Charles Dickens was born in 1812 in England and spent much of his childhood in Kent. His father was imprisoned for debt, forcing Dickens to work in a factory at a young age. This experience influenced his later writing and criticism of child labor. Dickens went on to become a journalist and author, writing famous novels like Oliver Twist that drew attention to the poor living conditions of the time in hopes of inspiring change.

1. Julie Weidanz
Eng / Comp 1102
Inst: Owens
Troy Univ
3 March 2012

2.  Charles Dickens was  He moved to Kent,
born 1812 in Landport where he spent most of
England his childhood

3.  His father was sent to Marshalsea
prison for being in debt
• This forced a severe hardship on
the Dickens family that Charles
used throughout his writings
 Charles was sent to live with
destitute family friend, Elizabeth
Roylance
• She later became the character,
Mrs. Pipchin in his book Dombey
and Son
 Charles went to work in a factory,
Warren Blacking Warehouse, to
pay room/board and support his
family
• Exhausting and cruel work left an
impression on Dickens and later
become the basis for many of his
essays

4.  Charles’ father was released from
prison due to a relative dying and
leaving inheritance
• The money was used to pay off all
the debts his father owed
 Charles’ family moves to Camden
Town after prison
 Charles attends Wellington
Academy for his schooling
• Charles later references this
school in David Copperfield

5.  Charles was not very fond of
Wellington Academy
 He saw no discipline and life was Wellington Academy
very brutal at the Academy
 He leaves Wellington at age 15
• Charles was a mediocre student
and didn’t enjoy school
 Charles becomes employed as
clerk in a solicitor’s office
• This was very hard, tedious work
that Charles did not enjoy

6.  Charles wants to become a
reporter
 He starts out as a freelance writer
• Charles unites with a relative who
shares his box at the commons
 Charles gets his start by writing
about political issues
• This education later was
incorporated into his novel Bleak
House
 He finds a job with a newspaper -
The Morning Chronicle

7.  Charles starts to publish stories in
local magazines
 He goes on to write his first novel
 His success continues and he
writes Oliver Twist
 Charles references some of his
own life in the novel
• Models Oliver after an orphan
who worked hard as young boy
for next to nothing, just as
Charles had done
 Charles wants his novels to bring
attention to the poor and
inadequate living conditions of
the slums

8.  Charles visits Manchester,
England to tour factories
 During this visit he also tours a
school
 He is appalled by the working
conditions in the factories
• He witnesses child labor and is
saddened by all of this
 While in Manchester he gives a
speech concerning the issues of
the poor and child labor

9.  Charles’ visit to Manchester has
him considering writing A
Christmas Carol
 He models some characters after
family members
• Tiny Tim who resembles his
nephew who was ill
• Fran is modeled after his sister
Frances who did not live long
enough to read A Christmas Carol
 He uses actual places he has
lived or visited to include
Wellington Academy in A
Christmas Carol

10.  Charles desires the wealthy
people of the Victorian Era see
that the poor did not have to
live in work houses or on the
streets, nor were they all
criminals
 He wanted the affluent
members of British society to
know that helping the
disadvantaged can bring
fulfillment to one’s life