Charles Dickens

Descriptive Essay # 113134

Literature > English

Charles Dickens

An overview of the life and achievements of Charles Dickens.

3,001 words () | 12 sources | MLA | 2009 United States

Paper Summary:

The paper describes Charles Dickens' early years and how he was sent to work at a blacking factory only two days after his twelfth birthday. The paper discusses his achievements when he was still a teenager and then devotes time to his marriage and its eventual failure. The paper lists Dickens' many successful works that are popular until today.

From the Paper:

"Charles John Huffam Dickens was born on February 2, 1812, in Portsmouth, England. He was the second child born to John and Elizabeth Dickens. His father, John, was a navy clerk.
"Even in early childhood, Dickens showed promising signs of the great writer he was to become. He was smart and loved to read, and was considered "a child of excellent abilities" (Lives and Works 101). His mother taught him how to read, and it became one of his favorite pastimes. Dickens later said, "Little Red Riding Hood was my first love" (Hunter 6). As he grew older, he began to appreciate the works of 18th century authors Henry Fielding and Tobias Smollet (Microsoft Encarta Encylopedia). The influences of these writers can be seen in Dickens' own works."

Sample of Sources Used:

Ackroyd, P. The Life and Times of Charles Dickens. New York: Hyrda Publishing, 2003.
Bloom, H. (ed.). Modern Critical Views: Charles Dickens. New York: Chelsea HousePublishers, 1987.
Encyclopedia Americana. vol. 9. 1999.http://fathom.com/course/21701768/session.html.http://www.fidnet.com/~dap1955/dickens/index.html.
Hunter, N. Charles Dickens. New York: The Bookwright Press, 1989.
Krull, K. Lives of the Writers: Comedies, Tragedies (and What the Neighbors Thought).San Diego: Harcourt Brace and Company, 1994.