1. Is Nancy a character with moral complexity? What evidence can you provide to support your conclusions?

2. Is Oliver truly the main character in the book that carries his name?

3. In many Victorian novels, authors often reward or punish their characters by the story's end. To what degree do the characters in Oliver Twist receive their just deserts?

4. Which characters in this novel appear the most realistic to you? Do certain types of characters seem more believable than others? Why do you think so?

5. Some readers criticize Dickens's portrayal of Fagin and other Jewish characters in Oliver Twist. Is Dickens showing prejudice? Under what circumstances should we conclude that a single character reflects an author's views about an entire group?

6. Dickens is often labeled as a humorist. What aspects of Oliver Twist contribute to its humor? Consider the characters, language, and situations.

7. What forms of social criticism can be found in Oliver Twist? How does Dickens view the significant institutions and ideas of his era? Does he successfully persuade his readers to adopt his perspective?

8. What events occur before the story begins? How do these events impact Oliver? How does he discover the identity of his true parents and relatives?

9. What role does Monks play in the novel? What is his relationship to Oliver, and what drives his actions?

10. Compare Rose Maylie and Nancy. How are they different? In what ways are they similar? Why is Rose depicted as so virtuous and Nancy as seemingly immoral?

11. Why does Dickens include the scene where Oliver visits Fagin in prison? What does this confrontation add to the novel?