Chapter 12 Summary

Oliver is very ill with a fever, and is bedridden for quite some time. He is attended by Mr. Brownlow's housekeeper and is treated very kindly. Once he is up and about, he takes a liking to a painting of a woman that hangs in Mr. Brownlow's living room. Though he doesn't realize it, he bears a striking resemblance to the woman in the picture, and Mr. Brownlow has it moved out of the room. In this chapter, Dickens also takes the time to report on the Dodger and Charley's activities after the handkerchief robbery. He reports that the boys became interested only in their self- preservation, which, according to Dickens, is human nature, and as soon as they realized that Oliver had been captured, made their way out of the area as quickly as possible. Charley found great amusement in the incident...