A scathing attack on the cruelty of society in Dickens's time, Oliver Twist details the life of an unfortunate. Orphan of the same name. Moving from the workhouse to a gang of pickpockets to a kindly family, Oliver's life goes through many twists and turns, poignantly showcasing the travails of underprivileged children in nineteenth-century England. Along the way, he meets some of the most memorable characters created by Dickens: the cruel Fagin, the artful Dodger, and the mysterious monks. Dickens's sensitivity towards the plight of orphans and his colorful descriptions make Oliver Twist the classic it is.