Charles Dickens' classic Oliver Twist has been adapted into plays, movies, television shows and musicals, because the incredible tale of the protagonist, Oliver Twist, has resonated with so many readers around the world.
He begins life in a cruel orphanage where boys are regularly beaten and starved. Oliver finally asks for more food one day with his now-famous line, "Please sir, I want some more."
His request promptly gets him exiled from the workhouse after a council decides that Oliver must start apprenticing. What follows is a tale of his various jobs and – ultimately – his run-in with the seedy underbelly of London's organized crime sector in the 19th century.
The criminals who take Oliver under their wing force him to participate in a burglary attempt that goes horribly wrong. Oliver ends up getting shot by the homeowner, who then decides to nurse him back to health. In the end, his caretakers slowly become his new family and Oliver experiences personal growth as he finds a new life.
The theme of Oliver's poverty is perhaps the most powerful in the book, because Dickens' portrayal of the criminals in London show distinctly how different the lifestyles of an orphan or burglar are from that of a nobleman.
