The Life and Times of Author Charles Dickens
The Life and Times of Author Charles Dickens
Charles Dickens is one of the greatest English writers that ever lived. There is no other writer so well known and widely read. Many people loved him and this was shown by his sold out performances. An endless amount of people mourned his death.
Charles Dickens was born on February 7, 1812, at Landport near the city of Portsmouth, England. His father John was friendly and well read. He was a devoted parent. John worked as a clerk in a Navy Pay Office and was paid fairly well. The only problem was he spent so much, their family was always on the brink of poverty. Charles had very loving parents. They had eight children all together (Haines 7).
Charles was a bright, active child who was full of imagination. His mother taught him to read when he was very young. Charles would read books by the hour. He wanted to go to school but his family could not afford it. Charles ended up doing housework and running errands. Charles, who loved reading, writing, and studying, was very disappointed. Not only did he have to run errands, at the age of twelve, Charles had to work as a potboy in Warren’s Blacking Factory. He worked eight in the morning to eight in the evening. His father ended up not paying his debts and going to jail for it. He never paid them off until his mother died and left him money. With this, Charles was sent to the Wellington House Academy, where he did very well. The worst for Charles as a child was over (Haines 18).
When he left the Academy at age fifteen, he went to work as a clerk and messenger boy in a lawyer’s office in London. After he taught himself shorthand, he left his job and became a free-lance shorthand reporter. Doing this job he had to go to Doctors Commons buildings everyday and write down everything that was said.
During this time he met Maria Beadnell. Charles fell in love with her. He went to her house as often as he could. The Beadnell’s did not want Charles as a future son-in-law. Maria did not love Charles anyway. She only played with his...