Born in Newgate Prison, the protagonist navigates a precarious existence defined by social instability and the constant necessity of self-preservation. Throughout her life, Moll Flanders employs her wits to survive the rigid class structures and moral expectations of seventeenth- and eighteenth-century England and America. She moves through various identities—thief, wife, and felon—as she seeks financial security in a world that offers few opportunities for women. The narrative is presented as a first-person memoir, detailing her pragmatic approach to morality and her relentless pursuit of social mobility.

Discussion often centers on the ambiguity of the protagonist's moral character and whether her actions are driven by genuine repentance or mere survival instinct. Readers frequently highlight the brisk, episodic pacing that mirrors the chaotic nature of the character's life. Critics often note the effectiveness of the prose in capturing the gritty atmosphere of the period without relying on excessive sentimentality. The work is widely analyzed for its early contribution to the development of the novel as a literary form. Many readers find the protagonist's resourcefulness and lack of traditional feminine submissiveness to be the most compelling aspects of the narrative.