Charles Dickens

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Memories: Reading Charles Dickens In The Best & Worst Times…

By Eliz Obih-Frank on | From eof737.wordpress.com

“There are dark shadows on the earth, but its lights are stronger in the contrast.” Charles Dickens

Memories: Reading Charles Dickens In The Best & Worst Times... Happy 200th Birthday Charles Dickens! A young Dickens by D. Maclise

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times; it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness; it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity; it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness; it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair; we had everything before us, we had nothing before us; we were all going directly to Heaven, we were all going the other way.” Charles Dickens

Happy 200th Birthday Charles Dickens! Today is the 200th anniversary of the birth of Charles Dickens (7 February 1812 – 9 June 1870). Dickens was considered the greatest Victorian author of the day; his serialized writings were hugely successful and read widely in England. His writings which were often social commentary on the horrific conditions of the poor, were informed by his own difficult life experiences; including his time working in a blacking factory. When I found out it was his birthday, I flashed back to my earliest memories of reading and watching Dickens works. My favorite Dickens writings, from the dozens of books, short stories, plays and non-fiction he published were The Pickwick Papers – 1836, Oliver Twist – 1837
Nicholas Nickleby – 1838, The Old Curiosity Shop – 1840, Barnaby Rudge – 1841, Martin Chuzzlewit – 1843, Dombey and Son – 1846, David Copperfield – 1849, Bleak House – 1852, Hard Times – 1854, Little Dorrit – 1855, A Tale of Two Cities – 1859, Great Expectations – 1860, Our Mutual Friend – 1864, and The Mystery of Edwin Drood – 1870. Yes, I covered the list of his key writings because, as a painfully shy child, I spent many long hours in my dad’s office/study/library losing myself in the world of books. Of all the Dickens books I read, Oliver Twist haunted me and the movie gave me nightmares. During the war, I imagined the possibility of having to beg for food… It frightened me. More below.

“Have a heart that never hardens, and a temper that never tires, and a touch that never hurts.” Charles Dickens

Memories: Reading Charles Dickens In The Best & Worst Times... Dickens Dream

“Nature gives to every time and season some beauties of its own; and from morning to night, as from the cradle to the grave, it is but a succession of changes so gentle and easy that we can scarcely mark their progress.” Charles Dickens

When you’ve spent your early years as an introspective child; awkward in the presence of other kids, bookish and reflective, the company of books is held in the highest esteem. After all, books don’t talk back or give orders. They share their wisdom and golden secrets; revealing with each flick of a page, a new idea, a nuanced reaction, and sometimes, a sudden shift in plot. Books allow you to gallop along in a world where you are neither judged nor expected to be heroic. In those early years, I lifted big red leather bound copies of the classics, Dickens was one of my favorites, off my dad’s bookshelf and spent hours reading. Always settling down on some corner of the carpeted office/study floor, I read till my mom or some adult sauntered in to chide me for reading with poor lighting or urge me to join the other members of our family.

“Electric communication will never be a substitute for the face of someone who with their soul encourages another person to be brave and true.” Charles Dickens

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.”

What are your thoughts? Have you read any Charles Dickens books? What life lessons did you learn from them? Do you have any memories of watching a Dickens related play or movie? Do share! Thank you.