"For the rest of his life, Oliver Twist remembers a single word of blessing spoken to him by another child because this word stood out so strikingly from the consistent discouragement around him."
Oliver Twist is the main protagonist and the titular character from Charles Dickens's novel of the same name. He is the son of Edwin Leeford and Agnes Fleming, the half-brother of Monks, the adoptive son of Mr. Brownlow, and the nephew of Rose and Harry Maylie.
Born and raised in a miserable workhouse, Oliver escapes to London, where he is taken into a gang of thieves and struggles to survive while his friends search for his true identity.
Description[]
Oliver Twist is an orphan destined to live a life of abuse and poverty. Even if he doesn't do many actions in the novel, he still can be a shining light to the poor and working class. Nobody in the workhouse would have the strength to encourage Mr. Bumble or the adults supporting the workhouse to demand more respect and value, like the richer working class. Oliver is among the abandoned, young children who must understand they should only be grateful for what little they have and that they are permitted never to challenge their stereotypes, such as wanting more food, advancing up the classes, or acting above their station. Oliver's treatment leaves him unsatisfied, and he is willing to accept more appreciated things, such as affection and virtue. Dickens used Oliver's character to criticize how his society in early 19th-century England treated the impoverished, as well as criminality and corruption during his time.
While still a child, Oliver's early life is filled with twists and turns. Dickens came up with the name "Twist" to describe Oliver being branded for unexpected moments that would decide his fate. Some suggest the name "Twist" would mean that Oliver would meet a violent, cruel death at the gallows, as most in the Victorian era know what the name already means. In actuality, Oliver defied the odds that he could live a long life and leave his poverty behind with his purity and bravery.
Most of Dickens' characters have character developments that affect their storylines and the plot, but Oliver's stays the same. As he goes through the horrible mistreatment in his childhood, including having to sleep in a room of coffins at Mr. Sowerberry's and living with ruthless criminals, the darkness that plagues him is enlightened that he never loses his childhood innocence and has good morals; as if Oliver is depicted as being a young saint, and can conquer the evils with his virtuous character.
Storyline[]
Parental Background[]
Edwin Leeford was forced into a marriage by his grandfather to an older woman despite Leeford not being interested in the relationship.[1] The couple had a son named Edward, but their marriage was estranged. The Leefords separated when Edward was ten years old but didn’t divorce. Mrs. Leeford took her son to Paris, and Leeford became friends with a retired naval officer.
Agnes Fleming was the daughter of Captain Fleming, who had moved into the same area where Mr. Leeford lived. Her mother died half a year ago, and she had a younger sister named Rose, who was around 2 or 3 years old. Both Leeford and Agnes fell in love the more her father’s friendship with Leeford increased. By the end of the year, they were engaged.
Around the same time, a wealthy relative of Leeford had just died and left him a large inheritance, and he had to go to Rome to deal with the will. Before his departure, he goes to London to meet with his old friend Mr. Brownlow, who would have married Leeford’s deceased sister. Leeford left some things he couldn’t bring abroad to Mr. Brownlow, one of which was a portrait of Agnes that he painted himself. He told Mr. Brownlow he had planned to sell everything he had inherited, take the money with him and flee the country while leaving some of his property to his wife and son. He had not told Mr. Brownlow he was providing for Agnes and their unborn child but promised to write to him about everything. Mr. Brownlow never saw his friend again.
Oliver's parents, Agnes Fleming and Edwin Leeford (ITV, 1999)
Mrs. Leeford, upon hearing of her husband’s inheritance, travelled from Paris to Rome to meet him there, and she took Edward with her.[2] But after arriving in Rome, Leeford suddenly fell ill and died, seemingly leaving no will. He was so ill he didn’t know his wife and son were in Rome to meet him, and his whole property went to them. After his death, Mrs. Leeford and Edward found two papers inside his desk dated during his illness; one was a will and the other a letter to Agnes, who was now several months pregnant. In the letter, Leeford confessed to Agnes that she had trusted his guardianship, but an obstacle had prevented them from being married immediately since he was already legally married. Whenever he lived or died, he begged Agnes for forgiveness and reminded her not to blame their child for his sins. He also reminded her of the day he had given her a locket and a ring with her name engraved on it, and the blank side of the locket was where he would have his portrait engraved. He prayed she would keep it and wear it close to her heart and wrote the same lines repeatedly.
Leeford’s will details the miseries of his cruel wife and son, who had learned to turn against his father. Leeford left £800 to Mrs. Leeford and Edward but plans to divide his property into two portions; one would go to Agnes and the other to their unborn child. If the child were a girl, she would inherit the property unconditionally. If it were a boy, he would only receive the inheritance in adulthood without committing any public act of dishonour. The other portion would have gone to Edward if dishonourable actions ruined the male child’s reputation. While still suffering from guilt shortly before his death, Leeford had confidence that his unborn child would grow up to be gentle and noble like his mother; if so, he would still have inherited the money. But if not, he would only see his children as equals, with Edward being a good son and the other a hardened criminal.
Mrs. Leeford then burned the will, and the letter never reached Agnes. After finding out about his daughter’s relationship with a married man and being impregnated by his child from Mrs. Leeford, Captain Fleming took his daughters and fled to Wales, where he changed his family name. Ashamed of her illegitimate pregnancy, Agnes fled her home. After finding out his daughter had disappeared, Captain Fleming searched for her everywhere. Assuming she has killed herself, Captain Fleming died of a broken heart.
Agnes wanders alone until she stumbles into an unknown town, where she is found lying on the street and brought into the town’s workhouse.
Early Life at the Workhouse[]
Oliver's birth (ITV, 1999)
Oliver is born in the workhouse where Agnes was brought in sometime after she was discovered on the street.[3] After being delivered by a surgeon, the infant struggles to breathe, and after a breath and a sneeze, he loudly cries. Agnes, now dying, asks the surgeon to bring her newborn son to her. The surgeon and Mrs. Thingummy, a drunk nurse attending the birth, insist she isn't going to die, with the nurse ranting on how she lived a life with 13 children and hopes the mother would live the same life as she had. Agnes shakes her head and stretches out her hands for her son. Oliver was placed into his mother’s arms by the surgeon. After she kisses him, Agnes dies. The surgeon laments the mother’s death as Mrs. Thingummy takes the baby away and picks up a cork she dropped. The surgeon instructs the nurse to feed the baby some gruel as he prepares to leave. He asks about the mother, and Mrs. Thingummy explains how she was brought in; since her shoes were worn out from a distance away, they don’t know who she is or where she came from.
The surgeon notices that the mother has no wedding ring on her finger and takes his leave as Mr. Thingummy drinks around the bottle and wraps the infant in a worn-out blanket. The baby starts to cry as he becomes an orphan and is in the care of the workhouse. He was subsequently given the name ‘Oliver Twist’ by the parish beadle Mr. Bumble.
For the next 8-10 months, Oliver was raised in the workhouse, but after the parish authorities couldn’t find a woman to nurse him, they insisted Oliver be placed in the care of a brand workhouse.[4] Oliver is sent to a baby farm 3 miles away from the workhouse, run by an elderly woman named Mrs. Mann. She is paid seven pence-halfpenny for the food and clothing for the children in her care. However, Mrs. Mann selfishly keeps the money for herself, and the children at the baby farm are barely fed and die of malnourishment. The surgeon and beadle don’t investigate the conditions at the workhouse, therefore allowing the children to suffer under her care.
Because of this, Oliver grows into a sickly, frail child, even if he manages to survive infancy. On his 9th birthday, Oliver is kept in the coal cellar for being too hungry when Mr. Bumble arrives at the farm. Mr. Bumble explains to Mrs. Mann how the workhouse officials could never uncover Oliver’s parentage or any other relatives and reveals how he named the boy. He then adds that Oliver is too old to stay at the farm, and he’s come to take him back to the workhouse. Mrs. Mann goes to fetch Oliver and is brought to Mr. Bumble. Mr. Bumble asks Oliver if he will go with him, but Oliver catches a glimpse of Mrs. Mann and sees her shaking her fist at him. He keeps quiet not to reveal the miserable environment he’s living in.
Oliver asks Mr. Bumble if Mrs. Mann will come with him. Mr. Bumble replies that she cannot, but she can visit him sometimes. Mrs. Mann gives Oliver a piece of bread and butter in case he gets hungry at the workhouse. While wearing his brown parish cap, Oliver is led away by Mr. Bumble, with the boy feeling sad that he is leaving the home he has lived in since he was born and some of the children he befriended. Oliver held onto Mr. Bumble’s golden cuff and constantly asked if they were there yet.
When they arrive at the workhouse, Mr. Bumble taps Oliver with his cane to wake him up and another one to make him behave as they come into the room where the board chairmen are gathered. Mr. Bumble orders Oliver to bow to the board, and after Oliver wipes away some tears, he makes his bow. The gentleman in the higher chair asks the boy his name, and Oliver becomes frightened of the men before him. Mr. Bumble hits him with his cane, causing Oliver to cry, but he says his name in a weak voice.
The gentleman in the higher chair asks Oliver if he knows he’s an orphan, and the boy doesn’t understand. The gentleman reminds Oliver that he has no parents and was raised by the parish, which causes Oliver to cry bitterly. Another gentleman reminds Oliver to say his prayers every night, pray for the people who look after him, and treat him like a Christian. But as Oliver has never been taught about religion, the gentleman in the higher chair declares he will be educated and taught a trade. The gentleman in the white waistcoat informs Oliver he will pick oakum tomorrow morning at six o’clock, and Oliver cries himself to sleep that night.
For the next six months, Oliver lived and worked at the workhouse in full operation. The workhouse ruled that the impoverished could starve slowly in the house or starve quickly on the streets. In addition, the undertaker’s budget was a major budget from the rising death toll. The children gathered in a stone-walled hall where they were served gruel for their daily mealtimes. But the gruel was very thin, and some children would try to eat every last bit in their bowls. Oliver and the boys suffered from extreme starvation for three months, and one night, a taller boy feels like he wants to eat a smaller boy sleeping next to him.
Oliver asks for more gruel (Oliver!)
The boys decide to cast some lots on who will ask for more gruel the following evening; Oliver is chosen. The next evening, the children are served their meal. Afterwards, Oliver is nudged by some boys to do what he has been chosen to do. With his bowl and basin in his hand, Oliver walks up to the server and asks for more. The server and the assistants are shocked while the children watch in horror. After Oliver repeats his request, the server hits him on the head with his ladle, holds him down and calls for Mr. Bumble.
Mr. Bumble informs the board of how Oliver dared to ask for more, and after a brief discussion, Oliver is immediately placed into confinement. The next day, an advertisement is posted on the gate outside the workhouse, offering a reward of five pounds to anyone who would take Oliver away from the workhouse and teach him a trade.
For a week, Oliver was confined, crying throughout the day and struggling to sleep at night.[5] He faced punishments such as having water poured on him from the water pump on a cold day and being flogged in front of the other workhouse boys. One morning, a local chimney sweep named Mr. Gamfield comes across the ad poster at the workhouse gate. Already behind on his rent and in desperate need of five pounds, he decides he would need Oliver as his apprentice to obtain the money. He consults one of the parish gentlemen about wanting Oliver to be his apprentice despite several children dying under his supervision from chimney sweeping.
After the workhouse board has a whispered conversation, they inform Mr. Gamfield that since Oliver is likely unable to survive being a chimney sweep apprentice, he cannot have the five pounds, but they can offer him three pounds ten. Mr. Gamfield agrees with the offer.
Oliver is released from confinement and is ordered to wear a clean shirt. He is given a bowl of gruel and a piece of bread from Mr. Bumble, and he begins to cry as he thinks the board is planning to kill him. Mr. Bumble orders him to stop and informs him that he will become an apprentice and be taught a good trade for only three pounds ten. Oliver continues to cry, and Mr. Bumble again demands that he stop crying.
Mr. Bumble takes Oliver to the local magistrate, where the papers will be signed to seal the bargain. Along the way, Mr. Bumble instructs the boy to look happy, and when asked if he wants to be apprenticed, he should reply that he would like the opportunity. Oliver promises to obey while Mr. Bumble gives him a warning hint but doesn’t reveal what he’ll do if Oliver fails to behave. When they arrive at the magistrate’s office, Oliver is placed in a room, and Mr. Bumble orders him to stay there until he returns for him.
Half an hour later, Oliver is brought by Mr. Bumble to two judges; one is reading the newspaper, and the other is reading the parchment that will be signed to have the bargain sealed. Mr. Gamfield and another parish official, Mr. Limbkins, are also in the courtroom. The judge with the parchment dozes off, but the other judge quickly wakes him up. Mr. Bumble introduces Oliver to the judge and orders Oliver to bow to the judge. Mr. Bumble explains that Oliver is a chimney sweep, and Mr. Gamfield pledges he will ensure Oliver is well looked after.
At that moment, Oliver knows that as soon as the judge signs the papers, he will be whisked off with Mr. Gamfield, whom he sees as a nasty, cruel man. As the judge looks for his pen, he sees that Oliver has a horrified reaction and asks him what is wrong. Falling to his knees and clasping his hands together, Oliver begs to be locked back in the darkroom at the workhouse and says that he would rather starve and be killed than be an apprentice to the awful Mr. Gamfield.
Mr. Bumble is shocked by Oliver’s sudden change in his attitude, and the judge tells Mr. Bumble that he refuses to sign the deal, tossing the parchment away, with Mr. Limbkins hoping that the authorities won’t be held accountable for their mistreatment of children. The second judge orders Mr. Bumble to take Oliver back to the workhouse and treat him better. Mr. Bumble is disappointed, and Mr. Gamfield wishes he could have the boy.
The next day, another advertisement is posted with a reward of five pounds for anyone who will take Oliver out of the workhouse.
Apprenticeship at Mr. Sowerberry’s[]
While Oliver was back in confinement, the board discussed sending Oliver off to sea as a cabin boy, even if Oliver would be beaten mercilessly and potentially killed, but decided it was the only option.[6] That all changed when Mr. Bumble spotted the local undertaker, Mr. Sowerberry, viewing the advertisement on the workhouse gate.
Mr. Sowerberry explains that he is struggling with his undertaking business as the workhouse is paying him very little money for making coffins for the deceased. Mr. Bumble assures him he will make a fortune. After a discussion, Mr. Sowerberry wants to take Oliver in as his apprentice after paying the offer.
The board briefly met with Mr. Sowerberry and decided to have Oliver during a trial period. He would sign legal indentures if Oliver worked hard without overeating. If all goes well, Mr. Sowerberry can keep him for as long as he wants. Oliver is introduced to Mr. Sowerberry that night. He was told he would go with him to the undertaker's house. He would be sent to sea and drown if he ever complained about living there or returning to the parish. He barely shows any emotion when he hears the news; the board may refer to him as a "hardened rascal," but he will never be able to improve in the harsh environment he is living in.
While carrying all his belongings in a paper parcel and wearing his hat, Oliver is led away by Mr. Bumble. As they get closer to Mr. Sowerberry's house, Oliver starts to cry, and Mr. Bumble orders him to pull his hat up and look at him. Seeing Oliver's teary face, he thinks he is one of the worst boys he has ever had, but Oliver assures him he will be good. However, Oliver laments that he is a lonely child and everyone hates him. He begs Mr. Bumble not to be angry at him. Mr. Bumble looked at him astonishingly for a few minutes before they continued their journey.
Mr. Sowerberry is opening the shutters and writing an entry in his daily logbook when Mr. Bumble and Oliver arrive. Mr. Bumble introduces Oliver to Mr. Sowerberry and orders the boy to bow to him. While getting a better view of Oliver, Mr. Sowerberry calls his wife, Mrs. Sowerberry. She appears, and Mr. Sowerberry shows her to the boy. Mrs. Sowerberry is surprised to see how small Oliver is, and Mr. Bumble assures her that he will grow bigger. Mrs. Sowerberry doubts it as she finds it more expensive to look after parish children.
Mrs. Sowerberry calls Oliver a "little bag o' bones" and orders him to go downstairs as she opens a side door and pushes him down the steep staircase into the kitchen and coal cellar. Mrs. Sowerberry orders the servant Charlotte to give Oliver bits of cold meat left from their dog Trip. Oliver, who is now so hungry from being neglected, devours the food given to him. Mrs. Sowerberry is shocked to see how he ate it. She then asks Oliver to come with her as she takes a lamp and prepares to go upstairs. She tells him he'll be sleeping under the counter where the coffins are kept, and he cannot sleep anywhere else.
After she demands him to come, Oliver meekly follows her to his room.[7] An unfinished coffin stands in the middle of the room, and as Oliver gazes at it while surrounded by coffin parts, he becomes so frightened that it feels like he will go mad with fear. He crawls under the counter to his mattress, imagining sleeping in a coffin buried underneath the churchyard and the sound of the church bell soothing him to sleep.
The next morning, Oliver is awakened by someone kicking the shop door outside. He gets dressed when the knocking repeats about 25 times angrily. The person outside asks him to open the door, and Oliver undoes the chain and unlocks the door. The person through the keyhole asks Oliver if he is the new boy Mr. Sowerberry just took in, and he replies yes. The person asks him how old he is, and Oliver replies that he is ten years old.
Oliver tremblingly draws back the bolts and opens the door. He glances around the street and thinks the person who just talked through the keyhole has left but sees a large charity boy seated on a post in front of the house, eating a slice of bread and butter. Oliver asks the charity boy if he needs a coffin, and the charity boy looks at him fiercely and says Oliver would need a coffin soon if he said something like that.
As he descends from the post, the charity boy introduces himself as Noah Claypole and tells him he is under his control. He orders him to take down the shutters, kicks him and goes into the shop. Oliver takes down the shutters but breaks a pane from the window while Noah helps him with the assurance that Oliver will catch the glass pane. Mr. Sowerberry arrives soon afterwards, and Oliver follows Noah as they go downstairs for breakfast.
Charlotte gives Noah some bacon and orders Oliver to take some cold bits from the bread pan and eat them in the corner with some tea. Noah mocks Oliver and laughs. Charlotte laughs with him, too, and they stare at Oliver as he eats the stale bits of bacon in the corner of the kitchen.
Oliver has lived with Mr. Sowerberry for about a month. During dinner one night, Mr. Sowerberry asks his wife for some advice about him; he notices that the boy expresses melancholy and thinks that he would use him as a "mute" not for adult funerals but for the funeral services of children. Mrs. Sowerberry agrees with this idea. At breakfast the next day, Mr. Bumble arrives at the shop. He informs Mr. Sowerberry he has a coffin ordered from the Baytons’, a poor parishioner family whose sickly wife had just died at the workhouse and that the funeral must be held immediately. After Mr. Bumble leaves, Mr. Sowerberry tells Oliver that Mr. Bumble had forgotten to ask about him since Oliver kept himself hidden when he was present and trembled when he heard his voice.
Mr. Sowerberry puts on his hat, asks Noah to stay behind at the shop, and tells Oliver to put on his hat and come with him. Oliver obeys and follows him as they walk through town to their client's house. They walk into an impoverished area where the poorest people in town live and arrive at a decaying, filthy old house where some hideous rats suffer from famine. Oliver stays close to Mr. Sowerberry as they go up a flight of stairs toward the client's apartment, and knocks on the door. A young teenage girl opens the door and lets Mr. Sowerberry and Oliver in.
A man crouches over an empty stove with no fire in the room, with an old woman sitting beside him on the hearth. A group of malnourished children stand in a corner, and Oliver spots something covered in a blanket on the ground. He thinks that it could be a corpse. The man has a shaggy beard and bloodshot eyes, and the old woman has a wrinkled face with only two teeth. Oliver is afraid to look at them as they look like the rats he saw outside. The man demands Mr. Sowerberry to stay away from the body, while Mr. Sowerberry consoles him as he is used to the harsh environment. The man refuses to bury his wife as Mr. Sowerberry prepares to measure the body.
The man weeps as he kneels beside the body. He demands everyone kneel and laments how she was starved at the workhouse. He didn't realize how bad she was until she came down with a fever and started wasting away alone in the dark, unable to see her children's faces, but they heard her gasp out their names. The man begged to have his wife on the streets and was sent to prison; after he was released, he found out his wife was dying and blamed the workhouse for allowing her to die a miserable death from starvation.
The children begin to cry, while the old woman remains silent and threatens them to be quiet. She wobbles towards Mr. Sowerberry, says that the deceased woman is her daughter, and laments how she is lying cold and stiff on the floor rather than being a joyful woman enjoying life. She starts laughing as Mr. Sowerberry prepares to leave, but she stops him and asks him when her daughter will be buried. She also asks for a warm cloak, cake, and wine but changes her mind and wants bread and water instead. Mr. Sowerberry agrees and leaves with Oliver.
The next day, Oliver and Mr. Sowerberry returned to the poor family's home, where Mr. Bumble had just fed them some bread and cheese. Four men from the workhouse present will be the pallbearers. The man and the old woman wear the black cloak, and the pallbearers are prepared to take the coffin out of the house. Mr. Sowerberry urges the old woman and the pallbearers to hurry as they are late for the funeral service. The pallbearers went on their way, with the mourners following them as close as possible. Mr. Sowerberry and Mr. Bumble led the way, with Oliver walking beside them. They arrive at the churchyard, and the minister is running late as the clerk estimates he may arrive in an hour or later. The coffin is placed on a bier, and the mourners wait impatiently in the cold, dazzling rain. The children play around the churchyard while Mr. Bumble and Mr. Sowerberry, who are friends with the clerk, sit with him by the warm fire and read the paper.
More than an hour later, Mr. Bumble, Mr. Sowerberry and the clerk rush towards the grave, and the minister arrives shortly afterwards. Mr. Bumble thrashed a boy or two to make them behave, and the minister read out loud the funeral service for only 4 minutes before leaving. Mr. Sowerberry asks the gravedigger to fill the grave. However, the grave was filled up with so many coffins that the wife's coffin was placed just within a few feet of the surface. The gravedigger then fills the grave with his shovel before he leaves with the boys, disappointed their fun ended so soon.
Mr. Bumble tells the mourners to leave the churchyard as the man faints while the old woman laments on her cloak after the undertaker removes it. After cold water is thrown onto the man, he regains consciousness as he locks the churchyard gate, and the mourners go their separate ways. On the way home, Mr. Sowerberry asks Oliver what he thinks about attending a funeral for the first time, and Oliver admits he doesn't like it at all. Mr. Sowerberry assures him he will get used to it later on. Oliver wonders how long it took Mr. Sowerberry to get used to his undertaking profession but decides not to ask him as they return to the shop while he thinks over everything he has seen and heard.
A measles epidemic breaks out.[8] The undertaking business becomes very busy as more people die. Oliver gains more experience attending the funerals of the elderly and young and the adults being laid to rest daily. In addition, Mr. Sowerberry wants him to become as cold and busy as he is. However, Oliver starts to witness the hypocrisy of some of Mr. Sowerberry's clients. For example, when Mr. Sowerberry was burying a member of a wealthy family, the relatives would pretend to be heartbroken in public. Then, they would secretly be cheerful with their friends as if nothing had happened. The husbands who lost their wives would bear the loss with unusual calmness, and the wives who lost their husbands would barely show any grief. Oliver observes how the mourners would be grief-stricken during the burial but quickly get over their grief once the service ends.
For a few months, Oliver is bullied by Noah, who becomes jealous when Oliver makes an advancement in his apprenticeship while he stays the same. Mrs. Sowerberry and Charlotte also mistreat Oliver since Mr. Sowerberry is the only one who is nice to him. One day, Oliver and Noah are alone in the kitchen, feasting on a piece of mutton with Charlotte absent. Noah starts bullying Oliver by pulling his hair and ears. He expresses how he would like to watch Oliver be hanged and bullies him until Oliver gets upset.
Noah then asks Oliver about his mother, and he replies that she is dead and demands that he not talk about her to him. His attitude changes as Noah thinks he will cry more and asks how his mother died. Oliver says that he was told that she died of a broken heart. Noah mocks him as he sees Oliver shed a tear and asks him why he is crying. Oliver demands him to stop, and Noah tells him not to get worked up as he comments on how Oliver's mother was once a good person. He continues that nothing can be done now and feels sorry for him. But he tells Oliver that she was a “bad un.”
Oliver gets angry as Noah says she was a terrible woman who deserved to be working hard labour or hanged. Oliver finally snaps with rage as he grabs Noah's throat and shakes him angrily. He then shoves Noah to the ground and starts beating him. Noah calls for Charlotte’s help, and Charlotte and Mrs. Sowerberry scream as they burst into the kitchen. Charlotte angrily scolds Oliver as she pulls him from Noah and beats him a few times, with Mrs. Sowerberry helping her. Noah gets up and hits Oliver, too.
After a massive and violent struggle, Oliver is dragged to the cellar and locked in there. Mrs. Sowerberry sits down crying as Noah pours water to calm her down. Mrs. Sowerberry says how relieved they were that they weren’t killed, and Charlotte admits that some people were born to be bad. They also show sympathy for what Noah had just gone through.
Mrs. Sowerberry says her husband is not home, and something must be quick before Oliver breaks down the door as they can hear him kicking against the cellar door. Charlotte and Noah suggest they should call the police or armed forces, but Mrs. Sowerberry asks Noah to find Mr. Bumble and bring him back as soon as possible, to which he obeys and runs off quickly.
Noah finds Mr. Bumble at the workhouse and explains how Oliver became violent and beat him.[9] Noah and Mr. Bumble return to the Sowerberrys, where Oliver can still be heard kicking against the door. Mr. Bumble kicks the door and calls him through the keyhole. Oliver demands he let him out, and Mr. Bumble asks him if he recognizes his voice, and Oliver replies yes. Mr. Bumble asks if he is afraid of his voice, and he yells no. Mrs. Sowerberry explains that he has gone mad, but Mr. Bumble says that he has been overfed from meat being served to him, which explains his behaviour. He says he would have stayed the same if fed more gruel. He suggests keeping Oliver in the cellar until he is starving enough to be released and fed more gruel. He even mentions how Oliver’s mother was a healthy woman who struggled with pain before her death.
At the mention of his mother, Oliver continues to kick at the door. Mr. Sowerberry then arrives home, and he is told what has happened. He unlocks the cellar door and drags Oliver out by his collar. His clothes are torn during the beating, his face is bruised and cut, and his messy hair covers his forehead. His face is still flushed with anger, and when he sees Noah, he makes a furious glare at him. While shaking and smacking, Mr. Sowerberry asks if he is a good boy. Oliver claims Noah insulted his dead mother, while Mrs. Sowerberry says she deserves it.
Oliver cries that it is a lie, and Mrs. Sowerberry starts crying again. Mr. Sowerberry has no choice but to give Oliver a beating as punishment, which satisfies everyone. Oliver is locked up in the back kitchen for the rest of the day with a water pump and a slice of bread. At night, Mrs. Sowerberry can be heard making more mean comments about Oliver’s mother outside the door, and with Charlotte and Noah mocking him, Mrs. Sowerberry orders him to go to bed.
While alone in his room that night, Oliver weeps after the horrible mistreatment he endured that day. After remaining still for some time, Oliver gets up and, while listening closely and carefully, unlocks the front door. It is a cold, dark night with eerie-looking shadows from the trees. Oliver closes the door, and with the candle fire slowly extinguished, he gathers all his belongings into a handkerchief. He then sits on a bench and waits for dawn. Oliver unlocks the door as soon as the early rays of sunlight shine into the house. After a quick gaze, he shuts the door and looks around the street, unsure where to go.
Journey to London[]
Oliver remembers how some wagons went up the hill, and he took that route that led him into the countryside. Walking down that road, he remembers that it’s the same route he and Mr. Bumble took as he was escorted to the workhouse. He comes across the baby farm where he is raised and feels like turning back. But seeing how far he has walked and that he would barely be spotted this early in the morning, he approaches the house.
None of the children at the house were present around this time. Oliver looks into the garden and sees a boy removing weeds from the garden beds before he turns around, and Oliver is delighted to see that it is one of his friends, Dick. Though Dick was a few years younger than him, they were close friends and playmates, as they were both starved and locked up together many times.
Oliver shushes Dick as he runs to the gate and asks if anyone is awake yet. Dick replies that he is the only one up. Oliver tells him not to tell anyone he saw him and that he plans to run away. After being beaten and neglected, he decides he will hopefully find his fortune somewhere else he doesn’t know. He is also shocked to see how pale Dick looks.
Dick explains that he has heard a doctor say his health is failing. But he is happy to see Oliver again and urges him to pursue his path. Oliver assures he will do just that, and he has come to say goodbye. He hopes he will see him again and be happy and healthy. Dick hopes so, too, even though he knows the doctor is right and he will die soon. He dreams about being in Heaven with angels and being treated with kindness that he never received. He climbs the lower gate, and the two boys embrace each other, with Dick bidding him farewell and blessing him. It was the first time Oliver ever received a blessing, and he will never forget it. He then begins his escape from the workhouse.
After climbing a stile of stairs, Oliver is on the open road. It is now 8 o’clock, and while he is 5 miles away from the town, he hides in some hedges until noon, fearing that he is being followed by someone sent to look for him and bring him back.[10] He then sits down to rest by a milestone, thinking about where to go. He sees that the milestone is marked, in bare letters, that London is 70 miles away. He decides that London will be the perfect place for him, as nobody, including Mr. Bumble, will ever find him there. He remembered hearing from some of the men at the workhouse that London was where boys with quick wits and determination wouldn’t have to be impoverished. Since London is such a large city, those from the countryside may not know much about how to live there. Oliver thinks it will be the ideal place for him to live on the streets unless he receives help. He then gets up and starts his journey.
He has walked about four miles to his destination, thinking about what he will experience if he hopes to make it there. He slows down and focuses on how he will get there as he looks at his supplies. His bundle includes a crust of bread, a dirty shirt and two pairs of stockings. He also has a penny he received from Mr. Sowerberry following a funeral service in his pocket. He thinks the penny, shirt and stockings will be useful, but they won’t be enough if he has to walk 65 more miles during winter. But after thinking they may not be more important, he presses on.
Oliver walks 20 miles that day. During that time, he eats nothing but the bread crust and begs for food and water at passing cottages on the roadside. When night falls, he goes into a meadow and crawls under a haystack. He is scared by the howling wind and is cold, hungry, and more alone than before. Exhausted by a long day of walking, Oliver falls asleep and gets over his troubles.
The next morning, he wakes up cold and stiff. He is so hungry that he must use his only penny to buy a loaf of bread in the first village he walks in. He has walked 12 more miles when it becomes dark again. His feet are sore, and his legs are so weak he can barely walk. The damp air makes him feel worse the next evening, and he can hardly go any further by the next day. He is at the bottom of a steep hill when a stagecoach arrives. Nobody notices he is there, and some say he should wait until they reach the top of the hill, with the reward being a halfpenny on how far he can run. Oliver struggles to keep up with the coach but cannot because of his fatigue and sore feet. When the passengers see this, they take back their halfpenny and decide he is unfit for anything before driving away and leaving him behind.
Some villages have billboards with postings stating that begging is illegal, with the punishment being jail time. Oliver is afraid of these signs and is relieved to leave the villages as quickly as possible. In some places, he will stand around the innyards and miserably watch some people pass by until he is chased away, with the innkeeper thinking he has come to steal. Whenever he tries to beg at a farmer’s house, they threaten to have the dog attack him, and whenever he walks into a shop, some people inside talk about the beadle, which terrifies him. However, a roadworker and his wife see how frail he looks, reminding them of their grandson stranded alone somewhere in the world. They kindly give him some bread and cheese, which is enough to keep him alive.
Early in the morning, on the seventh day of his journey, Oliver staggers into the small town of Barnet. The streets are quiet as no one is awake at this time in the morning. The sun rises as Oliver sits down on a doorstep, covered in dust and his feet bleeding. Before long, the town comes to life as the townsfolk walk along the streets. Some stared suspiciously at Oliver or had a quick glimpse of him before moving on, with none of them even helping him. In addition, Oliver is unable to beg and continues to sit alone.
He sees that the town mostly has taverns and witnesses the coaches pass by. He then spots a boy he had walked past, observing him closely. When Oliver raises his head and looks at the boy, he approaches him, calling Oliver “covey.” He is around Oliver’s age but is one of the strangest Oliver has ever seen. He is wearing an adult coat that goes past his heels and trousers and wears a hat that is about to fall off his head.
The boy asks Oliver what is wrong with him, and Oliver explains that he is hungry and exhausted from walking a long journey in the past seven days. The boy is astonished that he has walked for this long and thinks he did it by the “beak’s order.” The boy explains that the “beak” is the magistrate and says that the “beak’s order” is when someone keeps going up and not back down, referring to a treadmill-like device that could fit inside a prison and that some people were forced to run in it. The boy then decides that Oliver needs some food and has some money to pay for it. He demands Oliver to come with him.
Helping Oliver get up, the boy takes him to a local shop and buys ham and a loaf of bread. The two go to a tavern and into the bar, where they are served some beer. Oliver eats his meal while the boy looks at him curiously. He asks Oliver if he is going to London and replies yes, but he doesn’t have lodgings or money. Oliver asks the boy if he lives in London, and he says yes. He also needs to return to London tonight, and he knows an old gentleman who would let Oliver have lodgings for free.
Oliver is delighted by this offer to have free lodgings and that this old gentleman the boy mentioned would make him comfortable. Oliver and the boy then have a friendly conversation, where the boy introduces himself as Jack Dawkins and is a personal protege to the old gentleman. His friends also know him as The Artful Dodger. Oliver thinks that the Dodger may be moral but decides he should go and stay with the old gentleman as soon as possible. But if the Dodger is still his usual self, he wouldn’t want to stay with him for much longer.
Meeting Fagin and his Gang[]
It is 11 o'clock at night when Oliver and the Artful Dodger arrive in London and the borough of Islington. They walk from the Angel to St. John’s Road, where the street ends at Sadler’s Wells Theatre. Next, they went down Exmouth Street and Coppice Row, past the grounds of the area’s local workhouse and through the area once called Hockley-in-the-Hole, followed by another walk at Saffron Hill. During their journey, Dodger walks quickly and directs Oliver to stay close to him.
While Oliver tries to keep track of the Dodger, he can’t help but look around him, as he has never been in a dirty, filthy place before. The path they are walking on is very narrow, and the air is filled with foul stenches. Along the way, they pass by shops and taverns filled with the poorest Irish citizens in London. The boys then left the main street and down a tight-knit slum neighbourhood, where drunk-looking and sickly people roamed.
Oliver thinks about whenever this is the time for him to run away when they reach the end of the hill. The Dodger catches him by the arm as he opens the door of a house near Field Lane and pulls him into the passage, closing the door behind them.
A voice calls from below, and the Dodger replies with something that appears to be a secret password. A dimly lit candle brightens the end of the passage, and a man’s face emerges from the balustrade of the broken staircase that led to the kitchen. When he sees the boys, the man lights the candle and asks Dodger who Oliver is. The Dodger says he is a new friend as he pulls his forward. The man asks where he comes from, and the Dodger says he is from Greenland and asks the man if Fagin is upstairs. The man says he is and urges the boys to go upstairs before he disappears. With his hand firmly held by the Dodger and the other groping the darkness, Oliver follows the Dodger up the dark staircase, and the Dodger manages to get up the stairs as if he is very familiar with the place. He opens the door to a back room and takes Oliver in with him.
The room is filthy and old, with a table that has a candle and some butter and bread on the table. A shrivelled, old Jewish man with a repulsive face and red hair is cooking some sausages on a frying pan and seems to be focusing on both the frying pan and a frame where a bunch of handkerchiefs are hung up. Some old sacks on the floor are also used as makeshift beds. 4-5 boys, who were younger than the Dodger, sat at the table but were smoking from pipes and drinking. The boys gathered around the Dodger as he whispered something to the Jewish man before they all turned and smiled at Oliver.
The Dodger introduces Oliver to the Jewish man named Fagin. Fagin bows to Oliver and shakes his hand, and another boy who smokes a pipe also shakes his hand. One boy is anxious to hang up Oliver’s hat for him, while the other is obliged to rummage through his pockets as Oliver looks too tired to do it himself. Fagin is pleased to have met Oliver and orders the Dodger to take the sausages and arrange a spot near the fire for their guest. When he notices Oliver staring at the handkerchiefs hanging up, he insists they are just laundry. Everyone sits down for dinner, and Oliver eats the sausages served to him. Fagin makes him a glass of hot gin water and asks Oliver to drink it immediately. Oliver drinks it and is lifted onto one of the sacks, where he falls fast asleep.
Oliver wakes up late the next morning from a long night of sleep. Fagin is the only one in the room boiling some coffee with an iron spoon in a saucepan for breakfast.[11] He will whistle to himself and pause occasionally to anxiously hear anything from downstairs before returning to what he is doing. Oliver is still tired as he sees Fagin with his half-closed eyes and listens to his whistling and the sound of the iron spoon.
Fagin finishes making the coffee and calls Oliver, thinking he is still asleep. When Oliver doesn’t respond as he pretends to be still sleeping, Fagin opens a trapdoor and takes out a small box. He drags a chair to the table, sits down, and then takes out a shiny gold watch from the box. He talks to himself about the people who took the gold watch and wonders if they have been executed while he is left alone with the loot. He puts the watch back and takes out more trinkets to inspect, such as rings, bracelets, brooches and other jewellery. He inspects more jewelry as he murmurs about criminals being hanged as a benefit for running a successful syndicate; even if they were caught, none of them could reveal the truth about his crimes. But when he catches Oliver watching him, he quickly closes the box and furiously gets up, holding a bread knife from the table. He asks the boy if he has been observing him, and Oliver replies that he can’t sleep any longer, insisting he hasn’t been awake for an hour. He apologizes to Fagin if he has disturbed him.
Fagin plays with the knife and jokes that he is only trying to scare him. He claims that everything in the box belongs to him and is what he needs in his old age. Oliver is curious about why an old man with so many riches would live in a filthy, run-down apartment but thinks he earned his wealth from his fondness for the Artful Dodger and the boys. Fagin asks Oliver to bring over a pitcher of water, and he’ll give him a washing basin. He gets up and walks across the room to get the pitcher, but when he turns around, the box is gone. He barely washes himself and empties the window basin when the Dodger and another boy enter the room. Oliver recognizes the boy he saw smoking the other night and is introduced to him as Charley Bates.
Fagin and the boys sit down for breakfast with some coffee, ham and roll the Dodger brought back in his hat. Fagin praises them for their hard work and asks them what they have brought back. The Dodger says he has some pocketbooks and shows him two pocketbooks. Fagin notices, reads through them, and comments on the Dodger’s intelligence to Oliver. Charley Bates laughs, and Oliver is surprised at what he’s laughing at. Charley shows Fagin four handkerchiefs, and after Fagin inspects them, he notices they haven’t been marked well, but he can teach Oliver how to do it. He asks Oliver if he wants to learn how to make handkerchiefs like Charley. Oliver would like to have him teach him, assuming the boys made the handkerchiefs themselves. Dodger says nothing but smooths Oliver’s hair, saying he would know better. Fagin changes the subject by asking the Dodger and Charley if there was a crowd at the execution that morning, and they replied they were both there. Oliver is curious how the boys managed to be so hardworking and diligent.
After breakfast is cleared away, Fagin and his boys play a curious, unusual game. Fagin places a snuff box in his trouser pockets and a note case in another. He has a watch in his waistcoat pocket, a guard chain, and a diamond pin on his shirt. With his coat buttoned and the handkerchiefs and spectacle case in his pockets, Fagin walks around the room with a stick and stops by the door and fireplace, looking around anxiously and keeping his pockets protected. Fagin does it so strangely that Oliver finds it funny and laughs.
The Dodger and Charley follow Fagin closely while staying out of his sight. Then they take the trinkets out of Fagin’s pockets, and when he notices his possessions are missing, they start the game again. They play it a dozen times when two young ladies enter the room. One is named Bet, and the other is named Nancy. While they don’t look beautiful and are untidily dressed, Oliver thinks they are nice-looking women. The women stay for a while, drinking liquor and chatting with Fagin and the boys. At some point, Charley says it is time to “pad the hoof,” and Oliver suggests it is French for going out. Shortly afterwards, the Dodger, Charley and the women left with some money Fagin gave them.
Fagin comments on their pleasant lives while using a fire shovel to sweep the hearth and adds that Oliver should follow their advice, mostly the Dodger’s, who would make him a great man like himself. He stops and asks Oliver to take the handkerchief out of his pocket as the boys did earlier in their “game.”
Oliver takes the handkerchief out and shows it to him. Fagin praises him by patting him on the head and giving him a shilling. He hopes that if Oliver continues his actions, he will be the greatest man of all time and then asks him to help him embroider the handkerchiefs. Oliver wonders how pretending to pickpocket Fagin could make him a great man but follows him to the table to help him with the handkerchiefs.
First Attempted Robbery/Mr. Brownlow[]
For several days, Oliver is kept in Fagin’s apartment, picking out the marks of the handkerchiefs brought back and participating in Fagin’s “game” with the Artful Dodger and Charley every morning.[12] After a while, he wants to go outside and asks Fagin a few times if he could join the boys in their work. Fagin values hard work, and whenever the Dodger of Charley returned empty-handed, he would severely punish them by sending them to bed without supper. On one occasion, he even threw them down the stairs.
At last, one morning, Oliver is chosen to do some work. There haven’t been any handkerchiefs for the past 2-3 days, and their meals are low rationed. Whatever the reasons, Fagin decides to let Oliver go out and assigns him to join the Artful Dodger and Charley. The boys set off, with Oliver wondering where they are going or what he’ll do today.
The two older boys walk lazily, and Oliver assumes they are deceiving Fagin by not going to work. He notices the Dodger has a habit of pulling off the hats from young boys and tossing them away while Charley takes some apples and onions from vendors and pockets them. Oliver is appalled by their behaviours and is about to say something about them as they walk from the Clerkenwell open square, and then the Dodger stops, pointing to an old gentleman by the bookstall.
The old man is reading at the bookstall and is so focused on his book that he isn’t paying attention to the passerby or the bookstall. Oliver watches closely from a few paces, horrified when he sees the Dodger snatch a handkerchief from the old man’s pocket and run away with Charley. At that moment, he realizes the truth about Fagin, the handkerchiefs, the jewelry, and the strange “game” they are playing.
He stands still with fear for a moment before he runs away. As he takes off, the old gentleman notices his missing handkerchief and spots Oliver fleeing. He shouts, “Stop thief!” and goes after him. To avoid attracting suspicion, the Dodger and Charley slip away from the main street and hide in a corner. As they spot Oliver running, they also cry, “Stop thief!” as Olver continues to run with the old gentleman and the two boys yelling behind him. The townsfolk quickly take notice, and several citizens, including the tradesman, baker and other young boys, chase Oliver through the street while knocking down other people and rousing some dogs.
The entire town is in an uproar as Oliver continues to run away from his chasers. One of the chasers eventually tackles him and knocks him to the pavement. The townsfolk gather around him and make room for the old gentleman to come and identify him. Oliver is on the ground, covered in dust and mud, his mouth bleeding as he stares wildly at the citizens standing around him while the old gentleman is dragged into the circle by one of the pursuers.
The old man thinks this could be the boy who robbed him as the townsfolk praise him, but he feels bad when he sees that he is hurt. A large, clumsy man stepped forward and said he was the one who stopped him and punched him in the mouth. The old gentleman looks at him disdainfully and is about to leave when a police officer arrives and grabs Oliver by his collar. He demands him to get up. Oliver pleads to the officer that he didn’t do it and that the two boys robbed the old gentleman as he glances around for them. The officer doesn’t believe him as the Dodger and Charley had already escaped from the court. He again demands him to get up while the old gentleman tells him not to hurt him. The officer says he won’t hurt him and tears off the boy’s jacket, knowing he is the culprit. Oliver can barely stand up as the officer drags him away as the old gentleman follows him with the crowd looking on.
Oliver is taken to the nearest police station with the crowd following him towards Mutton Hill.[13] He is dragged into the police station courtyard and brought before a guard. The man asks what has happened, and the officer who arrested the boy explains that he is a thief. But he doesn’t think Oliver stole his handkerchief and wouldn’t want to press charges against him. The man says that Oliver will be brought before the magistrate to have a look at him.
A door is unlocked, and Oliver is taken inside and placed into a stone cell. After he is inspected, he is locked up. The cell is small and dirty since it keeps six drunk people locked up elsewhere. The police station is mostly where people charged with petty crimes are imprisoned, unlike the infamous Newgate Prison, where those convicted of serious crimes are tried, sentenced and executed.
The old gentleman looks at Oliver regretfully and believes that he is innocent. He also notices that his appearance looks familiar. He is brought to the magistrate's office, Mr. Fang, and then into the courtroom for questioning.
Mr. Fang is a cross, stern man who is busy reading the newspaper when the old gentleman comes in, where he shows him his card and introduces himself as Mr. Brownlow. Mr. Fang tosses his paper aside and asks an officer if Mr. Brownlow is charged. The officer says he isn’t, but he has appeared against Oliver. Mr. Brownlow wants to say something about Oliver. Mr. Fang demands him to be quiet, and Mr. Brownlow refuses, with the magistrate threatening to throw him out.
After Mr. Brownlow is sworn in, he explains how he was at the bookstall and saw nothing or witnesses. Mr. Fang threatens to punish Mr. Brownlow if he doesn’t provide any evidence, and Mr. Brownlow proceeds to make a statement about how he chased the boy who was running away and believed he might be connected to a group of thieves. However, he may not be a thief himself. He then concludes that Oliver is badly hurt and fears he is sick as he glances at Oliver. Mr. Fang demands Oliver say his name, but he is unable to speak as he turns pale. Mr. Fang orders the officer to know his name but notices the boy cannot answer the question. He does not want the magistrate to be infuriated even more, so the officer responds for him. He tells Mr. Fang that the boy’s name is Tom White, he lives where he can, and his parents died when he was a baby.
Oliver weakly asks for some water. Mr. Fang thinks he is trying to fool him, and the officer comments that he is falling ill. Mr. Brownlow wants him to be looked after, and Mr. Fang will let him if he wants. Oliver then faints while everyone is silent. Mr. Fang thinks he is faking it and orders the men to leave him there. The clerk asks what they should do with the case, and Mr. Fang sentences Oliver to 3 months of hard labour. The door opens, and officers are about to carry Oliver to his cell when an elderly man runs into the office and begs them not to take the boy away.
Mr. Fang demands he has cleared away, but the man, who was the owner of the bookstall, demands to be sworn in and speak out about what he just saw. The bookseller explains that he saw three boys, including Oliver, on the opposite side where Mr. Brownlow was reading. He saw one of the two older boys rob him, and Oliver was shocked at what he had seen. After a pause, Mr. Fang asks him why he didn't come to his office earlier, and the bookseller replies that he couldn't find anyone to supervise his stall as everyone was chasing after Oliver. It took him 5 minutes to find someone to take over for him before he ran to the magistrate's office. Mr. Brownlow exclaims that he had forgotten to buy the book he was reading when being robbed. Mr. Fang, while trying to look more humane, tells him that while he suspiciously took that book without purchase, he should be lucky that he isn't going to be prosecuted by the bookseller for it. He then orders the office to be cleared out.
Mr. Brownlow is led out of the building while filled with rage. He spots Oliver lying on the pavement, his shirt unbuttoned and his face very pale. Mr. Brownlow looks down at him with pity and orders someone to fetch a coach. Oliver is placed carefully in the backseat when the coach arrives, and Mr. Brownlow gets inside the vehicle. The bookseller asks if he should come, too, and Mr. Brownlow urges him to get in. The bookseller goes into the coach, and it drives away.
The coach drives close to where Oliver first entered the city with the Artful Dodger.[14] It turns to a different route at Islington and parks in front of Mr. Brownlow's house in the London suburb of Pentonville. Oliver is placed into a bed made for him and kindly looked after. Oliver lay unconscious in bed for many days afterward, suffering from a fever. Eventually, he finally wakes up after suffering from a possible troubled dream but is still weak and pale from his illness. He feebly raises himself from his bed and anxiously looks around. He wonders what he is doing here and where he was taken to. He also notices that this isn't where he usually sleeps. He talks in a weak tone but is quickly overheard. The bed curtain is pulled back by an elderly woman wearing neat, stylish clothing who rises from her seat while doing needlework.
The old woman softly tells him to be quiet, or he will be sick again, as he is in bad condition. She gently places his head back onto the pillow and strokes his hair. She looks at him so kindly and lovingly that he holds her hand and places it towards his neck. She notices how grateful and beautiful Oliver is while shedding tears, and she wonders how his mother would feel if she sat by him and saw him. Oliver whispers to the old woman that she probably saw him and sits beside him. The old woman says that it was just the fever.
Oliver replies that people in heaven are too happy to visit him, but if his mother knew he was ill, she would have pitied him, as he believes she was ill just before she died. After a moment of silence, he adds that his mother would be sad to see him hurt, and her face was sweet and happy whenever he dreamed of her. The old woman doesn't answer this but wipes her eyes and glasses. She then brings Oliver some cool refreshments and tells him he should be quiet now. He obeys her and lies still, mainly that he is anxious to listen to the kindly old woman or is too exhausted from what he has said. He then dozes off but is awakened by the burning light of a candle brought near his bed.
A doctor with a golden pocket watch checks his pulse and tells him he is already feeling better. He asks him if he is doing alright, and he replies and thanks him. Oliver says he isn't hungry or tired, but he is thirsty. The doctor tells the old woman, Mrs. Bedwin, that she can serve him tea and toast. He reminds her not to keep him too warm but also wants her to ensure he doesn't get too cold before he leaves. Oliver dozes off again shortly afterwards but wakes up close to midnight. Mrs. Bedwin says goodnight to him, and a fat old lady arrives with a bundle that includes a small Prayer book and a large nightcap. While putting her cap on and book on the table, she tells Oliver she will sit with him all night. She sits down by the fire and starts dozing off. Occasionally, she would suddenly wake up and fall back asleep.
The night quickly passes by. Oliver would lay awake for some time and count the little circles of light on the ceiling from the reflection of the rushlight shade or stare at the patterns on the wall. He usually senses whenever death is with him in the room's darkness and will pray before gradually falling into a deep, peaceful sleep, which happens for a few more days. On a bright day, Oliver will wake up happy and cheerful as he recovers from his illness. Within three days, he was placed into a chair and propped up by pillows. Since he is still too weak to walk, Mrs. Bedwin would carry him downstairs into her room. He is placed by the fireplace, and she starts to weep when she sees how much better he is.
Mrs. Bedwin tells him not to mind her crying, and Oliver compliments her kindness. She tells him that Mr. Brownlow might come in and visit him today. They also must have their best looks to please him. While she warms up a saucepan of broth, Oliver stares at a portrait of a young woman on the wall. Mrs. Bedwin, noticing his glance, asks him if he is fond of portraits. Oliver replies that he doesn't know as he has seen very few of them, and he admires the beautiful face of the young woman. Mrs. Bedwin admits that artists often make women more beautiful in paintings.
Oliver notices the portrait resembles him and asks who the young woman is. Mrs. Bedwin replies that she doesn't know her, but it is someone he likely won't know, anyway. Oliver is awestruck by it and says it is beautiful. Mrs. Bedwin asks him if he is afraid of the painting, and the boy replies he isn't, but the eyes are so fixed on it that it looks like it wants to speak to him. Mrs. Bedwin tells him not to talk that way since he is still weak and turns his chair around so he won't see the portrait.
Oliver thinks that the painting may have wreaked havoc into his imagination, but considering it's best not to make Mrs. Bedwin more worried, he smiles at her, and she serves him some broth seasoned with salt and broken bits of bread. Oliver enjoys his meal and is just about to finish it when there's a knock on the door, and Mr. Brownlow enters. He looks closer at the boy, and Oliver tries to get up but sinks weakly back into his chair. Mr. Brownlow pities Oliver's weak condition but sees how well he is doing; he tears up and pretendedly tells Mrs. Bedwin he has caught a cold. Mrs. Bedwin hopes he isn't sick, too, and Mr. Brownlow claims it may be from a damp napkin from dinner. He then asks Oliver how he is doing and replies that he is pleased and grateful for his generosity.
Mr. Brownlow says that some wine would have done him good and addresses him as Tom White. The boy reveals his name is actually Oliver Twist, and Mr. Brownlow asks what made him tell Mr. Fang of his false name. Oliver says he has never told him. Mr. Brownlow looks at him sternly and suspiciously to see if he is not lying but knows he cannot be uncertain of him. He brushes it off as some mistake, and Oliver asks if he is not angry at him, and the old man replies he is not.
Mr. Brownlow suddenly notices that the portrait above him has the same striking resemblance to Oliver. Oliver then faints from the excitement of Mr. Brownlow’s exclamation.
The Gang Kidnaps Oliver[]
Oliver wakes up from his fainting spell.[15] He is still too weak to get up for breakfast, but when he goes to Mrs. Bedwin’s room the next day, he hopes to look at the portrait again but is disappointed to see that it has been removed. Mrs. Bedwin tells him it is gone, and Oliver asks why it was removed. The housekeeper explains it was taken away as Mr. Brownlow thinks the portrait has caused him to worry and prevented him from recovering. Oliver says it didn't bother him, and he actually loved it. Mrs. Bedwin promises him it will be hung back up once he is fully recovered before changing the subject to something else.
Oliver soon gets over the painting as he listens to Mrs. Bedwin tell him stories about her children; she had a daughter who was married to a handsome man and living in the countryside and a son who worked for a merchant in the West Indies. She also brings up her husband, who died at 26 years old before announcing it was tea time. Afterwards, she brings in a game of cribbage that Oliver learns quickly how to play until he is served some warm wine and water with some toast and then sent to bed.
Oliver thrives happily in Mr. Brownlow's home. Everything is quiet and neat, and everyone is so kind. Before long, he is strong enough to dress himself, and Mr. Brownlow provides him with a new set of clothes. After being told what he would like to do with his old clothes, Oliver gives them to a kind servant, asks her to sell them, and even allows her to keep the money. Oliver watches outside the parlour window as the servant gifts the old clothes to a poor Jewish man, and Oliver is glad they are gone and won't have to wear them again. He has also never worn new clothes before.
A week later, while talking with Mrs. Bedwin one evening, Mr. Brownlow wants him in his study. Mrs. Bedwin asks Oliver to wash his hands and offers to style his hair. After fixing his shirt collar, Oliver knocks on Mr. Brownlow's study door and is invited inside. The study is filled with books and lovely little gardens outside the window. Mr. Brownlow is sitting at a table reading, and he puts his book away when he sees Oliver and asks him to sit down. Oliver surveys all the books in the room, and Mr. Brownlow observes his curiosity. He tells him he shall read them if he behaves, and he will appreciate it. Oliver points to the heavier books, and Mr. Brownlow smiles and pats his head by saying that other heavier books are smaller. He then asks if he would like to write books one day, and Oliver replies that he would rather read them.
Mr. Brownlow asks him why he doesn't want to be a writer. Oliver thinks about it for a moment and says he would prefer to be a bookseller. Mr. Brownlow laughs and promises he won't make him an author. Oliver thanks him, and Mr. Brownlow then asks the boy to pay attention to him. Oliver, afraid of his serious tone, begs Mr. Brownlow not to send him back out onto the streets or where he came from, as he wants to stay with him and be a servant, and begs for mercy. Mr. Brownlow tells Oliver he will never turn him away unless he deceives him, and Oliver insists he will never do such a thing. Mr. Brownlow hopes he won't, as he has been deceived many times but knows he can still trust him.
After some minutes of silence, while Oliver sits still, Mr. Brownlow assures him that since he lost so many loved ones in his past, he hopes that Oliver won't cause him more heartbreak. He then asks Oliver to tell him about his background, and Oliver explains that he was raised on a baby farm and was taken to the workhouse by Mr. Bumble. His story is interrupted by a knock at the door, and a servant announces to Mr. Brownlow that Mr. Grimwig has arrived for tea.
Mr. Brownlow smiles and turns to Oliver, explaining that Mr. Grimwig is his longtime friend. Mr. Grimwig, a stout old gentleman, walks into the room, and while holding an orange peel, he says in an angry tone that he tripped on the peel on the staircase and that it was near death for him. Mr. Brownlow introduces Oliver to Mr. Grimwig.
Mr. Grimwig asks if this is the boy who suffered from the fever and then thinks he is the one who left the orange peel on the staircase. Mr. Brownlow laughs, says it is not Oliver and asks him to talk to Oliver. But thinking Mr. Grimwig will say something negative about Oliver from his irritable mood, Mr. Brownlow asks Oliver to go downstairs and inform Mrs. Bedwin they are ready for tea.
At teatime, the two gentlemen enjoyed themselves despite Mr. Grimwig's suspicion of Oliver. Mr. Grimwig asks Mr. Brownlow when he will learn about Oliver's entire story, and Mr. Brownlow says he will find out more tomorrow morning at 10 o'clock. He prefers to have the conversation private and asks Oliver to meet with him again tomorrow at the arranged time. Oliver obeys him, and Mr. Grimwig warns Mr. Brownlow that he will deceive him. Mr. Brownlow insists he will not. At that moment, Mrs. Bedwin comes in with a small parcel of books that Mr. Brownlow had bought earlier from the same bookseller. He asks Mrs. Bedwin to call out for Oliver, and when he returns, Mr. Brownlow wishes to have the books returned by tonight. Mr. Grimwig asks Mr. Brownlow to let Oliver take the books back, and Oliver says he will do the favour. Mr. Brownlow is about to say he shouldn't go out but decides he will still need to do it to prove his suspicions to Mr. Grimwig.
Mr. Brownlow tells Oliver he can go, and the books are on a chair by his table. Oliver soon returns with the parcel and his hat and waits for further instructions. Mr. Brownlow asks Oliver to tell the bookseller he is bringing the books back and will pay him the four-pound ten he owes. He gives him a five-pound banknote and asks him to return the ten shilling change. Oliver says he will be back in less than 10 minutes; afterwards, he puts the money in his jacket and the books under his arm, followed by another bow and leaves the room. Mrs. Bedwin leads him to the front door while giving him the closest directions, the bookseller's name and the street. Oliver quickly understands this, and after he is led out the front door, he looks around gaily before turning a corner.
As he walks along, he thinks about how happy and cheerful he should be and wishes he could see his friend Dick again when he is startled by a young woman calling him her brother, and he hardly looks up when she flings her arms tightly around his neck.[16] Oliver struggles and tells her to let him go and why she is stopping him. The woman cries out loud as she embraces him while holding a basket and a key. She laments that she has found him, and he must come home with her. She got so hysterical from her crying that it attracted the attention of some women who asked a butcher's boy if he should fetch a doctor, and he said he should not. The woman insists she is fine and explains that Oliver ran away from his parents a month ago and joined a gang of thieves that nearly broke his mother's heart. The townsfolk then angrily orders Oliver to go home, and he protests that he doesn't know her and is an orphan living at Pentonville. He then recognizes her as Nancy from Fagin's gang.
Nancy insists to the townsfolk that he knows her and that he must come home right now. Bill Sikes, one of the gang members, comes out of a beer shop with his dog and demands that Oliver go home to his mother. Oliver screams for help as Sikes grabs him. When he sees the books Oliver is holding, Sikes thinks he has stolen them, rips them from Oliver's arms, and strikes him on the head. The townsfolk observing say the boy got what he deserved. As darkness falls, Oliver is dragged by Sikes and Nancy through the dark alleyways and back to their lair.
Oliver, Sikes and Nancy arrive in an open court with pens for animals.[17] Sikes slows down with Nancy unable to drag the boy any further and tells Oliver to hold onto Nancy's hand. Oliver hesitates and obeys, knowing he won't be able to resist them. Sikes seizes Oliver's other hand and tells his dog, Bullseye, to bite Oliver's throat if he makes a sound while pointing to the boy's neck.
The dog leads the way, with Oliver confused about where they are going. They are now walking down Smithfield while the night is dark and foggy. The lights from the shop are barely lit in the heavy fog, and everything in the shrouded mist is very strange to Oliver. They hear a church bell toll, and Bill and Nancy stop to look where the sound came from. Nancy says it is 8 o'clock when the ringing ceases, and Sikes replies she doesn't need to tell him the time. Nancy wonders if anyone could have heard it, and Sikes recalls when he was locked up for a night in jail. Nancy pities him, but Sikes doesn't care what would happen to the other prisoners. He firmly grasps Oliver's wrist tightly as he makes him walk more.
Nancy remarks to Sikes that if he were hanged at 8 o'clock at the Newgate Prison, she would walk around the place and never leave. Sikes is jealous of her sympathy for the inmates of Newgate and urges her to hurry up. The couple walks on, and Oliver feels her hand trembling and sees her pale face. They walk for half an hour and then turn into a narrow, filthy alleyway filled with old clothing stores. Bullseye then stops in front of a door of an abandoned house in Saffron Hill.
Oliver hears a bell ring, and the door opens. Sikes grabs the boy by his collar, and the three enter the house. The passage is dark, and they wait until someone who lets them in locks the door. A voice is heard that Oliver recognizes. Sikes then asks if Fagin is here, and the voice says yes. Oliver knows he has heard that voice before but cannot see who it is from the darkness. Sikes wants some light or else risk the others harming themselves or treading on the dog. The voice replies that he will get him one, and the Artful Dodger appears with a lit candle.
The Dodger looks at Oliver humorously before motioning the others to follow him downstairs. They walked into an empty kitchen and then into another damp-smelling room. Charley laughs that Oliver has returned, and he lays on the floor, unable to control his hysterical laughter. He then takes the candle from the Dodger and surveys him while the Dodger goes through Oliver’s pockets. Charley laughs at Oliver's clothes and sets the candle so close to his jacket that it nearly sets him on fire. Fagin mockingly bows to Oliver and tells him he is glad to have him back. He also tells him that the Dodger will give him a new outfit and why he didn't write that he was coming. He also has a warm supper prepared.
Charley laughs aloud while the Dodger smiles and pulls out the five-pound banknote. While Fagin takes the banknote, Sikes is curious and wants it. Fagin insists it is his and Sikes can have the books. Sikes argues that if he and Nancy can't have the money, he'll take Oliver back, with Oliver hoping that he may be sent back to Mr. Brownlow. Sikes demands Fagin to hand over the banknote, and Sikes retorts about him and Nancy wasting their time kidnapping Fagin's runaway boys and demands he give him the money. He then takes the banknote from Fagin and ties it to his neckerchief.
Sikes tells Bates he can either keep or sell the books. Oliver then tells them they belong to the old gentleman who took him in and nursed him back to health. He begs them to return the books and money to him, even if he plans to stay with the gang. He worries that Mr. Brownlow and Mrs. Bedwin would think he has stolen them and pleads to return them. Fagin remarks that Oliver is right and tells him his caregivers will think he is a thief. Sikes replies that when he spotted Oliver at Clerkenwell with the books, he knew he was stealing, and his caregivers wouldn't have the courage to prosecute him.
Oliver becomes so bewildered and desperate that he runs away, screaming for help. Fagin and two of his boys chase after Oliver and drag him back to the room, where Nancy pleads to Sikes not to let the dog hurt Oliver. After demanding Nancy to be silent, Fagin turns to Oliver and asks him if he is trying to escape from them as he takes a club from the corner of the fireplace. Oliver doesn't reply as he fearfully watches him approach him, asking him if he will find help from the police and if he will make sure he will cure him of that. Fagin hits him on the shoulders with the club, but Nancy snatches it and throws it into the fire.
Nancy angrily tells Fagin he may have Oliver back but demands him to leave him out of this while she looks at him and Sikes in a fit of rage. Fagin and Sikes look at each other, confused, and Fagin praises her for her cleverness. Nancy says that she will not overdo it. Fagin, unwilling to deal with Nancy alone, glances at Sikes to see if he can handle her situation. Sikes initially thinks he could console her as he utters curses and threats, but seeing that it wouldn't do good, he argues with her and demands what she is talking about. While laughing hysterically, Nancy replies that she knows everything about it, and Sikes remarks that she is kind enough to be a friend to Oliver.
Nancy declares passionately that she would rather be killed on the streets or switched places with the others than be brought to Fagin's lair and calls him a thief, liar and devil. Fagin urges Sikes to be more civilized while motioning to the other boys witnessing the scene. Nancy argues that she has been stealing for Fagin since she was Oliver's age and has been at his service for 12 years. While attempting to be calm, Fagin replies that it is part of her life. Nancy blames Fagin for corrupting her and is condemned to live on the cold, filthy streets every day until her death.
Fagin threatens Nancy if she says anything more. She says nothing but is about to charge at him when Sikes seizes her by the wrists. After a few struggles, Nancy faints, and Sikes places her in a corner, remarking on her strength when in a frenzied mood. Fagin wipes his forehead and smiles in relief. He replaces the club and Bates to take Oliver to bed, and he won’t wear his best clothes again.
Bates takes the candle and leads Oliver into an adjoined kitchen, where he produces Oliver's old clothes and those he had given away while at Mr. Brownlow's. It's also been revealed that the same Jewish man who received them told Fagin of Oliver's whereabouts. He asks Oliver to take off his best clothes for Fagin to handle, and Oliver obeys him. Bates then leaves with the new clothes rolled up under his arm and locks the door, leaving Oliver alone in the dark room. In the other room, Bates is heard laughing, and Bet arrives to look after Nancy while Oliver soon falls asleep.
The next day at noon, while the Artful Dodger and Bates are out on duty, Fagin gives Oliver a long lecture about ingratitude to make him feel guilty that he has abandoned his friends in the gang and how he tried to escape from them.[18] Fagin brings up how he had taken him in to be looked after and would have starved on the streets without his care; he even recalls the one time he took in a boy who was on the streets, but after he ran away and tried to go with the police, he ended up being hanged at the Old Bailey. Fagin admits that the others had planted evidence against him, but it devastated him that it was because of his betrayal, but doing so would keep Fagin and his gang safe from the authorities. He then concludes his lecture by describing to Oliver the painful agony of being hanged and hoping that Oliver won't meet the same fate.
Oliver trembles in fear as he listens, but he already understands that even the innocent like him can easily suffer fate when they are with the wrong company. Fagin had several of his treacherous thieves in trouble, which happened on several occasions. Fagin then pats him on the head and tells him they could become friends if he remains quiet and participates in the gang's business. Fagin then leaves with his hat and coat, locking the door behind him. Oliver is locked in the room alone for many days. After a week, Fagin unlocks the door, and Oliver can explore the house. The walls and ceilings were neglected and covered in dust, and Oliver thinks that long ago, the house belonged to well-off people, and the house would have looked nice and furnished before now.
There are spiderwebs on the walls and ceiling and a mouse scampers by whenever Oliver walks into a room. At dark, he crouches into a passage corner by the door when he gets tired of exploring the rooms. He would sit there for hours until Fagin or the boys returned. The window shutters in all the rooms are boarded up, and only a small amount of sunlight shines through. There is a black garret window with bars instead of shutters, and Oliver would look out and see nothing but rooftops and chimneys.
One afternoon, the Dodger and Charley decide to spend the day at the house before they are expected to go out at night, and the Dodger commands Oliver to assist him immediately. Oliver is relieved to be in the company of the two boys, but the Dodger sits on the table and makes him polish his boots. The Artful Dodger tells Charley that Oliver would be a great "prig" (thief). Charley agrees with him, and they both smoke their pipes before the Dodger asks Oliver what a "prig" is. Oliver thinks he knows the answer and asks the Dodger if he is one. Dodger replies that he is, including Charley, Fagin, Nancy, Sikes and Bet. The Dodger admits that Bullseye won't bark in a witness box unless he's tied up there and left for a fortnight.
The Artful Dodger brings up how fierce the dog is and is hostile to other dogs that aren't his breed. But the Dodger knows that Oliver is not involved in this, and he and Charley ask Oliver if he would like to be a thief. Oliver replies that he doesn't want to and would rather leave. Charley rejoins that Fagin would like him to stay, but since Oliver knows that expressing his feelings would be too risky, he continues polishing. The Dodger exclaims that being a thief means he won't have to be dependent and be more prideful with himself. Charley puts some silk handkerchiefs into a cupboard and thinks leaving is cruel, and the Dodger says in disgust that he couldn't try. Oliver suggests that the Dodger should leave his friends and let them be punished instead. The Dodger says Fagin would have been in trouble without the Dodger and Charley's intelligence.
The Dodger produces a handful of shillings and halfpence and declares he enjoys being in Fagin's gang and that the money in his hand would be more to come. Charley asks Oliver if it's bad to steal, and he gestures by holding up his neckerchief with his head on his shoulder and pretending he is being hanged. Dodger smiles at the shoes Oliver polished and tells him Fagin will make him a criminal. He also warns him to start training as a thief, as he wastes time. The Dodger and Charley then start describing their pleasure, similar to their criminal lifestyle, which hints to Oliver that he should begin to follow Fagin's teachings.
Fagin is then heard unlocking the door upstairs as the Dodger explains to Oliver that if he cannot steal any watches or handkerchiefs, someone else might well, so they should profit. Fagin then walks in unseen by Oliver and agrees with the Dodger. He rubs his hands and laughs delightedly at his pupil's skills. Bet arrives shortly afterwards, along with a man Oliver has never seen before, whom the Dodger introduces as Tom Chitling.
Chitling is around 18 years old, whose clothes are filthy and unkempt; he was also just released from prison and, despite being older than the Dodger, Chitling is more respected than him. Fagin asks Oliver if he knows where the gentleman has just come from. Oliver replies that he doesn't know, and Chitling asks Fagin who Oliver is. Fagin says it is his young friend. Chitling tells Oliver it doesn't matter where he came from, but he will soon fit in with them. Everyone laughs at this and gathers by the fire, and Fagin invites Oliver to join them. They talk about different subjects, such as the advantages of their criminalities, the Dodger's respect, Charley's humour, and Fagin's generosity.
From that day afterwards, Oliver wasn't left alone and spent more time with the Dodger and Charley as they played the thieving game on Fagin every day. On other days, Fagin will tell his stories of robberies he committed in his younger years and tell them in such a humorous way that Oliver laughs in amusement, unaware that Fagin is attempting to poison his mind and soul and make him one of his own.
The House Robbery/Oliver is Wounded[]
Oliver awakens one morning and is surprised that a new pair of shoes are left for him; his old shoes are gone.[19] He thinks at first that he will finally be released, but while at breakfast with Fagin, Oliver is shocked when Fagin tells him he will be taken to Sikes' home. Oliver asks anxiously if he's staying there forever, and Fagin replies no. He assures him not to be afraid and that he will still be returned to them. Fagin toasts some bread over a fire as he chatters playfully with Oliver.
Fagin asks Oliver if he wants to know what he's going to Sikes' house for. Oliver feels embarrassed, as if Fagin is reading his thoughts, but replies yes. Fagin turns away from Oliver in disappointment and says Sikes will tell him. Oliver asks him more questions about his upcoming departure, but Fagin remains silent and refuses to answer until evening.
Fagin puts a candle on the table and tells Oliver he may light it. He also gives Oliver a book until Sikes arrives to fetch him and bids him goodnight. Fagin walks to the door but suddenly stops and turns around to Oliver. He warns him that Sikes is a dangerous, brutal man and that he should say nothing to him when he gets angry. After smiling and nodding his head, Fagin leaves the room.
While trembling, Oliver thinks about Fagin's warning and doesn't know why he is being delivered to Sikes. He suggests he could be Sikes' servant and run errands for him until another boy takes his place. He has been used to suffering already but finds himself in more disarray by this sudden change. He remains lost in thought for a few minutes until he snuffs the candle and reads the book laid out for him. He flips through the pages and reads a passage that catches his attention. The book is a history of famous criminals' lives and trials. Oliver becomes terrified as he reads about some of the horrible crimes these criminals have committed, such as murders on the side of the road and bodies hidden in wells and pits. When the criminals were finally caught, they confessed in horror and yelled for the hanging gallows to end their misery. He also reads about how some men who lay on their beds late at night were seemingly tempted by their demented thoughts to commit heinous, bloody crimes.
Terrified by what he has read, Oliver closes the book and throws it. He then falls to his knees and prays to Heaven to spare him from being a criminal, and he would rather die than be held accountable. He becomes calmer, and in a small, broken voice, he prays that he will be rescued and hopes this miracle will come to a lonely, outcast child like him in such a miserable place. He finishes his prayer but remains with his hands covering his face when he hears a rustling noise. When he spots a figure in the doorway, Oliver raises the candle and sees the figure is Nancy. He sees how pale she is and asks if she is sick. Nancy sits down on a chair with her back towards Oliver and doesn't reply.
Nancy then cries out that she never thought about doing this. Oliver asks her what is wrong and if he can help her, and Nancy rocks herself until she gasps for breath. Oliver stirs the fire and brings her chair closer but sits there in silence until she looks around and says she doesn't know how she feels from her cold, damp room. She then asks Oliver if he's ready, and he asks her if he's going with her. Nancy replies that Sikes has sent her to fetch Oliver, and he will accompany her. Oliver asks what he wants him for, and Nancy assures him it's nothing serious.
Oliver thinks about appealing to Nancy's sympathy but remembers that it is 11 o'clock, and some people on the streets could help him. He tells her he is ready to go with her hastily. She looks at him narrowly and points him to the door while looking around anxiously. She tells him there is no point in escaping now, as she has tried to protect him but to no avail. If he does attempt to flee, this is not the right time. Oliver looks up at her in surprise, and she seems to speak the truth. She explains that she has protected him once and will do it again for those who want him. She would find it rough for herself had she not kept him safe and promised to make sure he stayed quiet; otherwise, she'd risk harming or possibly killing herself and him. She points to some bruises on her neck and arms that she received as punishment for protecting Oliver and persuaded him not to allow her to suffer more harm.
Nancy admits to Oliver that she would still protect him more if she had the power and assures him they won't mean to harm him; whatever they make him do, she wants him to know it's not his fault. She then urges him to take her hand and, after blowing out the candle, leads him up the stairs and out the door. It is a dark night, and a coach waits for them. Nancy pulls Oliver into the coach, and the coachman drives away without asking for directions. Along the way, Nancy holds onto Oliver's hand and warns him again about Sikes like Fagin did earlier. Everything passes so quickly that Oliver can't recollect what he has heard or where he is when the coach stops in front of a house.
Oliver glances down the empty street and feels like crying for help or escaping. But after Nancy tells him he will not be able to flee, he hesitates but gives up the opportunity when he is taken inside. Nancy lets go of him and leads him to Sikes, standing on top of the stairs with a candle and beckons them to come upstairs. Sikes says Bullseye is with Chitling as he would be in the way of their plans and saw that Nancy had brought Oliver as they entered a room and closed the door.
Sikes then asks Oliver to come to him as he needs to give him a lecture. He rips Oliver's hat off and throws it into a corner, and Sikes sits at a table with Oliver standing before him. Sikes takes a pocket pistol from the table and shows it to Oliver. Sikes then loads the weapon, puts the barrel to his head, and warns him that if he dares to speak when he is with him unless he speaks to him first, he will shoot Oliver in the head and remind him to say his prayers if he disobeys him. Sikes then explains that nobody would ask about Oliver if he turns up dead, and Nancy explains that if Oliver double-crosses him during their job, Sikes won't hesitate to kill him.
Sikes agrees with Nancy and decides they should have some supper and get some sleep before getting started. Nancy then lays the cloth on the table and returns a few minutes later with a pot of porter and sheep's heads. Sikes appears in a good mood, while Oliver has no appetite. After supper, Sikes disposes of some glasses of water and alcohol and goes to bed, ordering Nancy to wake him around 5 o'clock. Oliver lays on a mattress on the floor, and Nancy sits before the fire until the appointed time comes. Oliver was awake for a long time and waited for Nancy to give him any more advice, but she sat by the fire. Oliver then falls asleep.
When Oliver awakes early the next morning, he sees Sikes placing some things into his coat pockets, and Nancy prepares breakfast. It is still dark as the candle is burning on the table, and it is raining heavily outside. As Oliver gets up, Sikes says it's half past five and orders him to eat breakfast, as they are already late for their job. Oliver eats his meal and replies to Sikes that he is ready. Nancy tosses Oliver a handkerchief to tie around his neck, and Sikes gives him a large cloak to wear over his shoulders. Oliver takes Sikes' hand, and after bidding farewell to Nancy, Sikes leads Oliver away. Oliver glances back to see if Nancy would look at him, but she has resumed her place by the fire.
Oliver and Sikes walk down the street in the heavy rain, with the sky showing early signs of daylight.[20] The streetlights are dimly lit, but the streets are quiet and empty, with the houses' windows still shut tight. By the time Oliver and Sikes turn into Bethnal Green Road, it is already the crack of dawn, and London is slowly awakening with the streetlamp lights going out. Farmer wagons drive to the city, and a stagecoach covered in mud will occasionally drive by. The taverns and shops open their doors, and labourers are on their way to work. The noise and traffic increase when Oliver and Sikes enter the city, and when they cross between Shoreditch and Smithfield, London is already bustling.
Sikes and Oliver walk down Sun Street and Crown Street, then to Finsbury Square. Afterwards, Sikes leads Oliver through Chiswell Street, Barbican, Long Lane and Smithfield. Today is market day at Smithfield. The ground is covered in filth and muck; many pens are filled with cattle and sheep. The market is very loud, with bleating and squeaking from the livestock, voices and bells from the taverns, and the yells of dirty, unkempt locals pushing their way through the crowds. Sikes drags Oliver with him as he makes his way through the crowd, and Oliver becomes fascinated by the sounds. Sikes and Oliver escape the crowd and go down Hosier Lane in Holborn. Sikes looks up at the clock of St. Andrew's Church, which is 7 o'clock. He urges Oliver to hurry up as he tugs on his wrist and walks faster to catch up with the robber. After walking past Hyde Park corner, they are on their way to Kensington when Sikes slows down until an empty cart appears with "Hounslow" imprinted.
Sikes asks the driver if he could give them a ride to Isleworth. The driver agrees and asks him if Oliver is his son, and Sikes replies he is as he looks hard at Oliver with his hand in his pocket where the pistol is. The driver asks Oliver if Sikes walks too fast, seeing that he’s out of breath from walking a long time. Sikes claims he is used to it and helps Oliver into the cart. The driver points the boy to some sacks he can rest on before the cart takes off. As they drive, Oliver wonders where Sikes is taking him as they pass by Kensington, Hammersmith, Chiswick, Kew Bridge and Brentford. The cart then stops at a pub called The Coach and Horses, and Sikes gets out and helps Oliver down, again staring at him ominously. Once the driver and his cart drive away, Sikes tells Oliver he may look around while they continue their journey.
They pass the pub and walk longer, passing by gardens and wealthy houses. They will only stop for some beer, and they arrive at a town where Oliver sees a house wall with the words on it imprinted "Hampton." After walking around the fields for a few hours, Sikes and Oliver return to the town to an old tavern, where Sikes orders dinner by the fire. The kitchen is old and low-roofed, with several rough men sitting by the fire, drinking and smoking on the benches. They barely took notice of Oliver and Sikes as they sat by the corner. They eat some cold meat for dinner and sit at the table for a long time afterwards. Sikes smokes 3-4 pipes, and Oliver knows they won't go much further. Already exhausted from waking up early and the long walk, Oliver starts to doze off a bit; he falls asleep from his fatigue and the heavy smell of tobacco smoke.
Sikes later awakens him when it grows dark by shoving him. He rouses and looks around to see Sikes questioning a man by asking him if he's going to Lower Halliford. The man replies that he is going there while drunk on ale; he says his horse had a hard time getting here, and Sikes asks the man to give Oliver a ride in the direction he is travelling. The man thinks he can take the boy directly there, but Sikes says he is going further to Shepperton. After ensuring Sikes pays off the waitress and confirms their deal, Sikes and the man bid each other good night and leave the building as the waitress cleans up and watches them leave.
A drunk horse waits outside, harnessed in a cart. Oliver and Sikes get into the cart, the man mounts onto the cart, and the horse rides away. It is a dark night, and the mist is damp from the river and spreads over the fields. It is also a cold night, and the driver is getting sleepy. Sikes doesn't talk with the driver, and Oliver huddles in a corner, confused. The clock strikes seven as the cart passes by Sunbury Church. A light shines from a house across the road that casts a dark shadow over the churchyard graves, followed by the sounds of water falling and the leaves of an old tree blowing from the wind. After driving on a lonely road for 2-3 more miles, the cart finally stops. Sikes and Oliver dismount from the cart and walk along in the darkness until the lights from a town are seen at a short distance. They walk onto a bridge but suddenly turn down the bank to the left. Oliver fears Sikes will kill him by the water, and he is about to throw himself onto the ground and beg for his life when he notices they are standing in front of a decayed, ruinous house. There is no light seen, and everything looks dismantled. Sikes opens the latch and goes inside with Oliver.
A voice calls out as they walk inside the passage. Sikes locks the door and tells the voice of Crackit to bring a candle.[21]Crackit calls a man named Barney to wake up and provide some light. He throws a boot-jack at Barney to wake him up, and after a violent thud is heard, the sleeper is heard muttering. Crackit chastises Barney for sleeping while Sikes stands in the dark without light. Barney then comes shuffling towards Sikes and Oliver with a lit candle, and after greeting them, Sikes pushes Oliver in front of him. They enter a dark room with a smoky fire, broken chairs, a table and an old couch. Crackit is wearing cheaply-made clothes and seated at a table smoking a pipe. Crackit greets Sikes and demands Oliver who he is when he spots him. Sikes introduces the boy to him, and Barney addresses Oliver as a lad from Fagin's gang. Crackit thinks Oliver will make a fine pickpocket.
Sikes whispers something in Oliver's ear while Crackit laughs and looks at Oliver with astonishment. Sikes asks for food and drink while waiting and orders Oliver to sit by the fire as he will go out with him again later. Oliver looks at Sikes in silence before drawing a stool near the fire and sitting down with confusion. Barney places some supper onto the table. After rising to make a toast for their success and tossing his pipe aside, Crackit sits down and drinks some liquor from the bottle. Sikes also helps himself with a glass, and Crackit demands Oliver to drink as he pours some of the liquor into his glass. Oliver stammers and Crackit tells Sikes to make Oliver drink it. After Sikes orders him to drink, the frightened Oliver drinks the contents and coughs violently, leaving the men delighted.
Oliver only eats a small crust of bread, and after the meal, Sikes and Crackit lie down on their chairs for a short nap while Barney lies on the floor covered with a blanket. Oliver sits on his stool by the fire. As the men slept on and off, with Barney awakening a few times to toss some coals into the fire, Oliver eventually falls into a heavy doze. He imagines himself roaming around the gloomy lanes or the dark churchyard or thinking about the past events of that day. He is awakened by Crackit jumping up and declaring it is 1:30 in the morning. Sikes and Barney immediately get up and make quick preparations. Sikes and Crackit put on some heavy shawls and their heavy coats. Barney brings the men some items from a cupboard, which they quickly cram into their pockets. He also gives Sikes and Crackit some loaded pistols. After both men receive a thick stick each from Barney, Sikes wraps his cloak on Oliver and declares they are ready.
Oliver, who is confused about what's going on and still dazed by the liquor, takes Sikes' hand, and he, Sikes and Crackit leave the house. It is now very dark, with the fog heavier. The air is also damp, and Oliver's hair and eyebrows are already stiff from the moisture. They walk across the bridge and towards the lights ahead of them. They are soon in Chertsey. Sikes whispers they should hurry through the streets, as they won't be seen in the darkness. They make their way down the town's main street, which is already deserted at this hour. A dim light shines from a bedroom window, and some dogs are heard barking, but nobody is present. The men and Oliver are out of town as the church bell strikes two.
The men and Oliver hurry their pace and turn to the left of the road. After walking for a quarter of a mile, they stopped at a detached house surrounded by a wall. Crackit climbs over the wall and asks Sikes to help Oliver climb over. Before Oliver can look around his surroundings, he is grabbed under the arms by Sikes and forced over the wall. Sikes then comes next afterwards, and they advance towards the house.
Oliver then realizes in horror that they are preparing to break into the house and rob the place. He then falls to his knees, and Sikes murmurs angrily to get up as he draws his pistol. Oliver begs Sikes to let him run away and die in the fields, and he will never go near London again. He pleads for mercy and not to let him burglarize the house. Sikes prepares his pistol when Crackit covers Oliver's mouth and drags him to the house. He demands Oliver be quiet, or he'll bludgeon him to death on the head. He orders Sikes to break open the shutter, and the shutter's hinges swing open after using the crowbar quietly. It is a small window, about 5 feet and a half from the ground. It opens into a small kitchen at the back of the house, but since the window is too small for Sikes and Crackit, they decide it is large enough for Oliver to crawl through.
Sikes draws a lantern close to Oliver's face and tells him he will hoist him up the window. He will take the lantern with him to light his way across the dark house, unlock the front door and let him and Crackit in. Crackit explains to Oliver that there is a lock at the top that he cannot reach, and he should stand on one of the chairs in the hallway, as there are 3 of them to unlock. Crackit peers inside the window and says the door is wide open. Sikes demands him to be silent, and Crackit puts the lantern down and leans against the wall to make a step. Sikes mounts on top of him, gently pushes Oliver through the window, and lands feet-first inside the room.
Sikes gives the lantern to Oliver and asks him if he sees the stairs. Oliver shouts yes, and Sikes points to the door with his pistol. He orders him to do his task; he will be killed if he fails. He assures him it will be done in a minute and orders him to go. Oliver then decides whether he gets killed or not, he will attempt to run upstairs and alert the sleeping family of the robbers. He then advances quietly when Sikes suddenly yells at him to come back. Frightened by Sikes' loud voice and the disruption of the house's stillness, Oliver drops the lantern and can't decide whether to stay or flee. After Sikes' cry is repeated, two half-dressed men appear at the stairway, and one shoots Oliver. Sikes steps through the window and drags Oliver with his collar back out, firing his pistol at the two men.
Seeing that Oliver was shot by one of the men, Sikes wraps his bleeding arm with a shawl. Crackit and Sikes take Oliver and flee as a bell is heard ringing, followed by firearms and shouting. As they are escaping, Oliver is terrified and falls into unconsciousness.
The Maylie's[]
While escaping from the house, Sikes rests Oliver on his knee and looks back for the pursuers. There is barely anything to be seen in the darkness, but the voices of men, dogs barking, and bell ringing can still be heard. Sikes orders Crackit to stop and asks him to help him carry Oliver, but Crackit only worries about looking out for himself. As the voices draw closer when the pursuers are climbing over the fence of the field the robbers are standing in, Crackit demands that Sikes drop the boy and leave him. Crackit runs off, and Sikes makes a final glance before placing Oliver onto the ditch's ground and taking off behind a hedge.[22]
One of the pursuers calls the dogs back, and three men, already out of breath from chasing the criminals, stop to discuss the matter but don't see Oliver lying in the ditch. A fat man named Mr. Giles suggests they return home immediately. The men are all afraid of the criminals, arguing until Mr. Giles agrees when a shorter man named Brittles admits his fears. They talk about their good senses as they leave the fields. Mr. Giles is the steward/butler of the house who shot Oliver, and Brittles is a working lad who is still a young boy.
Oliver lay motionless on the wet, damp ground where Sikes had left him. The next morning, it rains hard, and Oliver groans in pain as he awakens. His left arm, bandaged and bloodied from the gunshot wound, hung uselessly at his side. He is so weak that he can barely sit up and looks around for help while groaning from his wound. He stands up, shivering and exhausted, but collapses. After he manages to stand up again, he staggers away with his head dizzy and his mind filled with Crackit and Sikes, as well as watching the pursuers chase them when they escape. He weakly staggers through the gate until he is on the road, and it starts to rain.
He sees a house not too far from him and hopes the people there will take him in and look afterwards; otherwise, if they reject him, he finds it better to die near humans than on the fields. After summoning up his courage, he walks towards the house and thinks it slightly looks familiar. Then he sees the same garden wall he and the robbers climb over, the house they tried to rob. Oliver is filled with fear as he recognizes the house and thinks about running away rather than his wound. He doesn't know where he could go even if he wasn't injured. He opens the garden gate, staggers up the front walk, up the steps, and knocks on the door. Then, he collapses against one of the house pillars.
Inside the house, Mr. Brittles and Mr. Giles are talking about the robbery to two female servants when they hear the knocking on the door and open it to find Oliver exhausted and delirious, muttering quietly to them for help. Mr. Giles and Brittles are surprised to see him there. Mr. Giles seizes Oliver by his arm and leg and drags him into the hallway. Mr. Giles immediately recognizes him as one of the thieves who broke into the house tonight and also recognizes him as the thief he shot on the stairway. The two female servants run upstairs to deliver the news that the robber has been caught, and the house tinker attempts to revive Oliver. A sweet, beautiful young woman around 17 years old whispers to Giles from the top of the stairs, and he tells her he is fine and the boy on the floor can't resist him. The woman orders Giles to be quiet as he will alarm her aunt like the robbers did and asks if the boy is hurt. Giles replies that he looks wounded, and Brittles asks her to look at him. She tells him to wait while she speaks to her aunt and returns soon afterwards with orders to carry Oliver upstairs and lay in Mr. Giles' room while Brittle rides to Chertsey to bring back a doctor and police constable. Mr. Giles is apparently proud he shot him. The woman begs him to treat the boy kindly for her sake. Mr. Giles then picks up Oliver and carries him upstairs.
Oliver laid sound asleep in Mr. Giles' bed, with his bound, fixed wounded arm on his chest and his head resting on the other arm.[23] The young woman, Rose Maylie, her aunt, Mrs. Maylie, and the doctor come upstairs to see if he really is a thief. They enter the bedroom, close the door, and pull back the curtains. Mr. Losberne looks on as Rose sits beside Oliver and strokes his hair from his face, and her tears fall onto his forehead. Oliver stirs and smiles in his sleep, and Mrs. Maylie is curious if he is a thief. Rose is shocked at how this could happen to someone at such a young age, and the doctor states that everyone, from old and young, can be a criminal. Mr. Losberne ushers the women out of the room so they won’t disturb Oliver, where Rose begs Mrs. Maylie not to send the boy to jail. Mrs. Maylie asks Mr. Losberne what they should do, and he suggests they wait until the boy wakes up, hear his side of the story, and determine if he is a good child.
That evening, Oliver finally wakes up, and Mr. Losberne brings in Mrs. Maylie and Rose to hear his story. Oliver is still weak and fatigued, and his mind is full of anxiety when he sees the women and the doctor. He decides it will be best to tell them everything, stay quiet until the next morning, and talk to them about his story. He pauses from his weakness, feeling calm and relieved when his pillow is smoothed out for him and is surrounded by love and sympathy since the Maylies and the doctor don’t think he is a wicked child. He also believes this could be a suitable place to die if he can no longer survive. He then falls back asleep, and while he is resting, some police officers arrive to inspect the house, and the Maylies and Mr. Losberne discuss the robbery and how they will protect Oliver from getting arrested. Mr. Losberne invites the officers upstairs to inspect Oliver, who looks more feverish than before. Mr. Losberne helps him up and tells the officers he was the one who was shot during the robbery and later returned to the same house that morning but was mistreated by Mr. Giles. Oliver stares at the officers, confused about what is happening. Mr. Giles is brought in when he confesses he couldn't tell if Oliver was from one of the robbers. Mr. Losberne then lies Oliver back down and checks his pulse. The doctor and the officers go into another room to question Brittles, where they examine the gun and learn there was no bullet. The officers left after they were fully convinced Oliver had nothing to do with the attempted break-in.
Oliver thrives and recovers under the Maylies’ and Mr. Losberne’s loving care as time passes.[24] But besides his injured arm, Oliver fell sick from the wet, cold air for a few weeks. But he slowly recovers and emotionally expresses his feelings about the Maylies’ kindness and hopes he will grow strong and well again. He will also do anything for them to express his gratitude, such as working and doing their errands, which makes Rose show sympathy for him and says he will have many opportunities to serve them. She then tells him her aunt is taking her into the countryside, and she would like Oliver to come with them, as the beautiful spring air and calm nature will indeed have him fully recovered. Oliver insists he will do anything for them, such as watering their flowers, watching the birds and running around the fields that would impress her. Rose assures him that she and Mrs. Maylie will gladly allow him to help with their errands. Oliver is left satisfied by the girl's kindness. Rose expresses how she is glad her aunt is kind enough to take in and save someone with such a miserable background.
Oliver claims he feels ungrateful, saying he is missing the old gentleman Mr. Brownlow and his servant Mrs. Bedwin, who took such good care of him, and he's disappointed how they aren't here to see how happy he is now. Rose assures him he will still get to see them again, as Mr. Losberne will take him to see them once he can make the journey. Oliver becomes excited that the doctor plans to reunite him with Mr. Brownlow and Mrs. Bedwin. Within a short time, Oliver feels better about travelling to the countryside with the Maylies. One morning, he and Mr. Losberne set out in a coach belonging to the Maylies, but Oliver turns pale when they cross Chertsey Bridge. Mr. Losberne asks him what is wrong, and Oliver points out the coach window to a house. Mr. Losberne asks the coachman to stop the vehicle and asks Oliver about the house. Oliver whispers that it is the same house the thieves took him to.
Mr. Losberne exits the coach and runs to the house, kicking at the door. A small, ugly, hunched man opens the door, and Mr. Losberne grabs him by the collar, demanding an explanation about the robbery. The man asks about Sikes' whereabouts and retreats into the house, and Mr. Losberne goes into the parlour, where he finds out it is nothing Oliver had described and the little man had lived here alone for years. The doctor returns dissatisfied to the coach and glances at Oliver from inside the coach, feeling furious and stern. They drive away with the little man cursing at them. After a long silence, Mr. Losberne calls himself a fool and asks Oliver if he knows about it. He says no, and the doctor tells him not to forget about it; then explains a few minutes later that even if he was in the right place, he didn't know what he could have done by himself, and it wouldn't be that way if he had assistance, as he is constantly getting himself into obstacles and impulses. But despite his mistakes, he is still respected by those who know him and still believes in Oliver's story.
Oliver knows the name of Mr. Brownlow's street, and the coach drives towards the street, leaving him breathless and nervous. Oliver points out Mr. Brownlow's house to Mr. Losberne and begs that they must make haste. The doctor pats him on the shoulder and assures him he will get to see him, and they will finally be happy to see him again. Oliver hopes so because Mr. Brownlow and Mrs. Bedwin care for him. The coach parks at the wrong house but goes down a few paces and stops at Mr. Brownlow's house. Oliver gazes at the window, teary-eyed with happiness, but the house looks empty. Mr. Losberne tells Oliver to knock next door and wonders why Mr. Brownlow isn't home. They ask a servant what has happened, and after inquiring, she informs them that Mr. Brownlow has sold all his goods and left for the West Indies 6 weeks ago. Oliver clasps his hands and sinks with disappointment. Mr. Losberne asks about his housekeeper, and she says Mrs. Bedwin and Mr. Brownlow's friend, Mr. Grimwig, left with him.
Mr. Losberne then orders the coach to take them home. Then Oliver begs to let him see the bookkeeper, as he knows the way there. Mr. Losberne tells him it is no use, as the owner may not be there anymore by the time they get to the bookstall. As the coach drives away, Oliver is disappointed and grief-stricken since he is eager to see what they will say when he reunites with them. He wants to tell them everything about what happened to him after their separation and reflect on their kindness during their absence. He would've also told them how Fagin's gang kidnapped him and they took him far away from London, where he was nearly forced to participate in the robbery at the Maylies’ house.
After a fortnight, spring has arrived, with the trees and flowers blooming in the warm weather. The Maylies prepare to depart to leave their home in Chertsey for a few months. Leaving Giles and a servant to look after the house, the Maylies and Oliver leave for their cottage in the countryside. Oliver is relieved when they arrive in the peaceful, calm countryside and a village. He quickly regains his health after spending many days in London's filthy, noisy, dangerous streets. They soon arrive at their cottage, with rose and honeysuckle clinging to the walls, the ivy on the trunks of the trees and the flowers giving a sweet odour in the air. Nearby is a small churchyard where the local villagers are interred. Oliver spends time in the churchyard thinking about his deceased mother in her grave when he sits down and sobs quietly. But when he looks up into the sky, he still cries for her, but he no longer finds it painful when he thinks about her.
Oliver's time at the Maylies’ cottage is the happiest. The days are sunny and blissful, and the nights are pleasant and bring no fear. Every morning, Oliver visits an old gentleman who lives near the church, and he teaches him how to read and write. In addition, he was such a kind, caring man that Oliver couldn't try hard enough to please him. Afterwards, he would go out for walks with Mrs. Maylie and Rose, where he would listen to them discuss books, sit near them in a shady area, and watch Rose read until it got dark, and he wished he could read with her, too. The next day, he would prepare for his lesson, and he worked hard on his schoolwork in a room that overlooked the garden until it was almost evening, and then he would join the women again in their daily walks. After dark, they returned home, where Rose played the piano and sang. With the candles not lit during this time, Oliver would sit by one of the windows and listen to Rose's piano playing.
On Sunday morning, Oliver attends a prayer with the locals at the church, with the leaves falling past the window, birds singing, and the sweet-smelling spring air filling the church with its fragrance. While singing, Oliver has never heard anything more musical in a church. Throughout the days, Oliver and the Maylies went out for their walks, and in the evening, he would spend his time reading the Bible he had been studying the entire week. Each morning, he would be awake by six o'clock and roam around the fields and hedges, foraging nosegays from wildflowers and bringing them home, where he would arrange them for decoration on the breakfast table. He also starts decorating Rose's birdcages with fresh groundsel he has been learning from the village clerk. After that, he would either do some errands in the village, play some cricket, or attend to the plants in the garden, as he is already learning about botany from his tutor, who is also a gardener. Rose would appear and praise him for his hard work.
Three months pass, and Oliver has grown a close, loving bond with the Maylies, as he is so thankful for everything they have done for him.
Rose's Illness/Oliver Reunites with Mr. Brownlow and Mrs. Bedwin[]
Summer arrives, with the trees in full bloom and the green, lush fields. By now, Oliver has grown healthier and stronger and still shows compassion to those who looked after him.[25] One night, Oliver, Rose and Mrs. Maylie go for a late evening walk in warm air and a lit moon. Rose appears blissful, but Mrs. Maylie is fatigued as they head home. Rose played on her piano as usual, but after a few minutes, she was heard crying. Mrs. Maylie asks her what is wrong, but the girl doesn't reply as she plays faster, and Mrs. Maylie is worried about her as she notices her tears.
Rose insists she is fine but shudders as she asks the window to be closed. Oliver closes it for her, and she continues playing the piano, but her hands become weak, and she sinks onto a sofa, crying. Mrs. Maylie embraces her and has never seen her so distressed before, and Rose says she is sick. She is pale with a haggard and flushed face. Oliver and Mrs. Maylie are shocked by Rose's sudden illness, but she looks slightly better when Mrs. Maylie persuades her to go to bed. Rose assures them she will be well in the morning, but Oliver doesn't look convinced as he asks Mrs. Maylie if something is wrong with her. She motions him to be quiet as she sits silently in a dark corner before she says she has been happy with Rose for some years. She knows she will eventually face misery, but not like this. Oliver asks her what she is worried about, and she reveals she fears Rose’s death, as she has been her closest and devoted companion.
Oliver and Mrs. Maylie are grief-stricken by this possibility, and Oliver asks if she doesn't look dangerously ill, as she was healthier about 2 hours ago. Mrs. Maylie replies that she is sick now and will soon worsen. He tearfully begs her to be calm during this troubled time and think about how young and kind she is, and for their sakes, they should hope for the best that Rose will recover. He also says young people like Rose will never die. Mrs. Maylie comforts him and admits how much agony she suffered after witnessing illnesses and death. She has also seen how young people aren't always spared from death, and she believes she will have to accept God's will since Heaven is a brighter place. Oliver is surprised to see how firm she is when she says that and is prepared to do her duties and watch over Rose, but since he is still young, he doesn't understand one's mind to do whatever it takes.
The next morning, Rose falls seriously ill from a high fever. Mrs. Maylie tells Oliver they must act quickly as he must deliver an urgent letter to Dr. Losberne, which will be sent to the market town, about 4 miles away. The locals in the inn would then send the letter to Chertsey, and she entrusts Oliver to do the delivery. She also has a letter that she won't forward unless Rose worsens. Oliver, already impatient to do this task for her, asks her if her second letter is for Chertsey, too. She replies no and gives it to him, and he sees it is directed to Harry Maylie Esquire, whose address is at a lord's house in the countryside. He asks her if it should be delivered now, but Mrs. Maylie returns it and replies that she will wait until tomorrow. Oliver receives her purse and rushes off as fast as he can.
Oliver runs across the fields and on the divided lanes. He passes through an open field where the locals work on the ground. He doesn't stop for a few seconds to catch his breath until he reaches the town marketplace and looks around for the inn. He sees the bank, brewery and town hall until he sees a large house with a sign titled "The George." Seeing this is the inn, he hurries over to where he must speak to a postboy and an ostler until he finds the landlord, a tall gentleman wearing a white hat, blue neckcloth, breeches and boots. He is leaning against a pump by the stable door, picking at his teeth with a toothpick. The landlord goes into the inn bar to write a cheque, and after a long time, the bill is paid, and a horse and rider are preparing for departure. Oliver is so desperate that he wishes to mount onto the horse and ride away to deliver the letter. But before long, the rider has the letter with him and some urgent instructions, and he rides away through town within a few minutes.
Oliver walks into the inn yard with relief and is about to exit through the gateway when he stumbles into a large, cloaked man coming out of the inn door. He stares at Oliver with recoil, and the boy apologizes that he is on his way home and didn’t see him coming. The man mutters death as he glares at him and talks about "grinding him to ashes." Oliver stammers another apology while confused by the man's strange look, and he murmurs to him threats through clenched teeth and shaking his fist. He charges toward Oliver but collapses and has a fit while foaming and writhing. Oliver looks at him briefly before he runs inside the inn to find help. After seeing the man being carried into the house, Oliver hurries home quickly, but Rose's fever worsens when he arrives at the cottage. By midnight, she was delirious.
A local medical practitioner is constantly looking after Rose. He informs Mrs. Maylie that he has never seen her illness so severe before and says it's unlikely she will survive. Oliver could barely sleep that night and would stand on the staircase, listening to the room where Rose was kept and is afraid when he hears sudden footsteps. He prays fervently for Rose to live. Morning arrives, and the cottage is quiet, with only faint whispers and anxiety. Throughout the day, Oliver paces around the garden, glancing at Rose's bedroom window and shudders when it darkens. Mr. Losberne arrives that night but is also doubtful about Rose's chance of survival. The next morning was a sunny day with the trees and flowers blooming while Rose lay in her bed, slowly wasting away. Oliver goes to the churchyard, where he silently prays and weeps for her. He gazes at the beautiful scenery and hopes Rose won’t die on a gorgeous summer day. He almost thinks for a moment that shrivelled, old people were mostly wrapped in burial shrouds and not the young and beautiful like Rose.
The church bell's toll distracted Oliver from his thoughts. The tolling was for a funeral service, as a group of mourners dressed in white, as the corpse was a young child. The mourners and the child's mother gather around a grave as the sun shines and the birds sing. Oliver returns home while thinking about Rose's kindness and wishes she could do it again when he could express his gratitude to her, as he has always been devoted to her services. When he arrives home, Mrs. Maylie is sitting in the parlour. Oliver's heart sinks at the sight of her, for she has never left Rose's bedside since she fell sick, and he worries about what has driven her away. He learns Rose has slipped into a coma, and she will either live or die. Oliver and Mrs. Maylie sit silently for hours, unable to speak and listen. Their untouched meal is removed at nightfall. Finally, they hear an approaching footstep, and they both rush to the door as Mr. Losberne enters. Mrs. Maylie begs the doctor about Rose's condition, and he tells her to calm down. She fears Rose has died, but Mr. Losberne informs her she will live. Mrs. Maylie briefly fell to her knees before happily embracing Mr. Losberne.
Oliver is so stunned by Rose's miraculous recovery that he can barely cry, speak or sleep. He can hardly understand everything that happened until he sheds tears of relief as he is fully awake to the overjoyed nature that occurred just now.[26] As nightfall slowly closes in, he returns to the cottage with flowers he picked for Rose. He is walking down the road when he hears the noise of a vehicle approaching quickly and turns around to see a coach driving fast with the horses galloping. As it is a narrow path, Oliver leans against the gate until it passes him but catches a glimpse of a man in a nightcap inside the coach. His face seems familiar to Oliver, although he can't see who it is. The man calls out to him from the coach about any news about Rose, and Oliver recognizes him as Giles as he runs up to the coach door. Giles pokes his head out of the coach but is pulled back by a gentleman in the coach, who asks if Rose is better or worse. Oliver replies that she is well and has recovered a few hours ago.
The gentleman comes out of the coach and takes Oliver by the hand as he leads him inside. He asks him nervously if he is certain and not lying. Oliver replies that he is speaking the truth as he overhears Mr. Losberne, saying Rose will live. Tears appear in his eyes as he recalls the joyous moment, and the gentleman turns away in silence for a few minutes. Oliver thinks he hears him sobbing but doesn’t interrupt him and can guess his feelings. During this time, Mr. Giles sits on the coach steps and wipes his eyes with a handkerchief. The gentleman then turns around and tells him to go to his mother’s cottage in the coach, and he would rather walk on when he is ready to see her. Giles tells the gentleman, Harry Maylie, to inform the postboy about that, as he wouldn’t want the maids to see him in his nightclothes.
Harry says the postboy can go on with his luggage, and Giles can follow them but needs to be dressed appropriately. Giles removes his nightcap and puts on his hat. While they walk along, Oliver catches a few glances at Harry, who is around 25 years old with a handsome appearance and attitude. He also bears a striking resemblance to Mrs. Maylie, and Oliver assumes he could be her son. Back at the cottage, while Harry is conversing with his mother, Mrs. Maylie, about his worries for Rose and how he longs to marry her, Mr. Losberne and Oliver stand in another room, and Harry warmly greets Mr. Losberne and gives out an account on Oliver’s situation on the night of the robbery.
Oliver wakes up the next morning in a pleasant mood and continues with his daily routine, such as doing his schoolwork, with the birds singing and flowers blooming outside, brightening Rose’s spirits. Every morning, Oliver and Harry would go out into the fields to gather some flowers, as Harry now has a passion for flowers and knows where the best ones can be found. The window in Rose’s room is opened to let some fresh air inside and allow her to feel the summer air. A bunch of flowers are planted inside the lattice and well looked after. Oliver notices the withered flowers are never thrown away, although the vase would be refilled again. As he prepares for his morning walk, he sees Mr. Losberne in the garden and nodding at the corner where the flowers are. The days quickly go by, and Rose is making a quick recovery, but she cannot leave her room yet, and Oliver goes out for evening walks with Mrs. Maylie instead.
Oliver is already working hard on his studies and making great progress with the old gentleman. The room where he did his schoolwork is on the ground floor, at the back of the cottage. It has a latticed window with jessamine and honeysuckles covering the casement and filling the room with its sweet scent. It looks into a garden with a wicket gate. One night, Oliver sits at the window reading his books. He has read them over for some time before he falls asleep and then has a nightmare. He is back and locked up in Fagin’s house, where he sees Fagin and another man in a corner, talking about if they are certain it’s Oliver. Oliver immediately wakes up in fear, fearing being watched. Sure enough, when he looks up, he sees Fagin and the strange man he met in the inn-yard staring at him through the latticed window. But within an instant, they are gone. They recognized Oliver, and he recognized them, too, with their impressions and faces stuck in his mind. He is left stunned for a moment, then he leaps into the garden from the window and yells for help.
When everyone inside the house hears his cries, they hurry to find him pale and agitated.[27] He points toward the meadows behind the cottage and can barely speak when he says he just spotted Fagin. Mr. Giles is confused about what he is saying, but Harry believes in him immediately. He grabs a heavy stick from a corner of the cottage and asks Oliver where Fagin went. Oliver says he just missed them while pointing out where they went. Harry then guesses they are in the ditch and orders Mr. Giles and Oliver to follow him.
The group, led by Harry, ran until they came to an area in the field pointed out by Oliver, and the men searched the ditch. Before long, the rest of the party catches up, and Oliver explains to Mr. Losberne what is happening. Despite the search, there are no traces of footprints to be seen. The men stood atop a hill surrounded by different directions for 3-4 miles. The village is located on the left, but as Oliver explains, Fagin and the man would have moved quickly across the open field, and walking faster for a short time would have been impossible. The forest is in another direction, but the two men couldn’t have gotten there quickly.
Harry thinks Oliver may have been dreaming. Oliver insists it is not a dream as he sees them both plainly and shudders when he thinks of Fagin’s face. Harry and Mr. Losberne ask him who the other man with Fagin was, and Oliver replies it was the strange man who came upon him at the innyard. Harry demands that the men investigate the cottage. Oliver points to the hedge down the hill that divides the cottage garden from the meadow and claims the other man leapt over the hedge, and Fagin then crept through the gap. Harry and Mr. Losberne believe in his story, but the long grass shows no footsteps trodden on it, and there are no shoeprints in the ditch. Harry and Mr. Losberne find this strange, but they search the fields until it gets dark. Giles is assigned to visit the village taverns with a description of Fagin, who could have been spotted drinking or loitering around. But Giles returns with no word about him.
The next day, another search is ordered, but to no avail. Oliver and Mrs. Maylie even walked to the village to hear any information about the two men, but they heard nothing. After a few days, the search is forgotten about. Rose has regained enough strength by this time to spend more time with the family.
Oliver is at the breakfast table with Mr. Losberne, where Harry joins them and asks the doctor to accompany him as his travelling companion.[28]Oliver is sorry to see Mr. Losberne and Harry leave him and the Maylies. Mr. Losberne tells him he is welcome to see him when he returns to London and asks Harry why he suddenly needs to leave. Harry replies that the nobs, including his uncle, have not written to him in a while, and he wants to contact them. Mr. Losberne says training for Harry is necessary, even if the nobs wish to get him into a political career. Harry wants to follow up with a few words but says they will see.
The coach arrives at the cottage shortly afterwards. Giles comes in to gather Harry's luggage, and Mr. Losberne checks to see if everything is ready to go. Harry tells Oliver he wants to talk to him, and he goes to him by a window recess. Harry places a hand on Oliver's shoulder and asks him if he can write well. Oliver replies that he thinks so, and Harry explains that he will not be coming home for a while and would like him to write to him once a fortnight and every other Monday to the General Post Office in London. Oliver assures that he will be proud to do this for him. Harry wants him to write about how Mrs. Maylie and Rose are doing and everything they do throughout their day. Harry would also like him not to mention this to the Maylies, as this would make Mrs. Maylie more anxious, and she’ll want to write to him frequently, as he wants him to keep this a secret between them. Oliver promises he will not reveal their secret to the Maylies, and Harry and Mr. Losberne leave.
Nancy meets with Rose in London while she, Mrs. Maylie and Oliver are staying in London. Nancy reveals to her that a man named Monks is Oliver's half-brother and how he plans to have Oliver in jail and steal his fortune for himself, and tells Rose she will be roaming around London Bridge between 11 o'clock and midnight and would be available to talk to Rose or anybody else at the time.[29]Rose considers talking about Nancy's situation and story to Harry when Oliver, walking around the London streets accompanied by Giles, enters the room breathless and anxious. Rose asks him what is wrong, and Oliver says he can barely speak in agitation and that she should listen to him when he tells her the truth about seeing someone again.[30]Rose comforts him, and Oliver says he just saw Mr. Brownlow. While shedding tears of joy, Rose asks where he is, and Oliver says he saw him get out of a coach. He didn't get to talk to him, and Mr. Brownlow didn't see him, either, and Oliver trembled so much he didn't get a chance to go up to him. Oliver opens a piece of paper, showing Rose Mr. Brownlow's address, which is where he is going now. He is anxious when he sees and speaks to the old gentleman again.
Rose reads the address at Strand Street and urges Oliver to tell the servants to bring a coach and be ready to go with her. She'll tell her aunt where they are going, and then they will go straight to Mr. Brownlow's house. Within 5 minutes, Oliver and Rose are on their way to Craven Street. When they arrive, Oliver is left inside the coach to prepare himself to meet Mr. Brownlow again, and Rose asks a servant to let her in to talk to Mr. Brownlow. Afterwards, Oliver is brought back into the house with Mr. Brownlow and Mr. Grimwig, who is with Rose, is delighted to see Oliver again.
Mr. Brownlow then rings the bell to summon Mrs. Bedwin. Mr. Brownlow asks her to put on her glasses to see why he summoned her. Mrs. Bedwin rummages through her pockets for her glasses, and Oliver leaps into her arms as she puts them on. She is overjoyed to see it is Oliver again, and he is also delighted to see her, too. Mrs. Bedwin knows he will return to them eventually and is surprised to see how healthier he has become and has dressed in richer clothes again. She asks him where he has been all this time and always thinks about his smile and her deceased children. Mrs. Bedwin surveys him to see how he has grown, and Oliver laughs and cries while embracing her. Oliver and Mrs. Bedwin are left alone together while Rose and Mr. Brownlow go into another room to discuss Nancy.
Oliver and Rose's Pasts are Pieced Together[]
Shortly after Oliver is reunited with Mr. Brownlow and Mrs. Bedwin, Mr. Brownlow, Rose and Nancy meet at London Bridge at midnight to discuss how to capture Monks. They are unaware that Noah Claypole is secretly spying on them, the former charity boy Fagin recruited to spy on the meeting.[31]Sikes then viciously kills Nancy after discovering her betrayal by Fagin and attempts to flee.[32]Meanwhile, Mr. Brownlow has Monks captured and explains to him about his and Oliver's paternal background and how Leeford met Agnes Fleming and suddenly died while retrieving his late relative's will.[33]A London mob pursues Sikes, and he accidentally hangs himself while trying to escape.[34]
Two days later, Oliver, Mrs. Maylie, Rose, Mrs. Bedwin, and Mr. Losberne are travelling to the town of his birth by coach at three o'clock, with Mr. Brownlow following behind in a separate coach with someone else.[35]Nobody talks a lot during the journey, and Oliver is very anxious to think about his thoughts. The women have received some information from Mr. Brownlow about Monks' information about Oliver's backstory. They are on their way to figuring out the rest of the story, but Oliver still doesn't know much about his past. Mr. Losberne suggests everyone remain quiet so they will later receive more information about what is yet to come. They travel in silence, with everyone reflecting on why they are being brought together. Oliver remains silent as they travel on a road never seen before, and the town itself is about to bring back grim memories of his old life there and how he left his birthplace as a lonely, homeless orphan.
He suddenly holds Rose's hand and points out the coach window to the stile he came over and hid in the hedges in case he was being followed or searched. He also points out the path leading to the baby farm where he was raised and hopes he will see his old friend Dick again. Rose holds his hands and replies that he will see him again soon when he tells him how happy and rich he has become and that he would be happier to reunite with him. Oliver says if he does meet Dick again, they will take him away from the baby farm and have him clothed, taught, and be stronger and healthier in the countryside. Rose assures that they will as Oliver smiles while shedding tears of happiness. Oliver tells Rose she will be kind and loving to Dick, and she may cry when she hears what he has been through. But he would eventually change, too, and he recalls how he blesses him as he prepares to run away, making him more affectionate to his friend for it.
The coach approaches the town and drives through its narrow streets, and Oliver recognizes some buildings along the way. He sees the undertaker Mr. Sowerberry's shop, which is smaller and less grand than he remembers. He recognizes all the other houses and shops, which are the same as Mr. Sowerberry's. He sees Mr. Gamfield's old cart at the old tavern and even the same workhouse where he had lived and was abused. He also spots the same porter at the workhouse gate, and at this sight, Oliver sits back and laughs at himself for being foolish, then cries and laughs again at all the buildings he had known all too well and thinks his old life has been anything but a dream.
The coach parks outside a hotel that Oliver once looked at in amazement as it looked like a grand palace but has already lost its grandeur. Mr. Grimwig is there to welcome them as they exit the vehicle. The dinner at the hotel is already prepared, and the bedrooms are ready for everyone. There is silence again after half an hour, with Mr. Brownlow not joining them at dinner but staying in a separate room. Mr. Grimwig and Mr. Losberne hurry about with anxiety, and when Mrs. Maylie is called away, she returns an hour later with swollen eyes from crying. All of this made Rose and Oliver nervous. They sit silently, wondering what is happening and talking quietly to each other.
Finally, at 9 o'clock, Mr. Losberne and Mr. Grimwig enter the room with Mr. Brownlow and Monks. Oliver almost screams with surprise to see Monks, for he is informed he is his half-brother and the same man who confronted him at the inn yard in the market town. He was also with Fagin as they spied on Oliver through the window when he was asleep. Monks stares at Oliver with a look of hatred and sits near the door, while Mr. Brownlow walks to the table where Oliver and Rose sit with some papers in his hand. Monks urge Mr. Brownlow to press on while looking away. Mr. Brownlow brings Oliver to him and reveals to Monks (who is no other than Edward Leeford, the son of Edwin Leeford and his estranged wife Mrs. Leeford) that Oliver is his half-brother and the illegitimate son of Leeford and his lover Agnes Fleming. Monks replies yes while trembling at the sight of Oliver and calls him a bastard child. Mr. Brownlow reveals Oliver was born in this town, and Monks replies it was at the workhouse here.
Mr. Brownlow commands everyone to listen and reads aloud how Mrs. Leeford and Monks found Mr. Leeford's letter to Agnes and the will he left for her and their child together. Oliver sheds tears as he listens to how Monks and his mother destroyed his will and the dishonour his deceased mother and her family suffered. After a few moments of silence, Mr. Brownlow reveals that years later, Mrs. Leeford came to him and said her son left her, along with some jewels and money when he was 18 years old. He then gambled, squandered and forged his mother's valuables and fled to London, where he worked with some impoverished people for two years. Mrs. Leeford then suffered from a terminal illness and wished to find her son again. After Edward was found, the mother and son returned to France. Monks reveals it was where his mother died, but shortly before her death, she told him about Captain Fleming's death in Wales and suspected Agnes didn't kill herself but lived long enough to have her son in the workhouse, and he was alive. Monks then vowed to his mother that if he ever crossed paths with Agnes' child, he would hunt him down and have him live a life of crime until he was hanged. He then encountered Oliver but failed to make his promise a reality.
Mr. Brownlow turns to the others beside him and explains that Fagin, Monks' longtime accomplice and confidante, had a large reward if Oliver was corrupted by crime, but some would be given up if Oliver was rescued. This also resulted in Fagin and Monks visiting the Maylies’ cottage to identify him. Mr. Brownlow then turns to Monks and asks about the locket and the ring. He replies that he had bought them from Mr. and Mrs. Bumble of the workhouse, who stole them from an old nurse after she took them from Agnes' body, and how he subsequently got rid of them. Mr. Grimwig brings in Mrs. Bumble, formerly Mrs. Corney and the former matron of the workhouse where Oliver was born, followed by her husband, Mr. Bumble, who is no longer the workhouse beadle by now.
Mr. Bumble fakes being surprised to see Oliver again, and Mrs. Bumble orders him to be quiet. Mr. Bumble protests how the same orphan he had raised in the workhouse ended up with some wealthy, well-off people. He even tells Oliver that the gentleman in the white waistcoat died last week. Mr. Brownlow asks the Bumbles’ if they know Monks, but they both deny having met him or their knowledge of the lock and ring. Mr. Grimwig then brings in two shrivelled workhouse women who were present when Old Sally died, who looked after Agnes and stole her locket after she died. The women claim they heard everything Old Sally said to Mrs. Bumble on her deathbed and then witnessed her take the locket and ring to a pawnbroker's shop.
Mr. Grimwig asks if he can send in the pawnbroker. Mrs. Bumble initially refuses before she admits to selling the trinkets. Mr. Brownlow thinks they will ensure she and her husband won't be in a position of trust or authority again and dismisses them. Before he leaves, Mr. Bumble hopes this won't remove him from his office, and Mr. Brownlow replies that it will happen and he can make up his mind about it. Mr. Bumble blames his wife for all this, and Mr. Brownlow reminds him he was there when the trinkets were disposed of and point out that under the eyes of the law, Mrs. Bumble always acts under her husband's direction.
After the Bumbles’ are dismissed, Mr. Brownlow asks Rose to come forward, as they have one last piece to the story. Mr. Brownlow asks Monks if he knows Rose, and he replies that he sees her often. Rose claims she never saw him before. Mr. Brownlow says Captain Fleming had two daughters and wants to know the other daughter's fate. Monks says that when Captain Fleming died in Wales, his youngest daughter was left with a fake name without any evidence of where she came from, and some nearby cottagers took her in. Mr. Brownlow urges him to continue as he motions Mrs. Maylie to come forward. Monks says they won't find the spot where these people lived, but his mother eventually finds the girl after a year of searching. He explains that the cottagers raising her were poor and sick, and Mrs. Leeford left the girl with them, gave them some money, and promised to send them more, but she never did. She even told the cottagers some lies about the girl, such as she came from a bad family and was illegitimate.
Despite these harsh lies, the girl lived on, and a kind, widowed woman found her and decided to adopt her. Despite Monks' and Mrs. Leeford's efforts, the girl grew up in a loving home, and he lost sight of her 2-3 months ago and didn't see her again until a few months later. Mr. Brownlow asks if he sees her now, and he points to Rose, who collapses into Mrs. Maylie's arms. Rose embraces her and cries. She was the only friend she ever had and she could not bear all of this. Mrs. Maylie tells her she became the most gentle and loving girl anyone ever knew as she hugs her back and tells Oliver to embrace Rose, who happens to be his aunt. Oliver throws his arms around her neck and says Rose is more like a sister to him than his aunt. She had taught him the importance of love in his heart and declared he would always call Rose his sister.
Oliver, Rose and Mrs. Maylie weep joyfully for a few minutes after their identities are solved. After a long time, there is a knock at the door, and Oliver opens it to see it is Harry Maylie. He leaves while he lets Harry talk to Rose alone, who confesses he already knows about her story and has abandoned his political career to begin a new life with her. He proposes to her, and everyone rejoices in their upcoming marriage. However, Mrs. Maylie finds Oliver alone and crying, and Oliver reveals that his beloved friend Dick is dead.
Aftermath[]
Fagin has been arrested and sent to a courtroom to be tried.[36]Everyone in the court is disgusted by his crimes and shows no sympathy. The jury gives a guilty verdict and sentences him to death on Monday. He was then led to a prison cell at the Newgate Prison and locked in a cell where he would remain until his execution.
On Sunday, Oliver and Mr. Brownlow arrive at Newgate on Fagin's final night alive. At the gate, the old gentleman requests admission to see Fagin, signed by one of the sheriffs and lets them in. The guard asks him if Oliver is coming with him, as the prison is unsuitable for children. Mr. Brownlow explains Oliver is connected to Fagin's business, and since he had been exposed to his villainy and crimes, he says it's best if he sees him one last time. These words were said quietly so Oliver wouldn't hear what they said. Curious, the guard glances at him as he opens another gate and leads them through dark passages toward the cells. The guard stops in another passage and explains that this is where Fagin will walk down to his execution, and there is a door he will go out of, with some workmen making preparations for the next day. He leads them into a kitchen where the prison food is prepared and points to the door. Some grating is above it, and they hear the workmen building the scaffold where Fagin will be hanged.
They passed through more gates, ascended narrow steps from an open yard, and then came into a passage with cell doors on the left. The guard motions Oliver and Mr. Brownlow to stay where they are and summons two attendants, and after some whispering, they follow Oliver and Mr. Brownlow to follow them into Fagin's jail cell. They found him sitting on his bed, rocking and muttering anxiously. He sees Oliver, mumbling about him being a gentleman and orders him to be sent away. He takes Oliver's hand and orders the attendants to take him away to bed, claiming he is responsible for having him imprisoned. The guard tells Fagin while holding him down that Oliver is here to see him and ask him some questions. He asks him if he is a man, and Fagin replies he won't be for long and threatens to kill them all with an expression of rage and terror.
Fagin shrinks back into a corner, asking why they are here. Mr. Brownlow Fagin where the papers he received from Monks were. Fagin replies that he doesn't have them with him, and Mr. Brownlow demands him not to lie, and he has nobody left to have them since Sikes is dead and Monks has confessed. Fagin beckons Oliver to him and wants to whisper something to him. Oliver says he is not afraid of him as he lets go of Mr. Brownlow's hand. Fagin draws him towards him and tells him he kept the papers in a canvas bag, hid them in a chimney in the top-front room, and then wants to tell him something.
Oliver says they should say a prayer and tells him to get down on his knees, and they will talk until morning. Fagin pushes him towards the door and asks if he can help him escape. Oliver tearfully begs God to forgive Fagin, and Fagin urges him to hurry. The guard then tells Mr. Brownlow and Oliver they should leave. Fagin yells at Oliver to hurry up, and the men seize him and separate Oliver from him. Fagin struggles in their grasp and lets out a shriek that can be heard throughout the entire prison. As Mr. Brownlow and Oliver prepare to leave, Oliver nearly faints from fear and is so weak for nearly an hour that he can hardly walk. Everyone gathers at the prison to witness Fagin's hanging the next day.
Three months later, Harry and Rose are married at the village church, where Harry will serve as a clergyman, with Mrs. Maylie moving in with them. After an investigation involving Mr. Leeford's property, it's been revealed there were only less than £3,000, and Monks had squandered almost all of it. Oliver normally would have inherited all his late father's fortune, but since Mr. Brownlow doesn't want Monks to be cut off without any money and wants him to turn over a new leaf, they divide the property in half. Monks takes half his money and disappears to America, where he squanders it all and falls back into his old ways. He later died in prison. Mr. Brownlow then adopts Oliver as his son, and he, Oliver and Mrs. Bedwin move out into the countryside to be close by with the Maylies. The families are linked together with Oliver's warm, loving heart in a more idyllic, loving community.[37]Mr. Giles, Mr. Grittles, and Dr. Losberne also moved into the countryside and lived with the Maylies.
Mr. Brownlow tutors his son Oliver more, and they form a close bond with each other. Oliver and Rose remembered their lessons about mercy and love, thanked God for protecting them, and are forever happy. Inside the village church, at the altar, there is an empty tomb with no coffin, and it is engraved with the name "AGNES," which serves as a permanent memory of Oliver's mother and Rose's sister.
Personality/Appearance[]
Oliver is innocent and pure, like most orphans in Victorian England since his birth. Having no knowledge of his true identity and growing up in poverty, without any adult guidance, his innocence is passed down that he had come from a well-off family and his good nature would aid him in how he sees the world. He is unaware of how corrupt and evil the society he lives in is or how criminals thrive. While he suffered a neglected childhood full of abuse, and almost everyone in his early years mistreated him, he still manages to turn over a new leaf full of hope for his future, as his innocence brings everyone together and solace to those who know him. When first taken into Fagin's gang, he was awestruck by how the boys acted around their master and practiced taking some items out of his pockets. He is curious about how Fagin trains his boys, but it isn't until he witnesses the Artful Dodger and Charley Bates steal a handkerchief that he is left horrified that these boys are trained to be pickpockets. He starts to grip the reality that Fagin is determined to make him lose his childhood innocence and have him become a criminal.
When he was chosen to ask for some more gruel, he never complained or refused the task. Instead of begging, he politely and boldly asserted his need for food by asking for a second filling. He also isn't afraid to make some choices that would help him get out of the cruel situations he is in, such as when he decides to run away from the workhouse and find seclusion in London and when he plans on waking up the house's inhabitants and alerting them of Bill Sikes and Crackit during the robbery that he is forced to participate in.
When he is with adults who treat him better, Oliver is friendly, loving and honest towards them. He appreciates that the world he lives in still has people who are more sympathetic to those less fortunate. When Mrs. Bedwin looks after him while staying at Mr. Brownlow's house, he compliments her on her kindness. His virtuous personality makes him lovable to those who know him, especially when they are revealed to be his family relatives like Rose Maylie. He never desired to become a criminal, and even those who care about him, such as Mr. Brownlow, understand that he will not do anything capable.
Even if he displays courage and innocence, Oliver is also prone to being emotional. Like most abused children, he is easily hurt by the mistreatment he receives from the workhouse and Fagin's gang. While his mother died during his birth, he still loves her even if he never met her, as it was never his fault that she died in childbirth. He is also defiant whenever anyone speaks ill of his mother, including the scene when Noah Claypole insults her since he is jealous of his speedy work. Oliver is mostly very gentle and would never hurt anyone, but he loses his temper and attacks Noah. He may be gentle to even cruel people, but when he is forced to do something for him, he would plea to them for his life. When Bill Sikes assigns him to aid him in robbing a house, Oliver begs to let him live and die a painless death rather than a violent death, or when he begs Mr. Brownlow to let him stay with him and not be removed from his home. He also becomes sensitive whenever his mother, Agnes Fleming, is brought up, such as when Monks was brought in to tell the entire story of how his troubled background led to Oliver's poor upbringing, and he sheds tears as he listens. He also can’t stand up for himself to those tougher than him. He is too weak to be more secure and will easily do anything that someone makes him do, mainly because he is afraid of what will happen if he refuses or doesn’t have the strength to be himself defiantly.
No matter how much anyone hates him and wishes him harm, Oliver can easily forgive. Since Monks wants his half-brother's fortune himself, Oliver understands everything Monks went through and decides to share the money with him. When Oliver and Mr. Brownlow visit Fagin in his cell the night before his execution, he expresses his forgiveness by asking God to forgive the man who nearly ruined his life.
Oliver is a small, thin child with pale skin, mainly due to the negligence he suffered since he was born. He wore plain clothes with a cap, but after living with Mr. Brownlow and the Maylies, he wore polished, wealthier clothing. He is also known to resemble his late mother, Agnes, as their matching appearance is the key to solving the mystery of his true identity. Unlike the boys in Fagin's gang, who mostly spoke with Cockney slang, Oliver speaks with a King's English accent and addresses the adults as "sir" to the men and "ma'am" to the women.
Relationships[]
Mr. Bumble[]
The parish beadle of the workhouse where Oliver was born. Oliver got his name from Mr. Bumble, who traditionally alphabetically names all the workhouse orphans under his care. Oliver receives abuse from him, but he is not afraid of him, and he hopes that by escaping to London, Mr. Bumble will never find him there. He later meets Mr. Bumble again towards the end of the story, where he is made to confess his involvement in Monks' schemes to ruin the boy.
Mrs. Mann[]
An elderly woman in charge of the baby farm where Oliver was sent after his birth at the workhouse. Mrs. Mann is paid regularly by the workhouse for the welfare of the children in her care, but she selfishly keeps the money for himself, and Oliver grows up a weak, starving child under her care. On the day Mr. Bumble arrives to take him back to the workhouse, Mrs. Mann quietly warns Oliver not to say anything about how he grew up under her care.
Mr. Sowerberry[]
An undertaker in the town where Oliver was born. After Oliver is punished and kept in confinement from asking for more, Mr. Sowerberry offers to take him in and teach him a trade. Oliver is forced to sleep inside the room where Mr. Sowerberry's coffins are kept and experiences a funeral for the first time that Mr. Sowerberry arranged. When Mr. Sowerberry asks what he thinks about attending his first funeral, Oliver says he doesn't seem interested. He later escapes from custody after being punished for fighting his charity boy, Noah Claypole.
Mrs. Sowerberry[]
Mr. Sowerberry's wife. She is shocked to see Oliver's frail, thin appearance and calls him a "bag of bones." She abuses Oliver, forces him to eat from the dog's bowl and makes him sleep in the room where the coffins are kept. She is horrified when she sees Oliver fighting the local charity boy, Noah Claypole and ends up punishing him for his behaviour.
Noah Claypole[]
A charity boy who works alongside the local undertaker, Mr. Sowerberry. Noah and Oliver take part in Mr. Sowerberry's job of preparing coffins and funerals. Noah mistreats and bullies Oliver, but when he insults Oliver's deceased mother, the boy snaps and fights him, and he is punished harshly by Mr. Bumble and the Sowerberrys.
Charlotte[]
A servant of the Sowerberrys. Like Noah, she also mistreats and bullies Oliver.
Fagin[]
A Jewish London criminal. When Oliver first meets Fagin after he takes him into his lair and lives with his gang of boys, he initially sees him as an eccentric, odd old man who unusually keeps handkerchiefs and a box full of valuable trinkets. He is also curious about Fagin's strange game with his young wards, involving them taking things out of his pockets. But Oliver is horrified by his schemes when he finally realizes who Fagin really is and is attempting to make a thief out of him. After Mr. Brownlow rescues him after he was nearly framed for stealing, he hopes he will finally stay away from the creepy Jewish man for good. However, he is eventually captured by Fagin's gang and is punished by being locked up and lectured by Fagin about the dangers of criminals being tried and punished. After the Maylies take in Oliver and he sees Fagin spying on him, he immediately reports what happened, and his friends attempt to find him, but to no avail.
On the eve of Fagin's execution at the Newgate Prison, Oliver visits him for the final time and wants him to pray to God and be forgiven for his crimes. Fagin refuses to repent and instead wants him to help him escape.
The Artful Dodger[]
A member of Fagin's gang and one of his most loyal and intelligent. Oliver first meets him when he is stranded in a town close to London after seven days of travelling by foot. After hearing Oliver's story, The Artful Dodger tricks him by saying he knows someone who will let him have free accommodations when he hopes to recruit him into the gang. Oliver later joins him and Charley Bates, the Dodger's partner-in-crime, and they set out on a task to steal from Mr. Brownlow, leaving Oliver shocked and horrified.
Bill Sikes[]
A member of Fagin's gang. Oliver is forced to participate in a robbery along with Sikes, and he is filled with dread and fear when Sikes threatens him that he will not hesitate to kill him if he messes up the robbery. Oliver and Sikes then travel a long route out of London and into the village of Chertsey. During the break-in, Oliver begs Sikes to spare his life, and he would rather die in the fields than participate in the robbery. After Oliver is shot after the robbery fails, Sikes carries him away from the house, leaving him wounded in the fields.
Nancy[]
A prostitute and member of Fagin's gang. She and Sikes are responsible for abducting Oliver and dragging him back to Fagin's gang. She is the only one in the gang who shows sympathy for the boy, and he wants to help her, even though he will never be able to, as this is the life she has chosen, and she can never abandon her life of crime.
Mr. Brownlow[]
A wealthy, elderly gentleman who lives in Pentonville, a neighbourhood in the Borough of Islington in London. Oliver first meets him after he is falsely accused of stealing from him and falls feverish ill. Mr. Brownlow brings him back to his home to nurse him back to health and is astounded by the boy's striking resemblance to a portrait of a woman he has in his home. After Oliver is kidnapped, Mr. Brownlow travels abroad to the West Indies and doesn't return to London until later, when Oliver is overjoyed to see him again. It is later revealed that Mr. Brownlow is a close friend of Oliver's biological father, Edwin Leeford, and he successfully pieces together his deceased friend's son's past and recovers his fortune. In the end, Oliver is adopted by Mr. Brownlow, and they live blissfully in the countryside.
Mrs. Bedwin[]
Mr. Brownlow's housekeeper. She spends most of her time looking after Oliver falls ill, and is taken into her employer's house. She is a kind, loving caregiver to him, and Oliver develops a close bond with her. He misses her and Mr. Brownlow terribly after they travel overseas, but Oliver is happily reunited with her and Mr. Brownlow after they return to London. After the old gentleman adopts Oliver, she joins them as they live in the countryside.
Mrs. Maylie[]
An elderly woman who becomes Oliver's second caregiver. The house he was forced to break into, along with Sikes, was the home of the Maylies in Chertsey. He is looked after when he is wounded from being shot, and Mrs. Maylie initially doesn't believe he is an innocent child forced into a life of crime. But after Oliver tells her his whole story, she becomes more caring and invites him to stay with her and her adopted niece Rose, at their rural cottage.
Rose Maylie[]
A beautiful, young teenage girl who is the adopted niece of Mrs. Maylie. After she and her aunt discover Oliver wounded and part of the attempted break-in, she refuses to accept he is a criminal and senses he is a lonely, unloved child. Oliver tells her his whole story, and he and Rose develop a close bond as they travel to their rural cottage. When Rose falls dangerously ill with a fever, he worriesHe for her health and prays to God to let her live. He is nearly emotional with relief when he learns she is recovering. At the end of the story, Rose is revealed to be the orphaned daughter of Captain Fleming and the younger sister of Agnes, therefore making her Oliver's aunt.
Agnes Fleming[]
Oliver's young, beautiful mother. He was conceived when she fell in love with Edwin Leeford, but he died suddenly in Rome when retrieving an inheritance and left a will that both Agnes and Oliver would inherit. Agnes gave birth to her son in a workhouse, where she died with an anonymous identity.
Even though Oliver never knew his mother, he still loved her and often sensed her presence with him. After Oliver receives his fortune, he is adopted by Mr. Brownlow and discovers his aunt (and the sister of Agnes) to be his friend Rose Maylie. An empty crypt engraved with Agnes' name is made inside the church close to the Maylies’ cottage in the countryside and serves as a memory to Oliver and Rose.
Dick[]
An orphan whom Oliver grew up with at the baby farm. Oliver and Dick are abused and neglected together, and when he decides to escape the workhouse, he tells Dick about this and bids an emotional farewell to him, as well as receiving his first blessing from him. Later, when Oliver and his friends return to the town of his birth to solve the mysteries of his past from Monks, Oliver hopes he will be reunited with Dick again and imagines him being removed from the workhouse and raised in a loving, wealthy environment. He is heartbroken to learn that his friend is dead.
Quotes/Relatable Quotes[]
"Oliver cried lustily. If he could have known that he was an orphan, left to the tender mercies of churchwardens and overseers, perhaps he would have cried the louder" ― Chapter 1
The narrator on the circumstances the newborn Oliver Twist finds himself in as an orphan in the workhouse.
"Upon this, the parish authorities magnanimously and humanely resolved, that Oliver should be farmed. He should be dispatched to a branch-workhouse where twenty or thirty other juvenile offenders against the poor laws, rolled about the floor all day, without the inconvenience of too much food or too much clothing" ― Chapter 2
The narrator describes how the parish authorities arranged for Oliver to be "farmed" or placed in the care of a baby farm alongside other young children.
"Please, sir, I want some more" ― Chapter 2
Oliver's most famous quote when he attempts to ask for a second filling of gruel at the workhouse.
"The simple fact was, that Oliver, instead of possessing too little feeling, possessed rather too much; and was in a fair way of being reduced, for life, to a state of brutal stupidity and sullenness by the ill-usage he had received" ― Chapter 4
The narrator on Oliver's emotions when living in an abusive environment and when he was told Mr. Sowerberry would take him in as his apprentice.
"I am very hungry and tired,' replied Oliver: the tears standing in his eyes as he spoke. 'I have walked a long way. I have been walking these seven days." ― Chapter 8
Oliver on his seven-day journey to London.
"That boy, Oliver is an imposter" ― Chapter 17
Mr. Brownlow denies Oliver robbed him at the marketplace.
"He looked like death; not death as it shows in shroud and coffin, but in the guise it wears when life has just departed; when a young and gentle spirit has, but an instant, fled to Heaven, and the gross air of the world has not had time to breathe upon the changing dust it hallowed" ― Chapter 19
The narrator on Oliver's death-like appearance when asleep inside Fagin's lair.
"Let the tears which fell, and the broken words which were exchanged in the long close embrace between the orphans, be sacred" ― Chapter 51
Oliver and Rose emotionally embrace each other when they find out they are family-related.
Portrayals[]
References[]
- ↑ Chapter 49
- ↑ Chapter 51
- ↑ Oliver Twist, Chapter 1
- ↑ Chapter 2
- ↑ Chapter 3
- ↑ Chapter 4
- ↑ Chapter 5
- ↑ Chapter 6
- ↑ Chapter 7
- ↑ Chapter 8
- ↑ Chapter 9
- ↑ Chapter 10
- ↑ Chapter 11
- ↑ Chapter 12
- ↑ Chapter 14
- ↑ Chapter 15
- ↑ Chapter 16
- ↑ Chapter 18
- ↑ Chapter 20
- ↑ Chapter 21
- ↑ Chapter 22
- ↑ Chapter 28
- ↑ Chapter 30
- ↑ Chapter 32
- ↑ Chapter 33
- ↑ Chapter 34
- ↑ Chapter 35
- ↑ Chapter 36
- ↑ Chapter 40
- ↑ Chapter 41
- ↑ Chapter 46
- ↑ Chapter 47
- ↑ Chapter 49
- ↑ Chapter 50
- ↑ Chapter 51
- ↑ Chapter 52
- ↑ Chapter 53