oliver is tackled in the street, but by then Oliver is tackled in the street, but by then the nice old man (his name is Mr. Brown the nice old man (his name is Mr. Brown low) has taken a better look at him. He low) has taken a better look at him. He realized that Oliver looks too sweet and realized that Oliver looks too sweet and innocent (and terrified) to be a innocent (and terrified) to be a pickpocket . In fact, Oliver isn’t so much a pickpocket . In fact, Oliver isn’t so much a pick-pocket as he is a very sick little boy. pick-pocket as he is a very sick little boy.

So Mr. Brown low takes Oliver home and So Mr. Brown low takes Oliver home and cares for him until he’s well.cares for him until he’s well.

Unfortunately. Fagin, the Dodger, Nancy Unfortunately. Fagin, the Dodger, Nancy (a prostitute), and Bill Sikes (another (a prostitute), and Bill Sikes (another criminal) are worried that Oliver will rat criminal) are worried that Oliver will rat them out to the police, so they keep a them out to the police, so they keep a watch on Brown low's house. watch on Brown low's house.

One day, when Brown low entrusts One day, when Brown low entrusts Oliver with some money and an Oliver with some money and an errand to run in the city, Fagin and errand to run in the city, Fagin and the criminals nab the poor kid once the criminals nab the poor kid once again. Nancy feels guilty and steps in again. Nancy feels guilty and steps in to defend Oliver when Fagin tries to to defend Oliver when Fagin tries to smack him around.smack him around.

Fagin keeps Oliver shut up in a dreary old Fagin keeps Oliver shut up in a dreary old house for weeks, all the while still trying house for weeks, all the while still trying to turn him into a criminal. How long can to turn him into a criminal. How long can a nine-year-old hold out?a nine-year-old hold out?

Not long afterwards, Bill Sikes and Not long afterwards, Bill Sikes and another thief say they need a small boy another thief say they need a small boy to help them break into a house outside to help them break into a house outside of London; Fagin volunteers Oliver. of London; Fagin volunteers Oliver.

The plan goes awry when the The plan goes awry when the servants of the house wake up and servants of the house wake up and catch Oliver in the act of sneaking in. catch Oliver in the act of sneaking in.

The servants don’t realize that Oliver The servants don’t realize that Oliver is there against his will, and was is there against his will, and was actually about to wake up the actually about to wake up the household to warn them about the household to warn them about the robbers. robbers.

So poor Oliver takes a bullet and is left So poor Oliver takes a bullet and is left behind when the rest are all running behind when the rest are all running away.away.

Fortunately, Oliver is picked up by the Fortunately, Oliver is picked up by the people who shot him, a family that turns people who shot him, a family that turns out to be as nice as Mr. Brown low. They out to be as nice as Mr. Brown low. They become Oliver’s become Oliver’s caretakers.caretakers.

Meanwhile, Fagin is at his wits’ end Meanwhile, Fagin is at his wits’ end wondering what happened to Oliver. He wondering what happened to Oliver. He lets slip that a mysterious man named lets slip that a mysterious man named Monks offered to pay him hundreds of Monks offered to pay him hundreds of pounds to corrupt the young boy. pounds to corrupt the young boy.

Nancy pretends not to know what’s going Nancy pretends not to know what’s going on, but secretly resolves to help Oliver, on, but secretly resolves to help Oliver, and to figure out why Monks is so keen on and to figure out why Monks is so keen on having Oliver turn to crime.having Oliver turn to crime.

While Fagin and the criminals While Fagin and the criminals distress, Oliver learns to read and distress, Oliver learns to read and write with his new friends, the write with his new friends, the Maylies. He's also reunited with his Maylies. He's also reunited with his first friend, Mr. Brown low.first friend, Mr. Brown low.

Fagin and his gang are still trying to Fagin and his gang are still trying to track Oliver down. track Oliver down.

Monks has managed to get hold of – and Monks has managed to get hold of – and destroy – one of the few surviving destroy – one of the few surviving tokens of Oliver’s parentage . Nancy tokens of Oliver’s parentage . Nancy finds out about it and gets in touch with finds out about it and gets in touch with Rose and Maylie to warn her about Rose and Maylie to warn her about Monks’s plot with Fagin. Unfortunately Monks’s plot with Fagin. Unfortunately for Nancy, Bill Sikes (her lover) finds out for Nancy, Bill Sikes (her lover) finds out about it and brutally murders her. Sikes about it and brutally murders her. Sikes tries to escape, but he’s haunted by tries to escape, but he’s haunted by what he’s done. what he’s done.

Eventually, he's killed while trying to Eventually, he's killed while trying to escape from the police: he falls off a escape from the police: he falls off a rooftop while he’s trying to lower himself rooftop while he’s trying to lower himself down, and inadvertently hangs himself.down, and inadvertently hangs himself.

Meanwhile, Mr. Brownlow has managed Meanwhile, Mr. Brownlow has managed to find Monks. to find Monks.

Mr. Brownlow was an old friend of Mr. Brownlow was an old friend of Monks’s father and knows all about him. Monks’s father and knows all about him. As it turns out, Monks is actually the older As it turns out, Monks is actually the older half-brother of Oliver, and was trying to half-brother of Oliver, and was trying to corrupt Oliver so that he’d secure the corrupt Oliver so that he’d secure the entire family inheritance himself. Monks entire family inheritance himself. Monks chooses to admit to everything rather chooses to admit to everything rather than face the police.than face the police.

A happy end A happy end Oliver ends up with what’s left of his Oliver ends up with what’s left of his

inheritance, is legally adopted by Mr. inheritance, is legally adopted by Mr. Brownlow, and lives down the road from Brownlow, and lives down the road from the Maylies. Everybody lives happily ever the Maylies. Everybody lives happily ever after. Except for Fagin, who is arrested after. Except for Fagin, who is arrested and hanged, and Monks, who dies in and hanged, and Monks, who dies in prison prison