Oliver Twist

'Oliver Twist; or, The Parish Boy's Progress' is a novel by Charles Dickens, first published as a serialized work between 1837 and 1839. The story follows Oliver Twist, an orphan who escapes from a workhouse to seek his fortune in London. Oliver is naive and innocent, contrasting sharply with the corrupt and exploitative adults he encounters. He becomes involved with a group of juvenile criminals led by the cunning Fagin. The book explores social inequality and is an early example of the social-protest novel.