Summary Of Oliver Twist By Charles Dickens

Oliver Twist is the second novel by Charles Dickens, initially published in the serialised form between 1837 to 1839 and then released as a 3-volume book in 1838.

 

In this blog, find the summary of a must-read novel by bookworms, Dickens, Oliver Twist:

1.    Oliver Twist, the protagonist of the novel, takes birth in a poorhouse of England. His mother dies after giving him birth. The first 9 years of his life, were spent in the poorly maintained orphanage for young kids. Later, he gets shifted to a workhouse for adults.

2.    Mr Bumble, the parish beadle, punishes Oliver for asking for more food. Bumble offered 5-pounds to for taking Twist away from the workhouse.

3.    When Noah Claypole, an apprentice of the undertaker, made some rude comments on the mother of Oliver, he attacked Noah and incited the fury of Sowerberry.

4.    Desperate Oliver ran away at dawn and travelled towards London.

5.    He met Jack Dawkins, a boy of his age who offered him shelter in the London house of his helper, Fagin.

6.    Oliver was sent on a pickpocketing mission with two other boys after a few days training by Fagin. When Oliver saw them steal a handkerchief from an elderly gentleman, he was horrified and ran-off. He was caught by the people but narrowly escaped being convicted for the theft.

7.    Mr Brownlow, the man whose handkerchief was stolen, took the feverish Oliver to his home and nursed him back to health.

8.    Mr Brownlow was struck by the resemblance of Oliver Twist to a portrait of a young woman that hung in his house. Oliver thrived in the home of Mr Brownlow. Later, two young adults in the gang of Fagin, Bill Sikes and Nancy, kidnapped Oliver, taking him to Fagin.

9.    Oliver was ordered by Fagin to help Sikes in a burglary. During the burglary, Oliver was shot by a servant of the house. He was taken in by the landlady, Maylie. She grew fond of Oliver, so he was allowed to spend a pleasant summer there in the countryside.

10.  Fagin and a mysterious man, Monks, planned to recapture Oliver. Meanwhile, it was revealed that the mother of Oliver left behind a gold locket when she died. Monks stole the locket and destroyed it.

11.  Nancy tried to disclose the plan of Fagin to Maylie, but a member of his gang overheard the conversation. When this reached ears of Sikes, he brutally murdered Nancy and fled to London.

12. Mr Brownlow, with whom the Maylies reunited Oliver, confronted Monks and wrung the truth about the parentage of Oliver. It was unveiled that Monks was a half-brother of Oliver. Their father, Mr Leeford, was unhappily married to a wealthy woman and had an affair with mother pf Oliver, Agnes Fleming.

13. Monks had been tracking Oliver Twist all along. He wanted to ensure that Oliver was deprived of his share of the family inheritance. Fagin was hung for his crimes. Mr Brownlow forced Monks to sign over Oliver's share to him. He, then, adopted Oliver and the story came to a happy end.

 

The novel, since its publication, has been adapted several times for various media, including a multiple Academy Award-Winning Motion Picture, Oliver!