The story of the orphan Oliver, who runs away from the workhouse only to be taken in by a den of thieves, shocked many readers when it was first published. Dickens' tale of childhood innocence beset by evil depicts the dark, criminal underworld of a London people by vivid and memorable characters - the arch-villain Fagin, the artful Dodger, the menacing Bill Sikes, and Nancy, the prostitute with a heart of gold. Oliver Twist remains one of Dickens' best-loved stories, and is an ongoing source and inspiration for various musical and film productions.