Oliver Twist (1837-1839)

Oliver Twist (1837-1839) is one of a handful of novels by Charles Dickens likely to appear on the GRE Literature exam. It was originally published as a serial, and is widely considered to be the first novel in English wholly centered on a child protagonist. The work is largely concerned with the state of the working poor and child labor in England at the time.

For the GRE Literature exam, associate the following characters with Oliver Twist.

Oliver Twist
-orphan; protagonist (see below)
Noah Claypole
-apprentice; bully; drives Oliver from his employment
Fagin
-Infamous Jewish criminal; Dodger's handler
Bill Sikes
-the Dodger's brute
The Artful Dodger (Jack Dawkins)
-boy criminal mastermind
Mr. Brownlow

Otherwise, read the Wikipedia plot summary and know the following main points:

-Oliver is born in a workhouse; mother dies in childbirth.
-Oliver falls in with the Artful Dodger before finding more respectable employment.
-Oliver turns out to be Mr. Brownlow's niece's son, and comes into an inheritance.
-Oliver's sheming half-brother dies in an American prison.

Oliver Twist may be worth adding to your GRE Literature reading list. I recommend the Dover Thrift Edition.

Don't be lured into watching the movie instead: the plot is quite different.