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Charles Dickens Influences

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Charles Dickens Influences
British novelist, journalist, editor, illustrator and social commentator Charles Dickens is known for his development of classic novels that showed the harsh reality of the lives of the underclass during the Victorian era. Novels such as Oliver Twist, A Christmas Carol, A Tale of Two Cities, Hard Times, and Great Expectations caused Dickens to be named one of the most influential writers of the 19th century due to the societal changes he brought about through these stories (Dickens). Dickens used his writings to portray the lives of the poor and their struggles within the school system, along with the ungratefulness of the upper class for what they had. This same scenario can be seen in Dickens’ own time period which shows that he pulled many …show more content…
The two major influences on Dickens’ writings include his childhood and the social issues during his time. Being abandoned at such a young age and forced to quit school caused Dickens to speak up for the rights of the lower class and fight for the rights of equal education opportunities. Dickens wanted better for the children being brought up after him which is what inspired him to create a change in society. Social issues during his time such as slavery also inspired many of his speeches he made while traveling around the world (Dickens). Dickens spoke out against many varieties of inequality and fought to make all people feel valued. Dickens’ childhood and the social issues during his time both influenced his writings and motivated him to create a change.
Charles Dickens achieved many literary accomplishments during his time that caused him to be a very well-known and inspirational person. He is known for penning fifteen novels and many short stories that are known for their humor and realistic details of society and social conflicts. He was also a philanthropist and social reformer that set up a home for “fallen” women that focused on teaching them life skills and how to function on their own rather than punishing them (Dickens). Even to this day, Dickens’ works continue to be in print and continue to be read around the

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