Despite being surrounded by crime and vice, Oliver remains a symbol of moral resilience and innate goodness.

The narrative follows , an orphan born in a bleak workhouse where he is raised in miserable, near-starving conditions. After infamously "asking for more" gruel, he is cast out and eventually escapes to London. There, he unwittingly joins a gang of juvenile pickpockets led by the manipulative Fagin and the Artful Dodger. Throughout his perilous journey, Oliver must navigate the violence of characters like Bill Sikes while slowly uncovering the mystery of his true parentage. Key Themes

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Dickens scathingly critiques the Poor Law Amendment Act of 1834 , which institutionalized the workhouse system and dehumanized the impoverished.

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