From his birth in an English workhouse, the course of Oliver Twist’s life is being dictated by greedy, overbearing people. His mother dies at childbirth and young Oliver finds himself scrubbing floors in yet another workhouse. But Fate has other plans for the plucky lad. He runs away to London to find a new life, only to be coaxed into joining Fagin’s den of thieves, to be trained as a pickpocket by the twitchy Artful Dodger. In quick succession, Oliver then lands up under the care of compassionate nobleman Mr. Brownlow and back amongst Fagin’s motley gang of delinquents. The boy may be out of luck, but he’s got three priceless assets - his innocence, resilience and indomitable spirit. As with many of Charles Dickens’ memorable novels (for instance David Copperfield) , the story of Oliver Twist is more than a little autobiographic and reflects the author’s own recollections of an incredibly tough and deprived childhood in England.