Final answer:
Oliver Twist is not considered historical fiction; it is categorized as Realistic fiction because it does not revolve around historical events or figures but uses a historically accurate setting to tell a fictional story and critique societal conditions of Victorian London.
Step-by-step explanation:
Oliver Twist is not considered historical fiction because it does not focus on historical events or figures. Instead, it's a novel set against a factual backdrop of Victorian London. Historical fiction often includes real historical figures or events, and although authors may invent characters or fill in gaps in history, they must stay true to established facts and not alter known outcomes of those facts, like the fate of Napoleon or Hitler. In contrast, Charles Dickens created a purely fictional plot and characters in Oliver Twist, even though he does depict the societal conditions of his time, which provides authenticity to the setting without altering historical records.
The novel is categorized under Realistic fiction given its portrayal of the harsh realities of Victorian society, including poverty, child labor, and the criminal underbelly. While the setting is historically accurate, the story revolves around the events in a fictional character's life—Oliver Twist—and not around historical events or the lives of real historical figures. Hence, the book is a work of social criticism, highlighting issues of the time such as the workhouse system, social stratification, and juvenile delinquency, rather than a retelling of historical happenings.