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Recommended: Changes in Victorian society

Charles Dickens had a very tumultuous childhood; the things he experienced affected his writing style, therefore he was a very thoughtful, compassionate, and honest writer. Dickens was an English author and social critic, and is known as the greatest in the Victorian time period. He is still widely recognized today, and there are several museums and life-size statues all erected in his honor, even though in his will he stated that he wanted no memorials done. There are major exhibits, schools, and even theme parks dedicated to him. A major idea in his novels is the absurdity of social classes in England at the time he was living, and he really wanted people to open their eyes to the truth that there are criminals and corruption in even the highest social classes as well as in the poverty levels. (Great Expectations Reviewed) Charles John Huffman Dickens was born on February seventh in eighteen twelve, the second of eight children, four brothers and three sisters, to John and Elizabeth Dickens. Dickens’ dad lived beyond the family’s means, and was sent to debtors’ prison in eighteen twenty four when Dickens was twelve years old, and he had to leave school to begin work at a boot-blacking factory for ten hours a day to help keep his family financially afloat. Later in his life when Dickens began earning all his money from his books, he was always asking his son for money. Even after his dad was released from prison, his mom did not immediately remove his from his job at the factory. Dickens always despised his mom for that. He based Mrs. Nickleby, a vain character from one of his novels, off of her. (biography.com) Out of the eight Dickens children, only one or two were ever really a success in their lives. Two of his sisters, as ... ... middle of paper ... ... (Topham, James) It may be surprising to know that there are two different endings to Great Expectations. The original ending Dickens published was said to not be “happy enough”. So he wrote a different ending to please his critics and readers. The most recognized is the second ending. However Dickens wanted it though, both endings have been praised and critisized. Even though people wanted a happier ending, the original is more consistent with the mood of the whole novel. In the first ending, Estela gets married to someone else, and Pip is alone. The second ending leaves you to believe that Pip and Estella get together, but it continues the myestery of the story. Whatever ending you choose as your favorite, they were both written by a famous, english author, and they will be remembered just as he will for many years to come.(The Ending of Great Expectations)

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