Oliver is Groomed for a Life of Crime

Fagin keeps Oliver confined to the house, subjecting him to long lectures on the sin of ingratitude and the dangers of betraying the gang. He tells Oliver stories of other boys who were hanged for trying to inform on him. The Dodger and Charley Bates try to persuade Oliver to join their trade, arguing that it is a 'jolly life.' Fagin slowly and deliberately poisons Oliver's mind, using solitude, fear, and twisted logic to break his spirit and make him compliant. This period represents Fagin's systematic attempt to corrupt Oliver's soul.