There is much to love and hate in any Dickens novel,and Oliver Twist is no exception. There are characters to |ore, characters to hate, characters we love and hate by turng or at the same time, and characters we love to hate. Lots of those. I can't think when I've ever seen a richer, more var ied, more enjoyable cast of villains.

……

Abandoned at an early age, Oliver Twist is forced to live in a dark and dismal London workhouse lorded over by awful Mr. Bumble who cheats the boys of their meager rations! Desperate but determined, Oliver makes his escape. But what he discovers:in the harsh streets of London"s underworld makes the workhouse look like a picnic. Penniless and alone, he is lured into a world of crime by the wily Fagin--the nefarious mastermind of a gang of pint-sized pickpockets.

Will a life of crime pay off for young Oliver? or will it earn him a one-way ticket to the gal lows?

FOREWORD

1. Treats of the Place where Oliver Twist was Born,

and of the Circumstances attending his Birth

2. Treats of Oliver Twist"s Growth, Education, and

Board

3. Relates how Oliver Twist was very near getting a

Place, which would not have been a Sinecure

4. Oliver, being offered another Place, makes his

first Entry into Public Life

5, Oliver mingles with new Associates. Going to a

Funeral for the first Time, he forms an unfavour-

able Notion of his Master"s Business

6. Oliver, being goaded by the Taunts of Noah

rouses into Action, and rather astonishes him

7. Oliver continues refractory

8. Oliver walks to London. He encounters on the

Road a strange sort of young Gentleman

9. Containing further Particulars concerning the

pleasant old Gentleman, and his hopeful Pupils

10. Oliver becomes better acquainted with the Char-

acters of his new Associates; and purchases expe-

rience at a high Price. Being a short, but very

  important Chapter, in this History

ll. Treats of Mr Fang the Police Magistrate; and fur-

nishes a slight Specimen of his Mode of adminis-

tering Justice

12. In which Oliver is taken better Care of than he

ever was before. With some particulars concern-

ing a certain picture

13. Reverts to the Merry Old Gentleman and his

Youthful Friends, through whom a new Acquain-

tance is introduced to the intelligent Reader, and

connected with whom various pleasant Matters

are related appertaining to this History

14. Comprising further Particulars of Oliver"s Stay at

Mr Browniow"s, with the remarkable Prediction

which one Mr Grimwig uttered concerning him,

~wben he went out on an Errand

15. Showing how very fond of Oliver Twist the

merry old Jew and Miss Nancy were

16. Relates what became of Oliver Twist after he had

been claimed by Nancy

17. Oliver"s Destiny continuing unpropitious, brings a

Great Man to .London to injure his Reputation

18. How Oliver passed his Tune in the improving So-

ciety of his reputable Friends

19. In which a notable Plan is discussed and deter-

mined on

20. Wherein Ofiver is delivered over to Mr William

Sikes

21. The Expedition

22. The Burglary

23. Which contains the Substance of a pleasant Con-

versation between Mr Bumble and a Lady; and

shows that even a Beadle may be susceptible on

some Points

24. Treats of a very poor Subject. But is a short one,

and may be found of Importance in this History

25. Wherein this History reverts to Mr Fagin and

Company

26. In which a mysterious Character appears upon the

Scene; and many Things, inseparable from this

History; are done and performed

27. Atones for the Unpoliteness of a former Chapter;

which deserted a Lady, most unceremoniously

28. Looks after Oliver, and proceeds with his Adven-

tures

29. Has an introductory Accou.nt of the Inmates of

the House to which Oliver resorted

30. Relates what Oliver"s new Visitors thought of him

31. Involves a critical Position        

32. Of the happy Life Oliver began to lead with his

kind Friends

33. Wherein the Happiness of Oliver and his Friends

experiences a sudden Check

34. Contains some introductory Particulars relative to

a young Gentleman who now arrives upon the

Scene; and a new Adventure which happened to

Oliver

35. Containing the unsatisfactory Result of Oliver"s

Adventure; and a Conversation of some Impor-

tance between Harry Maylie and Rose

36. Is a very short one, and may appear of no great

Importance in its Place. But it should be read,

notwithstanding, as a Sequel to the last, and a

Key to one that will follow when its Time arrives

37. In which the Reader may perceive a Contrast, not

uncommon in matrimonial Cases

38. Containing an Account of what passed between

Mr and Mrs Bumble, and Mr Monks, at their noc-

turnal Interview

39. Introduces some respectable Characters with

whom the Reader is already acquainted, and

shows how Monks and the Jew laid their worthy

Heads together

40. A strange Interview, which is a Sequel to the last

Chapter

41. Containing fresh Discoveries, and showing that

Surprises, like Misfortunes, seldom come alone

42. An old Acquaintance of Oliver"s, exhibiting de-

cided Marks of Genius, becomes a public Charac-

ter in the Metropolis

43, Wherein is shown how the Artful Dodger got into

Trouble

44. The Tune arrives for Nancy to redeem her Pledge

to Rose Maylie. She fails

45. Noah Claypole is employed by Fagin on a secret

Mission

46. The Appointment kept

47. Fatal Consequences

48. The Flight of Sikes

49. Monks and Mr Brownlow at length meet. Their

Conversation, and the Intelligence that interrupts it

50. The Pursuit and Escape

51. Affording an Explanation of more Mysteries than

one, and comprehending a Proposal of Marriage

with no Word of Settlement or Pin-money

52. Fagin"s Last Night alive

53. And Last

AFTERWORD