British Culture 6: Charles Dickens
Reading: Charles Dickens
1. Charles Dickens was born in 1812 and died in 1870, aged 58. He was a novelist, one of the
most well-known writers in the English language.
2. He wrote about Victorian England. His books are realistic and show us what life was like at
the time. He had a reputation as a social reformer.
3. Many of his books were originally written as a series to be published in newspapers. They
were very popular at the time. And they are still popular today. His books have never gone
out of print.
4. Dickens’s characters have unique personalities. He uses a lot of satire and comedy, but his
stories are often full of suffering. We use the word ‘Dickensian’ to describe poverty-stricken
conditions.
5. The short story ‘A Christmas Carol’ is about a stingy miser called Ebenezer Scrooge. He is
visited by three ghosts who show him his whole life. Scrooge changes to become generous.
6. The novel ‘A Tale of Two Cities’ has sold over 200 million copies. It is set in London and
Paris during the French Revolution.
7. There are two main characters. One is good French aristocrat and the other is a drunken
English barrister.
8. The two men look very similar and they both love the same lady. The Englishman goes to
France, takes the place of the Frenchman and dies by guillotine. In this way he is redeemed.
9. ‘Oliver Twist’ is a story about an orphan who lives in a workhouse, but escapes to join a
group of juvenile pickpockets led by a criminal called Fagin.
10. The story exposed the cruel treatment of orphans in London. It is full of memorable
characters. It has been made into very good film and a successful stage musical.
11. ‘Bleak House’ was published in twenty monthly instalments. Besides the main story, it has
many sub-plots. Dickens describes the frustrating wastefulness and flaws of the legal system
at that time.
12. Dickens wrote other famous novels and short stories. He was
married to Catherine and had ten children.
Page 1 of 4
Email:
Download:
English@RichardLBerry.com
http://www.richardlberry.com/EnglishAtStGabriels.html
http://www.st-gabriels.org/Groups/120662/St_Gabriels_Cricklewood/What_Were_Up/Community_Activities/English_Classes/English_Classes.aspx
British Culture 6: Charles Dickens
Vocabulary
1
Word
Description
Aged
Past perfect of the verb ‘to age’
‘he was with a man, aged about 60’
‘I went to college when I was aged 20’
‘Wine ages well’
1
Novel
Novelist
A long story book.
Compare ‘short story’, ‘play’ and ‘poetry’
1
…in the English
language…
If someone writes ‘in the English language’
it means that they write in English even
though they may not be English.
‘Tolstoy was one of the greatest writers in
the Russian language.’
2
Victorian
Queen Victoria reigned from 1837 to 1901.
This period is called the ‘Victorian era’.
Victoria’s time was marked by large
scientific, industrial, imperial and military
change.
2
Realistic
Appear to be real.
‘John can bark like a dog. It is very realistic’
2
…what life is
like…
It is difficult to know what life is like in another place or time.
Q: ‘What is life like in Libya?’
A: ‘Life is hard but getting better’
Q: ‘What was life like 100 years ago?’
A: ‘I don’t know what life was like’
2
Reputation
What other people thing about you.
‘Jack has a reputation as a good worker. Everyone says he is good.’
2
Social adj.
To do with society, a community, a group of people living together.
Pl:
Sp:
Tk:
Vt:
społeczeństwo
sociedad
toplum
xã hội
2
Reform
Reformer
‘Reform’ means change to improve.
A ‘reformer’ is a person who reforms.
3
Originally
In the beginning
Page 2 of 4
Email:
Download:
English@RichardLBerry.com
http://www.richardlberry.com/EnglishAtStGabriels.html
http://www.st-gabriels.org/Groups/120662/St_Gabriels_Cricklewood/What_Were_Up/Community_Activities/English_Classes/English_Classes.aspx
British Culture 6: Charles Dickens
Word
Description
3
Series
A group of similar things. The BMW series of cars:
3
Publish
Print and sell
A publisher sells books, newspapers and magazines.
3
Popular
Everyone likes them
‘pop music’ is ‘popular music’
3
…go out of
print…
When a book is no longer printed and you can only buy second hand
copies.
4
Unique
Only one in the world
4
Personality
The special things about people
‘Sid has a happy personality’
4
Satire
Using comedy or sarcasm to expose foolishness or vice.
4
Comedy
A play or film to make you laugh.
4
Suffering
Pain
4
Poverty
Very poor. ‘Dave lived in poverty. He only had money for food.’
4
Poverty-stricken
To ‘strike’ with poverty.
4
Condition
The ‘state’ of something
‘My car is in a bad condition’
‘He was hurt in a car accident, but his condition is getting better’
5
Stingy
STIN|jee
A person who does not like to spend money is called ‘stingy’
The opposite of ‘generous’
5
Miser
A person who holds on to money
5
Ghost
Spirit
5
Generous
A person who likes to give
6
Tale
Story
Page 3 of 4
Email:
Download:
English@RichardLBerry.com
http://www.richardlberry.com/EnglishAtStGabriels.html
http://www.st-gabriels.org/Groups/120662/St_Gabriels_Cricklewood/What_Were_Up/Community_Activities/English_Classes/English_Classes.aspx
British Culture 6: Charles Dickens
Word
Description
6
…set in…
The place where action happens, or where something is.
‘The hotel is set in nice countryside’
6
Revolution
To ‘revolve’ is to turn round, like a wheel. A revolution is a big
change in society where things are completely different afterward.
The French Revolution 1789 to 1799.
7
Aristocrat
A member of a class of people with special rank and privilege.
Titles in UK ‘peerage’: Earl, Duke, Marquess, Viscount, Baron.
7
Drunk adj
Drunken adj
Drunk verb
Drunkard noun
Drunk from too much alcohol.
‘John, you are drunk!’ (John has too much alcohol)
‘John, you are a drunkard!’ (John has a problem with alcohol)
‘John got hurt in a drunken fight’ (a fight made worse by alcohol)
7
Barrister
Lawyer in England.
8
Similar
Like, but not exactly the same.
8
…take the place
of…
Substitute. ‘instead of’.
‘I can’t go to the show. Can you take my place?’
8
Guillotine
A machine invented in 1789 by Dr JosephIgnace Guillotin.
8
Redeem
Buy back, ‘make up for’ or buy freedom.
‘Sue redeemed the ring she had sold.’
‘Freddy was a bad man, but he redeemed
himself by giving his money to poor people.’
Pl:
Sp:
Tk:
Vt:
wykupić
redimir
kurtarmak
mua lại
9
Orphan
Child without mother or father.
9
Workhouse
A building in Victorian times where the poor were made to work.
9
Juvenile
Child. Not adult.
10
Cruel
A person who makes others suffer is cruel.
10
Memorable
Easy to remember.
11
Bleak
Bare countryside. Without hope. Depressing.
11
Instalment
One of several parts.
‘I pay my rent in weekly insalments.’
11
Besides
In addition.
‘Besides Tom, Dick and Harry will (also) be coming.’
11
Plot
Story.
11
Frustrating
When you are ‘frustrated’ you are stopped from doing something.
11
Wastefulness
Waste.
11
Flaw
Imperfection. A crack, scratch or something spoilt.
Page 4 of 4
Email:
Download:
English@RichardLBerry.com
http://www.richardlberry.com/EnglishAtStGabriels.html
http://www.st-gabriels.org/Groups/120662/St_Gabriels_Cricklewood/What_Were_Up/Community_Activities/English_Classes/English_Classes.aspx