Oliver Twist

A woman dies giving birth in Widow Corney's workhouse, and Oliver Twist is left with a locket containing her mother's portrait. Corney takes the locket, and Mr. Bumble assigns the name Oliver Twist from his rotating alphabet of names. This moment cements his identity and the link to his past that haunts him.

Six years pass and Oliver asks to see the locket that marks his past. Corney tells him he can have it when he is twelve, keeping the memento as a tether to his mother. This promise foreshadows his search for belonging and sustenance.

On the night before his twelfth birthday, Oliver draws the shortest straw to determine who must ask for more food. Corney expels him from the workhouse for daring to request additional sustenance, leaving him without his locket. This brutal rejection pushes him toward London.

Oliver escapes the workhouse and heads to London in search of food and a new start. In London, he meets the Artful Dodger, who explains he is part of a seasoned band of thieves and invites Oliver to join. Dodger and Fagin's crew take an interest in Oliver's locket and the treasure he carries.

Oliver is taken in by Fagin's gang, and Dodger begins teaching him the basics of stealing. Fagin admires Oliver's locket and makes clear he will not tolerate any attempt to steal from it, revealing that the treasure is in his possession. The locket becomes the focal point of Oliver's exploitation.

Oliver is sent on his first pickpocket with Dodger's guidance and is caught with a stolen watch. Dodger grabs the watch and runs, while Oliver escapes and is mistakenly identified as the thief. Dodger hurries to court to defend him, and Rose, Mr. Brownlow's niece, testifies that Oliver is not the culprit.

At court, Rose notices the portrait on the wall matches the locket Oliver carries and suspects a link. They realize Oliver could be Mr. Brownlow's grandson, and Oliver is invited to Grosvenor Square to stay with the Brownlows. This potential family connection promises a safer future for Oliver.

Dodger finds Oliver again, and Sikes agrees to abduct him to sever the growing danger. Nancy tries to protect Oliver and suggests returning him to the Brownlows. The looming threat tightens around Oliver as the gang tightens its grip.

That night, Sikes, aided by Dodger and Nancy, abducts Oliver to force him into theft at gunpoint in the Brownlows' house. Oliver drops the bag of silver to wake Rose, revealing his intrusion. They escape, but Mr. Brownlow's suspicions remain unresolved.

Nancy goes to the Brownlows to return Oliver but is murdered by Sikes, who accuses her of double-crossing him. Dodger, watching, is drawn into the danger of the pursuit. The killing raises the stakes for Oliver and the rest of the gang.

The police follow Sikes's dog to the gang's hideout. On the roof, Oliver seizes the treasure box, and Sikes slips, hanging by his neck as he falls. Dodger is arrested for pilfering, and Fagin negotiates over the locket as the net closes in.

The locket's portraits match the Brownlows, proving Oliver is Mr. Brownlow's grandson. Oliver is taken to live with the Brownlows, beginning a safe new life. The tale ends with Oliver sleeping happily in his new home.