By Dr Patrick ODougherty

I. Bio:    My mother, Patricia Coyne, used to read great literature like the New Yorker and Gourmet Magazine.

She frequently used the expression I am going to give my children the Dickens. 

I read almost all the finely bound volumes of Charles Dickens in our home when I was in Grade School  Thomas the Apostle, in Minneapolis. 

II.Talented Youth From the Underclasses

     Dickens novels are about talented youth from the under classes in England. He wants you to read this work and have his writings to make you try social action.

His novels feature 

Poor houses, factory labor and prisons

Reading is Fun is Dickens approach. He makes his characters attractive and enticing. Look to the inside of the person not to his or her condition.

I’ll. Suffering is the key to great Writing.

      Suffering was his stimulus for writing.His dater was sent to a poor house and debtors prison when Dickens was 

Urgency  is his writing style. Seize the Day.

The plight  of distanced people should move you.

Learn to Like the Hard Times people. Learn from the salt of the earth types.

IV.Fun

Dickens reading and writing is fun and leads to Social Change.

The better things in life make attractive relationships with Hard Times People.

Bring them

1Warm blankets

2 Dinner invitations

3 Small pleasures like chess

4English Muffins with jam

5 Flowers

V..Writing is a business! 

Dickens thought the

business dimensions of

Writing are critical.

Copyrights and bindings-are essential  to productively change the scenes of social decay. Public figure stage releases are crucial.

VI.Change 

Dickens writings makes you desire to change things in the world. Change

1Poor laws 

2Nepotism

3Bad state of schools

Dickens does this with good author business skills.

Life is about changes.

VII. Life’s experiences are very educational. 

Social contract failures

 are not good for you. 

Changing them will change you.

The School of Life is the best education.

Dickens leads a reader to social action by changing the settings, climates of feeling and opinion with his characters.

VIII. Read, Think, Move, Act to Change Social Conditions:  Give society the Dickens.

A plan or bureaucratic regulation will not lead people to change legislation.

Dickens left a boring wife. He moved on from failed relationships.

He produced 10 lazy children who drank a lot. He left a family disaster. This is a Dickens theme.

Around his family Dickens was aloof, cold, conventional and plotting

Dickens Connects with the inner life of the persons.

His novels make goodness and social change attractive pursuits in life.

Look to the inner life of the person not their outward condition. Writing and bigamy are fun in Dickens.

 IX. Mind has direction and intentionality. Writing should lead to social and economic change which will change you as well.

X. Read, Think, Move, Act to Change Social Conditions. Dickens writings will change you as well.

Ref. Dickens, the Greatest Victorian Novelist, U Tube