A Pen Against Injustice: Why Charles Dickens Wrote Oliver Twist
In the 1830s, London was one of the largest and wealthiest cities in the world. Enormous stone bridges crossed the River Thames, and horse-drawn carriages rattled past grand homes and bustling shops. Beneath this gleaming surface, however, lay a much darker reality. Thousands of children lived in extreme poverty, working dangerous jobs in factories or wandering the foggy streets with barely enough food to survive. One young writer named Charles Dickens decided to shine a light on these forgotten children, using the power of storytelling to demand change.
Dickens understood the suffering of poor children because he had experienced it firsthand. When Charles was just twelve years old, his father was thrown into debtors' prison for failing to pay his bills. To help support his family, young Charles had to leave school and labor ten hours a day in a rat-infested shoe-polish factory. Day after day, he pasted labels onto jars of blacking paste, feeling humiliated, lonely, and terrified that his future had vanished. Although his family eventually resolved their debts and Charles returned to school, the memory of that cold, gray factory never left him. It planted a deep sense of empathy for anyone mistreated or overlooked by society.
- empathy:
- The ability to understand and share the feelings or suffering of another person.
- workhouses:
- Institutions where poor people in Britain were sent to live and work in harsh conditions in exchange for basic food and shelter.
- gruel:
- A very thin, watery food made by boiling oatmeal or another grain in water or milk.
- orphan:
- A child whose parents have died.
- pickpockets:
- Thieves who secretly steal money or items directly out of people's pockets or bags.
- installments:
- Parts of a story published in sections at regular intervals, such as every month in a magazine.
- reform:
- An improvement or positive change made to a system, law, or society.
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Preview questions from this passageShowHide
- 1Why did twelve-year-old Charles Dickens have to leave school and work in a factory?
- 2What sharp contrast existed in London during the 1830s according to the first paragraph?
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About this informational passage for 5th Grade
“A Pen Against Injustice: Why Charles Dickens Wrote Oliver Twist” is a informational reading passage about Oliver Twist, written for 5th Grade. It takes about 4 minutes to read (557 words) and comes with an interactive quiz and a printable worksheet with comprehension questions and an answer key.