Introduction -- Charles Dickens's heroic victims: Oliver Twist, David Copperfield, and Pip -- Mark Twain's free spirits and slaves: Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn -- Henry James's demonic lambs: Miles and Flora in The turn of the screw -- J. M. Barrie's eternal narcissist: Peter Pan -- J. D. Salinger's saintly dropout: Holden Caulfield -- Vladimir Nabokov's abused nymph: Lolita -- Philip Roth's performing loudmouth: Alexander Portnoy.
