"Reflect on your present blessings, of which every man has many, not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some." quote from one of the most influential authors of the English Victorian era, the English novelist Charles Dickens, who wrote numerous acclaimed novels. Dickens lived a life full of happiness, sadness, and everything in between. He left behind an extraordinary work that constitutes the best part of the literature of the Victorian era. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Charles Dickens was born on February 7, 1812 in Portsmouth, England. His full name was Charles John Huffam Dickens. He was the second son of John and Elizabeth Dickens. As a child he always enjoyed putting on shows in the family kitchen and singing songs, standing on the table in the local pub. Subsequently, John and Elizabeth moved to London. And the family moves there. John was a nice man, he had gotten into a lot of debt. Charles Dickens began going to school at the age of 9. His father was sent to prison due to bad debts. Subsequently, Charles had to work in Warren's black factory and endured appalling conditions, loneliness, and desperation. This was a factory dealing in “darkening” or shoe polish. The conditions were really bad. Meanwhile his family was sent to Marshalsea, to live near his father's prison, and Charles was left alone. After three years Dickens was sent back to school but his work experience was never forgotten and that experience inspired the writing of two well-known novels, “David Copperfield” and “Great Expectations”. His father managed to pay off the debt. Things changed again, Dickens had to leave school again at the age of fifteen because he had to work in an office. The following year he became a freelance reporter and stenographer at the London courts. In 1832 he was mentioned in two magazines. Dickens believed that writings could play an important role in solving the world's problems. Dickens became a journalist and started with the magazines "The Mirror of Parliament" and "The True Sun". Later, he became a journalist for The Morning Chronicle. He published his first book in 1836, “Sketches by Boz”. In April 1836 he married Catherine Hogarth who published "Sketches by Boz". In the same month Dickens published “Pickwick Papers” which was a real success. Catherine and Charles had 10 children. In 1836 Dickens began publishing The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club. This method of writing was very popular in the Victorian era. Subsequently, he began releasing "Oliver Twist". He was now also editor of Bentley's Miscellany, a new monthly magazine. He continued to publish his novel in his subsequent magazines, Household Words and All the Year Round. Olive Twist in a way expresses Dickens' life because this book is about a boy, an orphan, in London. Overall Dickens's career was indeed successful, but not in his first decade when he published works such as Nicholas Nickleby (1838–1839), The Old Curiosity Shop (1840–1841), and Barnaby Rudge (1841). Dickens was also famous in America. He went on a five-month speaking tour of the United States. He spoke out forcefully against slavery and in support of other reforms. Upon returning from the United States he wrote the book "American Notes", a book that criticizes American life, defining it as culturally backward and materialistic. He also wrote another novel, Martin Chuzzlewit, about a hero who discovers that surviving on the American frontiers is more difficult than in England. He also wrote "A Christmas Carol and The Chimes". He later went abroad to Italy. The beauty of Italy has it.