Oliver Twist, Vol. 2 (of 3) by Charles Dickens, written in the early 19th century, continues to follow the life of the orphaned protagonist, Oliver Twist, as he struggles to survive in the dangerous underworld of Victorian London, filled with thieves and rogues. Key characters include the innocent Oliver, the cunning Fagin, and the menacing Bill Sikes, underscoring themes of crime, innocence, and survival that run throughout the story. At the start of this volume, Oliver remains under Fagin’s control and is told he must go to Bill Sikes’s home. Fagin warns him about Sikes’s violent nature, stirring up Oliver’s apprehension, but Oliver, despite his fear, reluctantly follows orders. Nancy, who escorts Oliver, shows concern for him, revealing her own inner conflict about the criminal world she inhabits. As the tension rises, the scene shifts to Sikes’s house, where he prepares Oliver for a criminal act, highlighting the dark choices and intense circumstances that the characters face in their struggle for survival.
