Oliver is a young boy born into poverty. He begins his life an orphan taken in by a workhouse. Oliver is poorly treated and very much neglected throughout the first nine years of his life. He encounters many experiences of starving, beaten for punishment, and abuse from the other orphan boys in the home. Oliver gets into trouble for asking for more food (which the boys bullied him into doing) and is sent away to be a chimney sweep's apprentice. Who again treats Oliver cruelly, so he is then sent to another apprentice opportunity with a coffin maker, Mr. Sowerberry. Mr. Sowerberry's other apprentice, Noah Claypole, makes Oliver go ballistic by making fun of his dead mother that left him. He is then punished for his outburst and decides the best solution for him is to run away to London. Upon his arrival severely exhausted from the trek, he falls asleep in front of a shop for a long time. A young boy finds him intriguing and takes him to the home of a man who goes by the name Fagin. Fagin is a generous man who is anonymous for being a thief. He teaches Oliver to become a skilled pickpocket and sends him out into the street within days of being there. The house is full of young boys trained for the same deed.
Oliver's first time out on the street he is framed by the boys in his house for stealing from a wealthy man reading a book at a small book stand. Oliver is taken in by the man who, due to his ill-like appearance. Oliver is looked after and nurtured back to health. The man finds him not guilty and decides not to press any charges. Oliver becomes a very proper young boy and grows very fond of his innkeeper, Mr. Brownlow. But disaster has yet to strike again. Fagin sends out 2 of his gang members; Nancy and Bill Sikes, to fetch Oliver back. After being under house arrest, Oliver is sent out with Sikes on a robbery. Oliver is shot by the housekeeper and Sikes flees the scene with the other gang members.