The theme of good versus evil—and the eventual triumph of the former—is prominent in Oliver Twist. This theme can be seen in Dickens’s juxtaposition of Oliver Twist and his friends in contrast to Fagin and the thieves. Villains like Sikes, Fagin, and Monks have few—if any—positive or redeemable qualities. They are only seen committing acts of crime, abuse, and subterfuge. Though they thrive for a time by profiting from the weak and the helpless, the evil characters all meet just fates. Sikes and Fagin die for their crimes, and Monks’s greed and profligacy lead him to a pitiful demise. 

On the other hand, the good characters are, for the most part, depicted as pure, wholesome, virtuous, and innocent. Chief amongst this group are Oliver and Rose. Both characters are depicted in a wholly positive light and given only admirable traits. Both are kind-hearted, open in expressing gratitude and affection, helpful and compassionate to those in need, sensitive, and morally upright. Oliver is treated unfairly for most of his life and is subject to abuse and mischaracterization, but he is eventually vindicated. Oliver’s innocence and earnestness lead him to two groups of generous patrons: the Brownlow and Maylie households. Those characters are depicted as laudable by the narrator, in large part for their care of Oliver. 

However, the characters of Nancy and Charley complicate the easy divide between good versus evil characters. Nancy is morally ambiguous; she is hesitant to leave her life of crime but well-intentioned when it comes to Oliver, and Charley initially works as a thief but reforms and goes on to earn an honest living. In the final analysis, the novel emphatically supports the idea that good triumphs over evil.