Charles Dickens is much loved for his contribution to classic English literature. His epic stories, brilliant characters, and illustration of contemporary life are unforgettable and made him one of the most prominent authors in history. Charles was born on February 7, 1812 in Portsmouth, England to John and Elizabeth Dickens. He was the second of eight children. Dickens was driven to achieve success from the days of his boyhood. With little formal education, he taught himself, worked furiously at everything he undertook and rocketed to fame as a writer in his mid-twenties. His writings depicted his concern for social justice and reform.
His father, John Dickens, was a naval clerk who wanted to achieve wealth for his family. Charles Dickens’ mother, Elizabeth Barrow, aspired to be a teacher and school director. Despite his parents’ best efforts, the family remained poor. In 1816, the family moved to Chatham, Kent. In 1822, the Dickens family moved to Camden Town, a poor neighborhood in London. By then the family’s financial situation had grown dire, as John Dickens had a dangerous habit of living beyond the family’s means. In 1824, John was imprisoned for bad debt; Charles was just 12 years old. At that point his education had to be interrupted because he had to work.
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A few years later his father inherited money that he used to pay off his debt. Much to his relief, Dickens was permitted to go back to school. But when Dickens was 15, his education had to interrupted once again. In 1827, he had to drop out of school and work as an office boy to contribute to his family’s income.Within a year of working, Dickens began freelance reporting at the law courts of London. Just a few years later, he was reporting for two major London news…
…revolutionaries.
Works Cited
Dickens, Charles. A Tale of Two Cities,. New York: Dodd, Mead & Co., 1942.
“A Tale of Two Cities: PLOT STRUCTURE / LITERARY ANALYSIS by Charles Dickens.” A Tale of Two Cities: PLOT STRUCTURE / LITERARY ANALYSIS by Charles Dickens. 11 Nov. 2013 .
“A Tale of Two Cities: SHORT SUMMARY / SYNOPSIS / THEMES / MOOD by Charles Dickens.” A Tale of Two Cities: SHORT SUMMARY / SYNOPSIS / THEMES / MOOD by Charles Dickens. 11 Nov. 2013
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“A Tale of Two Cities Summary.” Shmoop. 11 Nov. 2013 .
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