Charles Dickens Life and Accomplishments Essay

Known for having a broad variety of works, Charles Dickens gained the attention of Victorians by writing in a way that appealed to the “simple and sophisticated” as well as from “the poor to the Queen” (Charles Dickens 2). His most popular novels include A Christmas Carol, A Tale of Two Cities and Great Expectations. Together, these works helped give Dickens the reputation of being one of the greatest English novelists of the Victorian era.

Born on February 7, 1812, Charles was the second oldest of ten Dickens children. His father, John, worked as a clerk in the Navy Pay Office in Portsmouth. John was a well liked man who held a steady job that should have provided enough money for him to successfully support his wife and children. Due to John’s upbringing as a member of a well-to-do family, he never acquired the skill of successfully managing a smaller income. Freely spending a majority on lavish items such as fancy clothes and good food and wine, the money he brought home diminished quickly. Charles’ mother made decided to help alleviate the debts that John had obtained as a result of his frivolous spending habits. Elizabeth hoped that by establishing a school where students paid tuition would help with the debt and attained a larger house in which classes would be held. Lacking money for rent, supplies and furniture, the school never became a success and in the end, cost more money than it made.

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With his mother’s failed attempt at making money, the Dickens family’s debt only grew larger and Charles was forced to work in a Blacking Factory that was owned by their family friend, James Lamert. Although the work wasn’t too straining, Charles was appalled by the conditions he was forced to work in. He described the factory …

… factories long before he came in contact with a classroom. Writing became his escape from the harshness of reality and remained a very important part of his adult life. Clearly affected by the cruel experiences of his childhood, Dickens brought attention to poverty and child labor by writing about both topics in various novels throughout his writing career. Many of these characters and stories brought light to struggles Charles himself faced. Little did Dickens know, his stories still give insight on poverty in the 1800’s well over two centuries later.

Works Cited

“Charles Dickens.” Britannica School. Encyclop?dia Britannica, Inc., 2014. Web. 22 Mar. 2014.Krueger, Christine, ed. “Dickens, Charles.” Bloom’s Literature. Facts On File, Inc. Web. 22 Mar. 2014.

Shephard, Marie Tennent. “Dickens, Charles.” Bloom’s Literature. Facts On File, Inc. Web. 22 Mar. 2014.

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