Charles Dickens and the Street Children of London

by Andrea Warren

Provoked by the horrors he saw every day, Charles Dickens wrote novels that were originally intended as instruments for social change—to save his country’s children.

Charles Dickens is best known for his contributions to the world of literature, but during his young life, Dickens witnessed terrible things that stayed with him: families starving in doorways, babies being “dropped” on streets by mothers too poor to care for them, and a stunning lack of compassion from the upper class. After his family went into debt and he found himself working at a shoe-polish factory, Dickens soon realized that the members of the lower class were no different than he, and, even worse, they were given no chance to better themselves. It was then that he decided to use his greatest talent, his writing ability, to tell the stories of those who had no voice.

In this book, award-winning author Andrea Warren takes readers on a journey into the workhouses, slums, factories, and schools of Victorian England, and into the world of a beloved writer who used his pen to do battle on behalf of the poor, becoming one of the greatest reformers of his or any age.

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, History, Historical, London, Biography Memoir, British Literature

165 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 26, 2011

Reviews

[Maryam.Bhr]

Each book I read offers a new perspective. In this post, I share my thoughts on this book in Persian and English. I hope this will be enjoyable for you :)


هر کتابی که می خوانم دریچه ای به دنیایی جدید است. تو این نوشته دیدگاه و تجربه ام از مطالعه ی این کتاب رو به دو زبان فارسی و انگلیسی با شما به اشتراک می ذارم امیدوارم خوندنش براتون لذتبخش باشه :)

Persian (فارسی)

دلسوزی برای کودکان محرومی که همیشه در فکر و احساس چارلز دیکنز بودند
( ایور براون، دیکنز در زمانه ی خودش)


در ادامهٔ یادبود شخصی‌ام برای ورود به ادبیات انگلیس
همان مسیری که در مقدمهٔ کتاب زیبای سیاه
درباره‌اش نوشتم، این بار تصمیم گرفتم سراغ یکی دیگر از اولین نویسنده‌های مورد علاقه‌ام که از آن جهان ادبی شناختمش بیایم: یعنی چارلز دیکنز؛ ازاین جهت که مدت زمان زیادی از آخرین مواجهه‌ام با آثارش گذشته بود حس می‌کردم برای دیدن دوبارهٔ دیکنز، اول از مسیر زندگی‌اش رد شوم بهتر است؛ این طور شد که طبق عادت شروع کردم به جستجو در جاهای مختلف تا کتاب های زندگی نامه ای مرتبط با دیکنز را پیدا کنم و از بینشان این اثر و عنوانش ( اگرچه مخاطبین هدفش گروه سنی کودک و نوجوان هستند) به شدت توجهم را کرد تا جایی که تصمیم گرفتم در اولین فرصت بخرم و بخوانمش

و اما در باب خود کتاب و جهانش

نویسنده و مسیرِ ورودش به جهان دیکنز 🌌

آندرا وارِن نویسنده‌ای آمریکایی است که سابقه ای طولانی (بیش از بیست سال) در نوشتن برای کودکان و نوجوانان دارد؛ علاقه‌اش به تاریخ و روایت‌های انسانی مسیر کاری‌اش را شکل داده و باعث شده سراغ زندگی شخصیت‌هایی برود که تجربهٔ کودکی در آن‌ها نقش پررنگی دارد. همین نگاهِ ترکیبی تاریخ در کنار جهان کودکی—مسیر ورود او به زندگی دیکنز را می سازد؛ زندگی ای که ریشه‌های جهانش در همان سال‌های کودکی جوانه زده بود

در آستانه ی خیابان های لندن 🌫

عنوان کتاب در نگاه اول ممکن است یک جستار یا حتی یک روایت داستانی به نظر برسد، اما در واقع یک زندگینامهٔ ساده و روشن است که به همان خیابان‌های لندن می‌رسد؛ خیابان‌هایی شلوغ و پررفت‌وآمد که دیکنز از کودکی در آن‌ها قدم می‌زد و آدم‌ها را با دقت تماشا می‌کرد. این قدم‌زدن‌ها برای او فقط حرکت در شهر نبود، بلکه یکی از مهم‌ترین راه‌هایی بود که تخیلش را تغذیه می‌کرد: از طرز حرف‌زدن آدم‌ها گرفته تا شیوهٔ زندگی‌شان، از چهره‌های خستهٔ کودکان کار تا تغییرات کوچک خیابان‌ها، همه در ذهنش ثبت می‌شد و بعدها در جهان داستانی‌اش جان می‌گرفت.

چهره ی واقعی لندن ویکتوریایی؛ شهری که دیکنز در آن بزرگ شد 🇬🇧

اما خیابان‌های لندن از آغاز تا پایان عمر چارلز دیکنز شاهد چه چیزهایی بود؟ شهری که هر سال بزرگ‌تر می‌شد، اما نه لزوماً بهتر. لندنِ دوران سلطنت ملکه ویکتوریا در قرن نوزدهم ظاهراً مرکز یک امپراتوری گسترده و ثروت‌مند بود؛ امپراتوری‌ای که هزینه‌های اداره‌اش سرسام‌آور بود اما همین قدرت بیرونی، مشکلات داخلی را پنهان نمی‌کرد: فقرِ فراگیر، نبود آموزش درست و حسابی، مدرسه‌هایی بدون نظارت و استاندارد، کارِ بی‌وقفهٔ کودکان، و بهداشتی که عملاً وجود نداشت. آلودگی هوا روی شهر می‌نشست، خیابان‌ها شلوغ‌تر و بی‌سامان‌تر می‌شدند، و طبقات اجتماعی هر سال از هم دورتر. سیاست‌مدارهای بی‌کفایت هم بیشتر درگیر نمایش قدرت امپراتوری بودند تا زندگی واقعی مردم؛ همین بی‌توجهی باعث می‌شد مشکلات طبقات پایین نه دیده شود و نه اصلاح. همین دوره بود که دیکنز را از کودکی میان تضادهای لندن بزرگ کرد، تضادهایی که در هر قدم‌زدن دیده می‌شدند.

واقعیت‌گرایی؛ از خیابان تا صفحهٔ کتاب 📖

در اینجا ممکن است سؤال دیگری پیش بیاید و آن هم اینکه: قدم‌زدن‌های طولانی دیکنز، غیر از عادت شخصی، تحت تأثیر چه چیزهایی بودند؟ اگرچه در کتاب مستقیماً به این موضوع اشاره نمی‌شود، اما دانستن آن از همان نکاتی است که به نظرم مسیر دیکنزشناسی را روشن‌تر می‌کند. از قرن هجدهم به بعد، زندگی روزمرهٔ مردم انگلیس آرام‌آرام شکل دیگری پیدا کرد؛ برخلاف گذشته دیگر محدود به جهان بستهٔ خانه‌ها و روستاهای کوچک نبود و به شهرهای بزرگ و خیابان‌های شلوغ منتقل شد. شهرنشینی و مهاجرت به محیط‌های بزرگ‌تر شدت گرفت، مردم بیش از پیش از خانه بیرون آمدند، در بازارها و کارگاه‌ها رفت‌وآمد کردند، و هر روز با تضادهای تازه روبه‌رو شدند: فقر و ثروت کنار هم، کارگر و تاجر در یک مسیر، سروصدا و شلوغی در برابر سکوت خانه. خیابان تبدیل شد به صحنهٔ اصلیِ تجربهٔ مستقیم؛ جایی که واقعیت دیده می‌شد و لمس می‌شد. همین تغییر اجتماعی بود که نگاه تازه‌ای به واقعیت ساخت؛ نگاهی که ریشه‌اش را می‌شود در روش علمی دانشمندانی مثل نیوتن، در تجربه‌گرایی فیلسوفانی همچون جان لاک، و در نوشته‌های نویسنده هایی مانند دانیل دفو دید.
وقتی جهان از خانه و روستا به خیابان‌های شهر آمد، تجربهٔ روزمره ارزش شناختی پیدا کرد و نویسنده‌ها هم کم‌کم به روایتِ همین جهانِ قابل مشاهده رو آوردند؛ جهانی که هر روز در قدم‌زدن‌های دیکنز پیش چشمش قرار می‌گرفت و همان‌جا بود که بذر واقعیت‌گرایی و رئالیسم در ادبیات انگلیس جوانه زد.

جایی که کتاب می درخشد ✨️📚

زیبایی این کتاب از جایی شروع می‌شود که نویسنده دیکنز را فقط در مقام نویسندهٔ بزرگ نمی‌بیند؛ او را در مقام پدر و یک انسان با همهٔ پیچیدگی‌ها و تناقض‌هایش هم نشان می‌دهد. از جدایی از همسرش بعد از آوردن ده فرزند و یک زندگی مشترک طولانی گرفته تا سخت‌گیری‌های گاه افراطی‌اش در خانه و حساسیت‌هایی که زندگی خانوادگی را دشوار می‌کرد، حرف می‌زند. این نگاه، دیکنز را بدون سفیدشویی و تک‌بعدی بودن انسانی‌تر می‌کند؛ که به باور من با توجه به گروه سنی خوانندگان هدفش مهم است، چون می‌تواند برای آن‌ها از این جهت آموزنده باشد که آدم‌ها را نباید صرفاً در قالب‌های سیاه و سفید دید؛ حتی چهره‌های بزرگ ادبی هم مجموعه‌ای از ضعف‌ها و توانایی‌ها هستند.
فضای بصری کتاب هم نقش مهمی در نزدیک‌کردن خواننده به جهان دیکنز دارد. تصویرسازی‌هایی با حال‌وهوای کاملاً قدیمی و قرن نوزدهمی، که در نسخهٔ فارسی همه سیاه‌وسفیدند، اما در نسخهٔ اصلی بعضی تصویرها رنگی هم هستند (ای کاش در نسخهٔ ترجمه‌شدهٔ فارسی هم همین‌طور بود). با این حال این تصاویر نه شلوغ‌اند و نه تزئینی؛ درست همان‌قدر حضور دارند که خواننده بتواند خیابان‌ها، خانه‌ها و آدم‌های لندن را ببیند و حس کند همراه دیکنز قدم می‌زند.

در کنار این فضای تصویری، روایت کتاب از پشت‌صحنهٔ آثار دیکنز هم جذاب است. کتاب توضیح می‌دهد که بسیاری از شخصیت‌ها و حتی لحن مکالمه‌هایشان از چه تجربه‌هایی آمده‌اند؛ مثلاً اسم بعضی شخصیت‌ها از آدم‌هایی گرفته شده که از نزدیکان دیکنز بودند، یا ایدهٔ بعضی گفت‌وگوها از مکالمه‌های واقعی او و اطرافیانش الهام گرفته شده. همین جزئیات کوچک نشان می‌دهد که جهان دیکنز چطور از دل زندگی واقعی شکل گرفته و خواننده با آثارش رابطهٔ نزدیک‌تری پیدا می‌کند.

در ادامهٔ همین مسیر، کتاب میان روایت و تاریخ تعادل خیلی خوبی برقرار می‌کند؛ نه آن‌قدر جزئی می‌شود که خوانندهٔ نوجوان را خسته کند، و نه آن‌قدر سریع از زندگی دیکنز می‌گذرد که عمق روایت از بین برود. این ترکیب به‌ویژه برای گروه سنی نوجوان‌ها مناسب است، چون با بازهٔ توجه و شور و شوقشان سازگار است؛ نه سنگین است و نه سطحی، و جهان دیکنز را با جزئیاتی می‌سازد که قابل‌تصورند.

شیوهٔ کار نویسنده در جمع‌آوری این روایت هم به‌شدت قابل‌توجه است. او فقط به منابع و اسناد بسنده نکرده؛ به لندن رفته، مکان‌های مرتبط با دیکنز را از نزدیک دیده، درست مثل خود دیکنز که به همان مسیرها رفت‌وآمد داشته. این شباهت کوچک میان نویسندهٔ کتاب و دیکنزِ قدم‌زن برای من بسیار تحسین‌برانگیز است؛ انگار نویسنده می‌خواسته جهان دیکنز را همان‌طور که خودش تجربه کرده، دوباره لمس کند. همین تلاش باعث شده روایت کتاب زنده، دقیق و قابل‌اعتماد باشد.

سادگیِ متن، از نسخهٔ اصلی تا ترجمه 📝

نسخهٔ اصلی کتاب زبان و لحن ساده‌ای دارد؛ از همان جنس نوشتاری روشن و بی‌پیچیدگی که نویسنده آگاهانه برای نوجوان‌ها انتخاب کرده. خوشبختانه این سادگی در ترجمهٔ فارسی هم حفظ شده و متن همچنان روان و قابل‌خواندن مانده؛ طوری که خواننده بدون مکث و سختی می‌تواند با روایت همراه شود. این هماهنگی میان نسخهٔ اصلی و ترجمه باعث شده تجربهٔ کتاب برای سنین مختلف از نوجوان ها تا بزرگسالان، یک‌دست و قابل‌دسترس باشد.

یک پیشنهاد برای ادامهٔ قدم‌زدن با دیکنز ❤️📽

اگر دوست دارید تجربهٔ قدم‌زدن‌ها، گشت‌وگذارها و لحظه‌های خلق اثرِ دیکنز را به‌خصوص از لحاظ بصری بیشتر حس کنید،
پیشنهاد می‌کنم فیلم
The Man Who Invented Christmas (2017)
یا همان مردی که کریسمس را اختراع کرد ببینید.
یکی از محورهای اصلی‌ این فیلم دقیقا همین است: دیکنز را در حال خلق یکی از آثارش، یعنی سرود کریسمس، نشان می‌دهد؛ با همان قدم‌زدن‌های طولانی، همان لحظه‌های الهام، همان گفت‌وگوهای درونی و همان شکل‌گیری شخصیت‌ها در ذهنش.
تماشای این فیلم می‌تواند ادامهٔ طبیعیِ تجربهٔ کتاب باشد؛ انگار بعد از خواندن روایت، حالا می‌شود جهان دیکنز را در تصویر و حرکت هم دنبال کرد و دید چطور ایده‌ها، آدم‌ها از ذهنش در دل داستان جان می‌گیرند.

در امتداد نخستین آشنایی🕯

چارلز دیکنز از آن نویسنده‌هایی است که معمولاً خیلی از افراد از سنین کودکی و نوجوانی با او آشنا می‌شوند؛ دوره‌ای که کنجکاوی‌مان نسبت به ادبیات به سمت پشت‌صحنهٔ آثار و زندگی نویسنده‌ها هم کشیده می‌شود و دل‌مان می‌خواهد گوشه‌وکنارهای مختلفش را خوب بررسی کنیم. درست است که امروزه اینترنت سرعت و امکانات جست‌وجو را بیشتر کرده، اما این موضوع چیزی از اهمیت کتاب‌هایی مثل این کم نمی‌کند؛ از طرفی استفاده از اینترنت هم برای این گروه سنی محدودیت دارد و تجربهٔ نوجوانی بیشتر با مسیرهای منسجم و آرام پیش می‌رود. خوبی این‌جور کتاب‌ها همین است: یک روایت یک‌دست، روشن و قابل‌اعتماد که می‌تواند اولین همراهی واقعی با دیکنز باشد و کمک کند جهان ادبیات را نه فقط در متن، بلکه در زندگی و خیابان‌ها و آدم‌هایی ببینیم که پشت داستان‌ها ایستاده‌اند.

پ ن : تشکر از آقا مهرداد عزیز برای همراهیشون تو یه بررسی دیگه از ادبیات انگلیس 🙏🏻🌷


English (انگلیسی)


COMPASSION FOR DEPRIVED CHILDREN
WAS DOMINANT ALWAYS
IN CHARLES DICKENS’ THOUGHTS AND SYMPATHIES.

—Ivor Brown, Dickens in His Time

In continuation of my personal tribute to entering English literature—
the same path I wrote about in the preface to Book Black Beauty
—this time I decided to return to another one of my earliest favorite authors whom I first discovered in that literary world: Charles Dickens. Since a long time had passed since my last encounter with his works, I felt that to see Dickens again, it would be better to begin by walking through his life first. So, as usual, I started searching in different places to find biographical books about him, and among them, this one—and its title—caught my attention immediately (even though its target audience is children and young readers). It drew me in enough that I decided to buy it and read it at the first opportunity.And now, about the book itself and the world it opens…

The Author and Her Path into Dickens’s World 🌌

At first glance, the book’s title might seem like an essay or even a narrative piece, but in reality it is a simple, clear biography that leads directly into the streets of London—busy, crowded streets where Dickens walked as a child and watched people with careful attention. These walks were not just movement through the city; they were one of the most important ways his imagination was fed. From the way people spoke to the rhythms of their lives, from the tired faces of working children to the small changes in the streets, everything settled into his mind and later found life in his fictional world.

At the Threshold of London’s Street 🌫

At first glance, the book’s title might seem like an essay or even a narrative piece, but in reality it is a simple, clear biography that leads straight into the streets of London—busy, crowded streets where Dickens walked as a child and watched people with careful attention. These walks were not just movement through the city; they were one of the most important ways his imagination was fed. From the way people spoke to the rhythms of their lives, from the tired faces of working children to the small changes in the streets, everything settled into his mind and later came to life in his fictional world.

The Real Face of Victorian London — the City Dickens Grew Up In 🇬🇧

But what did the streets of London witness from the beginning to the end of Charles Dickens’s life? A city that grew larger every year, though not necessarily better. Nineteenth‑century London, under Queen Victoria’s reign, appeared to be the center of a vast and wealthy empire—an empire whose enormous administrative costs did little to hide its internal problems: widespread poverty, the absence of proper education, schools without oversight or standards, the relentless labor of children, and public health conditions that were almost nonexistent. Pollution settled over the city, the streets became more crowded and chaotic, and social classes drifted farther apart each year. Inept politicians were more concerned with displaying imperial power than addressing the real lives of ordinary people; their neglect meant that the struggles of the lower classes were neither seen nor remedied. It was in this very era that Dickens grew up amid London’s contradictions—contradictions visible in every walk he took.

Reality and the Path from Street to Page 📖

At this point, another question might arise: what shaped Dickens’s long walks, beyond personal habit? Although the book does not directly address this, knowing it is one of those details that, in my view, makes the path toward understanding Dickens clearer. From the eighteenth century onward, everyday life in England slowly took on a different form; no longer confined to the closed world of homes and small villages, it shifted toward large cities and crowded streets. Urbanization and migration to bigger environments intensified, people spent more time outside their homes, moved through markets and workshops, , and encountered new contrasts every day: poverty and wealth side by side, workers and merchants on the same road, noise and chaos against the quiet of home. The street became the primary stage of direct experience—where reality was seen and felt. This social shift created a new way of looking at reality, one whose roots can be traced to the scientific method of figures like Newton, the empiricism of philosophers such as John Locke, and the writings of authors like Daniel Defoe.
As the world moved from houses and villages into the streets of the city, daily experience gained cognitive value, and writers gradually turned toward portraying this visible world—one that appeared before Dickens’s eyes every day in his walks. It was there, in those streets, that the seeds of realism began to grow in English literature.

Where the Book Truly Shines ✨📚

The beauty of this book begins where the author refuses to see Dickens only as a great writer; she also shows him as a father and as a human being, with all his complexities and contradictions. She writes about his separation from his wife after ten children and a long marriage, about his sometimes excessive strictness at home, and about the sensitivities that made family life difficult. This perspective makes Dickens more human—without whitewashing or flattening him—and, in my view, this is especially important given the book’s young audience. It teaches them that people should not be seen in simple black‑and‑white terms; even major literary figures are made of both strengths and flaws.

The book’s visual atmosphere also plays an important role in bringing the reader closer to Dickens’s world. The illustrations carry a distinctly old, nineteenth‑century feeling; they are neither crowded nor decorative, appearing just enough for the reader to see the streets, houses, and people of London—and to feel as though they are walking alongside Dickens himself.

Alongside this visual tone, the book’s look behind the scenes of Dickens’s works is equally engaging. It explains how many of his characters—and even the tone of their conversations—grew out of real experiences: some names were taken from people close to him, and certain dialogues were inspired by actual conversations he had with those around him. These small details show how Dickens’s world emerged directly from real life, allowing the reader to form a closer connection with his works.
Continuing in this direction, the book strikes a remarkably good balance between narrative and history; it never becomes so detailed that it exhausts a young reader, nor does it move through Dickens’s life so quickly that the depth of the story is lost. This blend is especially fitting for a teenage audience, aligning well with their attention span and sense of curiosity: neither heavy nor superficial, and it builds a world of Dickens with details that feel genuinely imaginable.
The author’s method of gathering this narrative is also deeply impressive. She didn’t rely solely on documents and sources; she went to London herself, visited places connected to Dickens, and walked the same routes he once did. This small parallel between the author and Dickens the walker is something I find truly admirable—almost as if she wanted to experience Dickens’s world in the same way he did. That effort gives the book a sense of life, precision, and trustworthiness.

A Suggestion for Continuing Your Walk with Dickens ❤️📽


If you’d like to feel Dickens’s walks, wanderings, and moments of creation more vividly—especially in a visual sense—I recommend watching The Man Who Invented Christmas (2017). One of the film’s central threads is precisely this: it shows Dickens in the process of creating one of his works, A Christmas Carol, with the same long walks, the same flashes of inspiration, the same inner conversations, and the same way characters take shape in his mind. Watching this film can be a natural continuation of the book’s experience; as if, after reading the narrative, you can now follow Dickens’s world in image and motion, and see how ideas and people come to life from his imagination into the heart of the story.

In Continuation of That First Encounter 🕯

Charles Dickens is one of those writers many people first meet in childhood or adolescence—a time when our curiosity about literature naturally extends to the behind‑the‑scenes of stories and the lives of the authors themselves. Even though the internet today offers speed and endless possibilities for searching, this doesn’t diminish the value of books like this; and for younger readers, the internet still comes with limitations, while the experience of adolescence often moves along calmer, more structured paths. The strength of books like this lies precisely here: a clear, steady, and trustworthy narrative that can become a reader’s first real companionship with Dickens, helping them see the world of literature not only in the text, but also in the lives, streets, and people standing behind the stories.

[Mehrdad]

یه‌بار تو صحبتی که با یکی از دوستان داشتم، حرف رسید به اینکه چقدر من از ادبیات انگلیس کم خوندم و کم می‌دونم (در واقع هیچی نمی‌دونم) و اونجا قرار گذاشتیم که اگه خواست کتابی دربارۀ انگلیس و ادبیاتش بخونه، به منم معرفی کنه و خب اینم یکی از اون کتاباست. تو این کتاب غیرداستانی و تا حدی تاریخی، نویسنده اومده و زندگی چارلز دیکنز بزرگ رو برای ما روایت کرده. اونم با استفاده از منابع معتبر و البته تحقیق میدانی خودش. (تو فصل آخر کتاب، در مورد مسیر تحقیقاتش نوشته و واقعا خوندنش باعث می‌شه که تلاش ستودنی نویسنده رو برای روایت این زندگی‌نامه بهتر درک کنیم.)

علاوه بر زندگی دیکنز، قراره تاثیراتی رو که با تنها سلاحش (قلم) بر انگلستان دوران ویکتوریایی گذاشت، تلاش‌هاش برای مبارزه با فقر، بی‌عدالتی، عدم تحصیل کودکان و زندگی مشقت‌بارشون رو هم در خط به خط کتاب بخونیم. با یه روایت سرراست و خوندنی.
اگه بخوام یه خلاصه‌ای از محتوای کتاب بگم؛
از کودکی خود دیکنز شروع می‌شه. دیکنزی که تو سال‌های کودکی، بخاطر وضعیت مالی خانواده‌ش مجبور شد که تو یه کارخانۀ واکس‌سازی مشغول بکار بشه و تاثیر این قضیه، تا آخر عمر باهاش می‌مونه. به حدی که به غیر از عدۀ کمی، بقیه خبر نداشتن که دیکنز، همچین جایی کار می‌کرده. خانوادۀ دیکنز در واقع خانوادۀ متوسطی بودن که به دلیل خرج‌های پدر خانواده دچار فقر شدن. این خرج‌ها هم اکثرا برای حفظ ظاهر پدر دیکنز بوده تا خودشو تو جامعه به عنوان فرد قابل توجهی نشون بده ولی در نهایت باعث شد که به زندان بیفته.

تصویری که نویسنده از انگلستان اون موقع می‌سازه، تماما فقر و بدبختی و فلاکت مردم بوده که در نهایت سودش به یه عده کارخانه‌دار و ارباب متمول و سوءاستفاده‌گر می‌رسیده. بچه‌ها از زمانی‌که می‌تونستن روی پاشون بایستن، باید در برابر چندرغاز پول، سخت‌ترین و خطرناک‌ترین کارها رو انجام بدن که هرروز بیشتر و بیشتر زندگی و سلامت‌شون رو به خطر می‌انداخت. کارهایی مثل پاک کردن دودکش کارخانه‌های صنعتی، تمیز کردن ریل قطار و کار توی معدن‌هایی که هر لحظه امکان انفجار و خراب شدن رو داشت. (چیزی که خوندن این فصل‌ها رو دردناک‌تر می‌کنه، صراحت نویسنده و روایت روانش از این اتفاق‌هاست. اینکه شما یه مسئلۀ دردناک و تلخ رو جوری تعریف کنی که خواننده‌ت احساس کنه، این اتفاق‌ها یا برای خودش افتاده، یا یکی از نزدیکانش.)

و تمام این مشکلات رو دیکنز هم به چشم خودش دید و هم تجربه کرد. بعد از یه مدتی که بالاخره تونست به یکی از آرزوهاش (مدرسه رفتن) برسه، حسابی علاقه و استعداد نشون داد و خودشو در جامعه بالا کشید ولی با یه ترس تا آخر عمرش دست‌وپنجه نرم کرد و اونم ترس از دوباره فقیر شدن بود. بله! نویسندۀ بزرگی مثل دیکنز که هنوز که هنوزه آثارش جزء پرفروش‌ترین آثاره، از این می‌ترسید که دوباره به اون کارخانۀ واکس‌سازی برگرده. و چیزی که اهمیت داره، استفاده از تمام این تجربیات و مشاهدات خودش در داستان‌هاش بود. دلیل اینکه در همون زمان هم آثارش مثل نون داغ به فروش می‌رفت، همین بود. مردم از هر طبقه‌ای خودشون رو داخل شخصیت‌های دیکنز پیدا می‌کردن و به همین خاطر باهاش همزادپنداری می‌کردن. تو بعضی از فصل‌ها، نویسنده با چیزایی که از زندگی دیکنز و مشاهداتش به دست اورده، به این نتیجه می‌رسه که خیلی از این موارد، پایه و اساس شخصیت‌هایی بوده که تا مدت‌ها تو ذهن مردم می‌موندن، مثل الیور توئیست، اسکروج و...

وضعیت آموزش و تحصیل هم ظاهرا در بدترین حالت خودش قرار داشته. در کنار مدرسه‌هایی که برای فرزندان افراد ثروتمند بوده، مدرسه‌هایی هم وجود داشته به اسم «یورک‌شایر» که به نظرم باید اسم قتلگاه رو به اونجا داد تا مدرسه! خانواده‌هایی که توانایی کنترل بچه‌های شر و شور و بعضا خلاف‌کار خودشون رو نداشتن، اونارو به این مدرسه‌ها می‌بردن و به حدی که اونجا، همه‌چیز در بدترین حالت ممکن بوده، خیلی از این بچه‌ها جونشون رو از دست می‌دادن. پشت این مدرسه‌ها گورستانی بوده که جنازۀ بچه‌ها رو اونجا دفن می‌کردن و خیالتونو راحت کنم که این اتفاق، به پر شال حکومت هم نبوده! نهایت یه دادگاهی برگزار می‌کردن برای خالی نبودن عریضه و تهش مدیر رو تبرعه می‌کردن. یکی از کارایی که دیکنز کرد، این بود که با کلی تلاش و دوندگی و استفاده از قلمش، در نهایت باعث شد این مدرسه‌ها تعطیل بشن.

به قول حافظ، «عیب می جمله بگفتی، هنرش نیز بگو»
تو همین کشوری که ثروتمندان، کوچیک‌ترین اهمیتی به زندگی طبقۀ فرودست نمی‌دادن و معتقد بودن که فقرا، خودشون یه کاری باید برای خودشون بکنن، بودن کسایی که دغدغه داشتن و درد مردم براشون اهمیت داشت. کلی مراکز درمانی، نگهداری، آموزشی و... به همت این افراد ساخته شد تا حداقل بخشی از این مشکلات رو حل کنن. باعث و بانی این قضیه هم بازم تا حد زیادی دیکنز بود. گفتم که داستان‌های دیکنز حتی در بین افراد ثروتمند هم رواج داشت و خونده می‌شد. دیکنز هم با علم به این موضوع و کمک گرفتن از هنر نویسندگی‌ش (به تصویر کشیدن درد و غم مردم مخصوصا بچه‌ها، تحریک احساسات، مرگ و میرهای تلخی که برای شخصیت‌ها درست می‌کرد) تاثیرشو بین این طبقه هم گذاشت و باعث شد بهشون بر بخوره و به فکر کمک کردن بیفتن.

در نهایت اگه بخوام حرفمو سر و جمع کنم، باید بگم که دیکنز، آنچنان تاثیری در بهبود وضعیت مردم گذاشت (در همۀ زمینه‌ها) که خیلی از مردم متفق‌القول معتقد بودن که از تمام ارگان‌های مذهبی و سیاسی و اجتماعی، تاثیرات بیشتر و بهتری داشت.
کتاب، نکات جذاب کم نداره ولی از اونجا که می‌خوام بازم کنجکاوی‌تون بیشتر تحریک بشه تا سراغش برین، به همین حد راضی می‌شم. من که از دیکنز فقط یه کتاب خوندم ولی مطمئنم برای کسانی که از آثار دیکنز خوندن، لذت خوندن کتاب، چندبرابر می‌شه.

پ.ن: لازمه از همخوان آدم حسابی خودم، مریم خانوم تشکر کنم که با معرفی کتاب، باعث شدن یه قدم بیشتر به فهم ادبیات انگلستان نزدیک بشم و کم کم بهش علاقمند بشم. دمتون حسابی گرم 🫡

[Quirkyreader]

This was a very well written synopsis of Dicken's life. One of the main topics it dealt with was his philanthropy and support of children's welfare groups in the Victorian Era.

[Elizabeth]

Charles Dickens and The Street Children of London tells the tale of Dickens' personal life, philanthropic work, and literary efforts to make the world a better place, and it tells that tale well. As a biography, it's a very focused scope, with the intention of looking specifically at the impact the world had on Dickens and that Dickens had on the world.

The writing style is straightforward, and highly readable. The content is brilliantly displayed to show the information at hand, making it an interesting and informative read. Stylistically it is one of the rare books that an adult, teen, or child could read, enjoy, and learn from. The illustrations, paintings, and photographs displayed are done so effectively, and enhance the material.

I would definitely recommend this to anyone looking to learn more about Dickens, but I would also recommend it to anyone looking to learn more about the working classes and the impoverished in Victorian England. Again, I would recommend it to any age group.

[Sesana]

I admit, I've read very little Dickens. But I didn't need to have read much of his work to enjoy this short biography. Warren connects Dickens's work with his progressive (for Victorian England, at least) social views, and shows how he used his writing to try to change his world. Warren shows that he certainly helped. But when I read how he'd written A Christmas Carol because he wanted to change the common perception of the wealthy that the poor weren't deserving of help... Well, there's still a long way to go, isn't there?

[Richie Partington]

21 June 2011 CHARLES DICKENS AND THE STREET CHILDREN OF LONDON by Andrea Warren, Houghton Mifflin, November 2011, 160p., ISBN: 978-0-547-39574-6

"Marley was dead: to begin with. There is no doubt whatever about that. The register of his burial was signed by the clergyman, the clerk, the undertaker, and the chief mourner. Scrooge signed it. And Scrooge's name was good upon 'Change, for anything he chose to put his hand to."

Charles Dickens.

For half a dozen years I worked for a book retailer named after one of his well-known books and characters (Copperfield's).

This was followed by half a dozen years when I volunteered in a middle school where another of his works is read every year to the eighth graders (A Christmas Carol).

The most memorable speech of my adulthood was an extended allusion to one of his books (Mario Cuomo's 1984 "A Tale of Two Cities" speech).

I even once named one of my Nubian goats after one of his books (Treadsoftly Great Expectations).

Yet, while I'd learned many bleak details of Dickensian London, I knew virtually nothing of the author himself.

Until now.

This coming February seventh will mark the two-hundredth anniversary of Charles Dickens's birth and CHARLES DICKENS AND THE STREET CHILDREN OF LONDON is an excellent introduction to the immortal and enduringly popular British author and social reformer who made a real difference in so many ways.

"His interest in educating slum children was 'intense and prolonged,' according to one historian. It began when Dickens visited a Ragged School operating in a rundown house in one of London's worst slums. Afterward, he wrote 'I have very seldom seen...anything so shocking as the dire neglect of soul and body exhibited in these children. The odor of the dirty children was so overpowering that the friend with him had to leave. Dickens stayed, talking to the boys and girls and watching them at their lessons.
"In a lengthy letter to the editor of the Daily News he urged Londoners to visit Ragged Schools and see for themselves the good work taking place. 'The name implies the purpose,' he wrote. 'They who are too ragged, wretched, filthy, and forlorn to enter any other place, who could gain admission into no charity school, and who would be driven from any church door, are invited to come in here, and find some people...willing to teach them something, and show them some sympathy, and stretch a hand out, which is not the iron hand of the Law.'"

In CHARLES DICKENS AND THE STREET CHILDREN OF LONDON, we learn how, having become enlightened at a young age through his own real-life childhood riches-to-rags story, Charles Dickens sought throughout the remainder of his life to change the world of poor children in London, both through his writing and with the money he earned for that writing. We learn about others before him, including Handel the composer, Hogarth the painter, and Coram the sea captain, who similarly helped these London children who were so often left to die.

There are true stories of workhouses and debtor prisons interspersed with stories of foundling hospitals and Ragged Schools interspersed with stories of Dickens's utilizing his own experiences as inspiration for his stories. And it is not just in London that he sought to improve conditions. He took on cruel boarding schools in Yorkshire and the child labor and environmental abuses in industrial cities like Birmingham and Manchester. And he really made change happen.

Through everything I learn here about Dickens, I find an awful lot to like about this guy.

"Dickens warning to the British to beware of man's offspring, Ignorance and Want, did not fall on deaf ears. The wheels of change moved slowly, but by the turn of the century and the end of Victoria's reign in 1901, the reforms that began in Dickens' lifetime had eased the suffering of the poor. While many powerful people were responsible for this, Dickens rightfully received credit, long after he had died, for goading the upper classes to do the right thing -- and making them want to do it."

And so it is that Charles Dickens inspired and continues to inspire readers.

Richie Partington, MLIS
Richie's Picks http://richiespicks.com
BudNotBuddy@aol.com
Moderator http://groups.yahoo.com/group/middle_...
Moderator http://groups.yahoo.com/group/EcolIt/ http://slisweb.sjsu.edu/people/facult...

[Peter]

The book covers exactly what the title states. It is clear, concise, inserting and very readable. I would certainly recommend it to anyone wanting a primer on the character and the activity of Dickens in regards to the poor.

I was looking for more detail, more depth, and breadth in the book. Still, Warren’s book is a perfect way to introduce the concerns and the philanthropy that Dickens had throughout his life.

I certainly recommend this book for people taking their initial steps into the Dickensian world.

[Janette]

Even though Dickens had issues in his marriage and family, he truly was the voice/advocate for the street children and the poor in Victorian London/England. This book is an excellent source for learning about workhouses, debtor's prisons, foundling schools and hospitals, ragged schools and much more in this time period. All of this is connected to his purpose of writing his novels. Well done -- great pics, too!

[Sofi]

I actually enjoy reading nonfiction, especially the one's realted to history

[Gayle]

What do artist William Hogarth, composer George Frideric Handel, and author Charles Dickens have in common? They all produced at least some of their work to help support The Foundling Hospital of London in the 1800s, much like celebrities and artists today do to support a cause. Charles Dickens, inspired by children who were homeless or living in dire poverty, began writing short stories, and then novels, to inform the English about the inhumane conditions that people—especially children—of what were considered the “lower classes” were subject to in London at that time. In the case of Handel, he wrote his most famous composition, Messiah, to perform in a Christmas concert at the Foundling Hospital to raise funds.

Although Dickens was born into the middle class, his father had a habit of spending above the family’s means, once landing him in debtors’ prison. Dickens’ mother, with no way left to support her family, chose to move into the prison as well with young Charles and his siblings, rather than put them in one of the infamous workhouses, where children were starved, abused, and worked sometimes even to death. Dickens’ experiences as a child made such a lasting impression that he devoted his entire writing career, and later used his fame, to improve the lives of London’s street urchins and their families.

Ms. Warren, who states that she has always been interested in the plight of homeless children, has done a beautiful and thorough job of describing the horrid conditions in London in the mid-1800s for the people who many believed at the time were born into their station in life, and who did not deserve anything better. Her descriptions of the slums, workhouses, factories, and the people who populated them are riveting and her character development of Dickens and others leads you smoothly through the life journeys they took to get to the point where changing the social conditions of the time were imperative to them.

This book is written for young people, ages 12-14, but I thoroughly enjoyed every page. What I, as a librarian, like the most is the inclusion by Ms. Warren of not only a bibliography of her references, but also her last chapter which extends the knowledge of the subject, including a section on ways to help homeless children today, and provides suggestions for valid online sources to gain more knowledge that does not include Wikipedia!

Enjoyable and informative for any age...five stars for this one.

[Jgrace]

Charles Dickens and the Street Children of London – Andrea Warren
4 stars
There is a long tradition of biography as morality tale in children’s literature. Frequently there is little factual basis for the lesson; George Washington did not, in fact, chop down the cherry tree. However, with Charles Dickens, the lesson is implicit in the life of the man. Andrea Warren has presented the life of Charles Dickens in sixteen easy chapters with the clear intent of showcasing him as a social activist. The text is augmented with period illustrations and actual photographs. Following the last chapter are several brief selections that give additional information concerning Victorian England, workhouses and poorhouses in England and America, child labor laws and current charitable or activist organizations benefitting children worldwide. The book has an index, bibliography and a list of suggested websites.
The publisher recommends this book for ages 12 or above. I judge the reading level to be upper elementary; although some of the subject matter might be a bit mature. The text is informative and historically accurate, but is selected with a clear social agenda in mind.

[BookSweetie]

Off the charts reward for very little investment of time -- I found this one in the TEEN book section of the library, but don't let that stop you, if you are no longer a young adult. This is non-fiction with fascinating content that's presented most appealingly.
While this book is NOT just about Dickens, it will serve well those readers who may know his books without much knowledge of the author. And if you think you already know just about everything there is to know about Dickens, how about this: what is the connection between Dickens (who died in 1870 at the age of 58) and a sea captain named Thomas Coram (who was born in 1668) and the German-born composer Handel (who moved to London as a young man in 1712) ? You won't be stumped if you read CHARLES DICKENS AND THE STREET CHILDREN OF LONDON by Andrea Warren.

[Joan]

This was really pretty good! I can't give it 5 stars only because it didn't leave me gasping over how good it is. The author shows how Dickens' life influenced his books and called him one of the greatest and most successful social reformers. She also notes at the end that the issues affecting children are still prevalent in many parts of the world. She doesn't have anything really to say about homeless kids being taken advantage of in our country or Britain. This lack is part of what lost her the fifth star. Now of course, I suppose I really need to add the famous Dickens' titles to my to read list. SIGH.....

[Lisa Nelms]

What a great book to read right before Christmas! Dickens reminds us what the season is all about. Andrea Warren did an excellent job of presenting the man behind the stories. I think Dickens would be proud to have such a good writer present his work in contemporary times. What happened then is still happening today. Dickens made people aware of the exploration and mistreatment of children in Victorian England. In Andrea's book she reminds us that there are children in China, India and Africa who live lives as bad or worse than Oliver Twist. Although this book is intended for children it is a good adult read.

[Kifflie]

This is an excellent look behind the stories that Dickens told about the plight of the poor in Victorian-era England. I had no idea how deliberately he was involved in this advocacy work, nor that he had once been on the verge of poverty himself as a youngster. Well worth reading, and makes you appreciate how far society has come -- yet we still have a long way to go.

[Rilee]

Audience: Intermediate and beyond

Appeal: Anyone who is interested in Charles Dickens' life should read this. It is extremely interesting, because the reader is taken on a journey into the workhouses, slums, factories, and schools of Victorian England, and into the world of Dickens. He uses his pen to battle on behalf of the poor.

Award: School Library Journal 2011

[Edward Sullivan]

Excellent insight into how Dickens's own experiences influenced his depictions of the poor and working class in his novels. Warren also offers an insightful look at the wretched lives of the poor, particularly children, in Victorian England.

[Turrean]

An excellent YA-level biography of Dickens, examining his life through the social ills at which his books took aim. The narrative is a bit too inclined to give Dickens extra credit for what were surely complex social responses to the humanitarian crisis that was 19th century London, and to soften some of Dickens' own caddish behavior toward his wife. But the author deftly interweaves details of Dickens' life with accounts of his famous novels, and uses both to give a vivid (and fairly damning) look at the social, legal, and technological forces at work in his time. In the end, this is as much a biography of Victoran England as it is of Dickens.

[Carolyn]

I’ve read a few of Dickens’ works but knew little about his life or how it influenced the themes of his work. This is a quick (about 120 pages, large font with illustrations and photographs) overview of his life, working conditions for the poor in London, and how he started his career. There are sections on work houses, factory labor, his early education and poverty, his rise to fame, and his work as a reformer.

[Stacey M]

This is a fasinating look at Charle Dickens. It talks about some of the great things he did and just how much he influenced the people of his time. It also mentions other figures and how they influenced society and Dickens. This is a great book for people interested in the author. It would be great for middle grades and up.

[Sydney Beth]

Very nicely presented. Aim for the physical book as there are many graphics, illustrations, and photographs that bring the text to life (though it didn’t need a lot of help). I’d have every high schooler read this as their introduction to Dickens, if I could. There are a few spoilers to his novels but certainly not as many as other biographical works. Warren did a great job.

[Eileen]

Charles Dickens & The Street Children of London by Andrea Warren
One of the best books dealing with poverty that I've read in a long time and Dickens involvement in trying to address and rectify the conditions by involving the upper classes .

[Amanda]

Really clear and informative--As an adult this gave me a strong foundation for some research I was doing on Dickens. This book would be accessible and helpful for students.

[Amy]

This was an older children's book, but I enjoyed it all the same.

[Lisa]

Excellent history lesson about the poor in England in the 1800’s. Interesting to read about Dickens and how he got started and kept writing.

[Children's Literature Centre at FSU]

A descriptive, moving tale of an advocate for the poor. A must read!

[Linda]

For a life-long fan of Dickens this was a fun read as I learned about the street children and those who helped them.

[Karina Petersen]

En fin oplysende bog dog med en del lidt løse teser, og så har bogen også et andet formål, som at donere penge til forskellige slags velgørenhed til støtte for fattige. Bogen er godt skrevet i et fængende sprog, men jeg er desværre ikke den helt store fan.

[Elizabeth Douglas]

Easy to read and informative with good illustrations.

[Tori Fullmer]

Biography. This candid biography of Charles Dickens traces many of his life experiences to his books. It also discusses many influential people of his time and the effects of Dickens today.