Nancy a beautiful portrayal of a mother life figure, stands up for a poor
innocent boy. She takes care of Oliver, a poor orphan. Nancy also has a conflict
with in herself having to choose between good or evil. Nancy was often beaten.
Thinking it was to late for her to search for a better life, she stayed in the
company of the thieves. Even with the violent attitude, Bill one of the
thief’s in the gang, had towards her Nancy challenged him to insure the
protection of Oliver. Nancy took blame for occurrences that could have caused
Oliver to become harmed. When Oliver is caught, delivering books for Mr.
Brownlow, Nancy and Bill Sikes take him to the hideouts that the thieves live
in. There he is striped of his cloths, money and books. Nancy fights for
Oliver’s safety among the men in the room. “Keep back the dog, Bill!”
cried Nancy, springing before the door and closing it, as the Jew and his two
pupils darted out in pursuit. “Keep back the dog: he’ll tear the boy to
pieces.” “Serve him right!” cried Sikes, struggling to disengage himself
from the girl’s grasp. “Stand off from me, or I’ll split your head against
the wall.” “I don’t care for that Bill, I don’t care for that,”
screamed the girl, struggling violently with the man: “the child shan’t be
torn down by the dog, unless you kill me first.”(150) With the capture of
Oliver Fagin the leader of the gang and Bill were upset that Oliver had run
away. Bill’s dog being in the room nearly tears Oliver the shreds but Nancy
saves him. Having this dirty, ugly world of crime pulled over her eyes, Nancy is
bothered by how Oliver is treated and tries to shield him from the evil world.
Nancy being beat by Sikes is victim violence therefore doesn’t think she has
any other life to turn to. She has a hard time with good and evil deciding where
she stands. But she is determined to take care of Oliver so he can have a better
life.