As we begin our study of Charles Dickens and his Victorian masterpiece Great Expectations, we must become at least a bit familiar with both the life and times of this amazing man. Your blog comments this week will get you thinking about Dickens and his times as well as some of the themes and topics in the novel.
Please watch the following YouTube clips, take notes and answer the following questions:
- What are three interesting facts you learned about Charles Dickens?
- Why did you find those facts to be the most interesting? Explain your reasoning.
- What was life like during the Victorian Era?
In order to start thinking about your life in terms of some of the themes in the novel, please also answer the following questions in your blog post:
- In 19th century England, many children had to work. Imagine you had to work every day instead of going to school, how would your life change?
- What are some your ambitions and expectations for your life?
- Imagine you receive a large sum of money (say $5,000) every month. What would you do with it? Do you think the money would change your way of life and/or your personality? If so, how?
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DeleteI believe that Charles Dickens' passion for writing did not come from his recollection of people, but rather from his writing down of them. He probably wrote about those people that he saw, and that is what incited his love of writing. I agree with you that it was nice to see that the house that Charle's father liked was the same house that Dickens bought, and I agree with you that the house was a symbolism of a sort. I did not think about the fact that the victorian era overlapped with the industrial revolution, and I find that interesting.
DeleteOne interesting fact that I learned about Charles Dickens is that his father was sent to a prison for people who had not paid their debts. I found this interesting because it was surprising that someone that was very wealthy had come from a home that could not pay debts. Another fact that I found interesting was that Dickens ran into a wrecked train in order to get his work. I found this to be surprising because he was an older man at the time, and I would not suspect him to do something that is that dangerous. The third interesting fact that I learned about Charles Dickens is that he bought the same house that his father told him was the pinnacle of homes. I found this interesting because it shows that the house that Dickens lived in had a large amount of sentimental value to him, even if it was not his house when he was young. This is what I found interesting about Charles Dickens.
ReplyDeleteThe Victorian Era was a remarkable time that changed the way in which people lived for years to come. There were many technological and medical advances at the time, which decreased the death rate. The era showed a large contrast between the rich and the poor. The rich had “Victorian Values” and were always kind and were someone to aspire to, while the poor did not live well.
If I had to work every day instead of going to school, my life would be a lot different. For one thing, I would not have a good education. Secondly, I would have money which I would probably use to help my family. An ambition that I want to pursue in life is to get a good job, and a nice home. I would like to make a difference in the world. If i were to receive $5000 a month, it would not affect my life greatly. I would probably put it all into a bank and only take out as much as I need.
I did not even think about how Charles Dickens father was wealthy but was arrested for not paying debts. I would agree that is an interesting fact.
DeleteWhile watching the two short clips about Charles Dickens and the Victorian age, there were some facts that I picked up. The first video was about Charles Dickens life. One piece of information that I found to be interesting about him was that for work, when Charles was around my age, he would label boxes for eleven hours each day. To me, school is long and that is only six hours long with breaks in between and I am surrounded by my friends. This is interesting to me because I see that he would do anything to make a living, even such a tedious task such as that. Once Charles has a way to support himself, he started to realize his true passion of writing. He would sit in windows, writing down people’s names, recorded their appearance, and wrote down his observation. This does not seem like something that would trigger a love for writing. It is interesting that just from writing down things he saw, he fell in love with writing. Lastly, I discovered that when Charles was a boy, his dad once brought him to a house on a hill and told him that one day Charles could live in a house like that. When Charles was 44, he went back and bought the house that his dad had once showed him. I think this is sweet that Charles felt a connection to his father and that symbolism is important to him. Life during the victorian age was a bit different than life today. One thing is there was big difference between wealthy life and poverty. The victorian aged overlapped with the industrial revolution which means that cities were very crowded and there were poor working conditions for the working class. The working class unlike today was very poor. The were several advancements in essential things such as medicine. During the Victorian Era, Queen Victoria was the ruler and she was the longest ruler in British history. My life would greatly changed if instead of school I had to go to work. School is where I meet most of my friends and although I may complain about it, it really is not that bad. working on the other hand, would be very hard and tiring. In my life, I strive to do my best in whatever I do whether life brings me to be a doctor or to work at McDonalds I am going to work my hardest. If I was to get 5,000 dollars a month, i would give part of it to charity and I would save the rest for a time I really needed it.
ReplyDeleteI believe that Charles Dickens' passion for writing did not come from his recollection of people, but rather from his writing down of them. He probably wrote about those people that he saw, and that is what incited his love of writing. I agree with you that it was nice to see that the house that Charle's father liked was the same house that Dickens bought, and I agree with you that the house was a symbolism of a sort. I did not think about the fact that the victorian era overlapped with the industrial revolution, and I find that interesting.
Deletei agree with you and i would also give some of the money to charity or people who are in need
DeleteOne interesting fact that I learned about Charles Dickens is that his father was sent to a prison for people who had not paid their debts. I found this interesting because it was surprising that someone that was very wealthy had come from a home that could not pay debts. Another fact that I found interesting was that Dickens ran into a wrecked train in order to get his work. I found this to be surprising because he was an older man at the time, and I would not suspect him to do something that is that dangerous. The third interesting fact that I learned about Charles Dickens is that he bought the same house that his father told him was the pinnacle of homes. I found this interesting because it shows that the house that Dickens lived in had a large amount of sentimental value to him, even if it was not his house when he was young. This is what I found interesting about Charles Dickens.
ReplyDeleteThe Victorian Era was a remarkable time that changed the way in which people lived for years to come. There were many technological and medical advances at the time, which decreased the death rate. The era showed a large contrast between the rich and the poor. The rich had “Victorian Values” and were always kind and were someone to aspire to, while the poor did not live well.
If I had to work every day instead of going to school, my life would be a lot different. For one thing, I would not have a good education. Secondly, I would have money which I would probably use to help my family. An ambition that I want to pursue in life is to get a good job, and a nice home. I would like to make a difference in the world. If i were to receive $5000 a month, it would not affect my life greatly. I would probably put it all into a bank and only take out as much as I need.
I too found those facts about charles dickens interesting. I think that you have a good plan for your life and we share similar goals
DeleteI also found it interesting that Charles would risk his life to retrieve a book that may or may not have been on the train after the crash.
Deletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pO-milktjIY
DeleteDickens' life
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pO-milktjIY
DeleteDickens' life
Great Expectations
ReplyDeleteI learned many interesting facts about Charles Dickens after watching these youtube clips. One thing I learned was that he was born in February of 1812, and he had 8 siblings, but only six of them survived to become adults. At the age of 12, Charles had to work in a factory, labeling bottles for eleven hours a day. I also learned that in 1831 Charles Dickens began a journalistic career working on the paper during the day and doing his personal writing at nighttime. I believe that the most interesting fact that i learned was that Charles did not have an easy life. He had to start working at a young age and also witnessed the passing of two of his siblings when he was young. Life in the Victorian Era was difficult. You were either wealthy or poor, there was no in between. Most of the people who lived during the Victorian Era were actually peasants and did not live easily. In 19th century England, many children had to work. If I had to work instead of going to school every day my life would be very different. I would be not educated as much as I actually am today. I would love for my life to go in a direction that I want. I want to go to college and get a great job and make a lot of money. However, if my life does not go that way, it is okay. I will overcome whatever is thrown my way. If I were to receive $5,000 each month I would keep some of the money for myself and would give the rest of the money to people in need. I do not believe that this money would change my life or my personality, i would still be the same person.
I agree that Charles had an interesting and difficult life. It must have been hard for him seeing two of his siblings pass away before adulthood. I also think that donating some money to those in need is a responsible and kind way to use the money given to you.
DeleteHere is a link that talks about an intro to Great Expectations
Deletehttp://m.youtube.com/watch?v=44q9VmmbyI0
Setting Life Expectations at the Ripe Age of 14
ReplyDelete(Part 1)
Charles Dickens, a realist author during the Victorian Era, has become one of the most widely-known and influential authors in 19th century Europe. Through literary works such as Oliver Twist, and Hard Times, Dickens allows the world a glimpse of the less glamourous side of the Victorian Era by describing the struggles of the poor, child laborers and orphans . The hardships Charles Dickens had suffered throughout his own childhood inspired many of the themes in his famous novels. As a child, Charles Dickens’ family experienced poverty, as his father often spent more money than he should have (he was not exactly a scrooge). In fact, his father spent so much, he went to prison for not paying his bills. To help support his family, Charles Dickens worked at a factory in London for as many as eleven hours a day. I personally find it fascinating that an experience as terrible as poverty and child labor could be translated into one of his greatest successes by taking the negativity and publishing it for the world to see. Without such a terrible childhood, Charles may have not exposed the horrors of child labor and poverty though is writing. Later in life, Charles began to work as a clerk for an attorney. Despite the rather bleak conditions of his office building and career, Dickens still drew inspiration from the people that surrounded him, and soon after, writing became his true passion. I think that it is incredibly interesting that the people Charles Dickens came into contact with in a stuffy law office would become characters in his writings, whether it be in his journals or fiction. Even though his life would most likely be considered bland and boring at this point, he could still think of very clever stories and ideas to write about when he finished a work day. As his novels grew more and more popular, naturally, Dickens became more and more famous. Already a peculiar and curious character, rumors about him circulated frequently as most of them had the potential to be true. Some of these rumors included his constant drunkenness and his admission to an insane asylum. Dickens is even described to be mobbed by large crowds when he visited other countries. I find it interesting how there are parallels between a celebrity in the past and a celebrity today. Celebrities today, especially major musicians, often become a victim of the media. Media outlets such as TMZ, attempt to ruin the lives of celebrities by twisting the truth, and selling stories of those who crack under the pressure of major amounts of attention and money. Dickens, similar to celebrities today, as previously mentioned also received a massive amount of attention for both his personal life and his work. Many famous people cannot even leave their homes without drawing large masses of people, similar to how Dickens was treated in foreign countries.
Setting Life Expectations at the Ripe Age of 14
ReplyDelete(Part 2)
During the Victorian era, however, there was more that occurred than the hardship Charles Dickens describes in his novels. The Industrial Revolution (1750-1850), allowed for the urbanization of many European countries (especially Great Britain), and as a result the population grew drastically. In the medical, science, education, and technology worlds, there were major advancements made. The Victorian era, named after Queen Victoria, the longest reigning monarch in British History, allowed some to lead happy lives full of wealth and prosperity, while others led tired and grueling lives in poverty. As Charles Dickens describes in his novels, in times of hardship children were expected to help supplement the family’s income. If I were to go to work instead of school every day, I think that my life would be drastically different. Although I often find myself complaining about having to take math and science classes, my life would be much worse if it involved working at a factory for hours at a time. Without challenges in music and writing (two things I love to do), I would find myself living a dull and monotonous life. I would not be able to grow intellectually or emotionally without going to school and attempting to figure out who I am, and what I want to accomplish in my life. That being said, even though I am fortunate enough to not be working, I still do not know what I want to do in my life and what I expect to accomplish. I find it difficult to know because I have career and life aspirations I would love to be able to fulfill, but I am not sure that I have the skill set and talent required to accomplish these goals. On one hand, I do not want to set my expectations too great so that I am left in disappointment, but on the other, I want to push myself to do what I love to do. However, I think that whatever goal someone wants to achieve in their life will prevail over doubt and fear of disappointment. If I were to receive $5,000 a month, I would give the money to my mom and dad so that they could live in Hawaii, like they have always dreamed about. Also, I would want to help my brother and sister pay off their student loans, and ten years after I graduate I may have enough to pay off my own. Additionally, I would also donate a large portion of the money to charity, and attempt to grow the money with investments so that I could donate more money and help to reach more people. I do not think that the money would change who I am as a person because I like to think that I have a good sense of right and wrong. Even if I needed to be put back into line, my parents would have no problem telling me what I was doing wrong. Overall, I do not think the money would change who I am, because although I am not really sure who I am, I know enough about what not to do to to turn into someone I am not.
(the paying off my student loans ten years after I graduate was a joke btw)
I also found it interesting how someone could take all of these horrible experiences and express them through their writing. I guess those experiences were a good thing and bad thing for Charles Dickens. They allowed for him to create phenomenal pieces of writing that made him rich and famous, but at the same time it cost him his childhood. Everything has a price
DeleteI completely agree. Sometimes it takes something really horrible to happen to be truly inspired.
DeleteI agree with your post and also virak's comment. Some of the best authors lived through the most difficult times. For example, we just read "Of Mice and Men" by John Steinbeck. He writes from the Great Depression one of the worst times in U.S. history. It seems to be a common theme in great books that the authors write from a time of hardship.
DeleteThree things that i found about Charles Dickens was that he once climbed back onto a derailed train to retrieve a text that he was writing. another interesting fact was that as he gained popularity,he became a drunk. finally i found it interesting that he divorced his wife after he fell in love with a young actress. i found these facts interesting because they highlight the kind of person that Charles is, and it shows how his devotion to writing was still strong later in his life. life in the victorian era was improving, with the coming of the industrial revolution, and the government was making efforts to improve the conditions that the people lived in. under the reign of queen victoria, to which the time period was named, there was many improvements from the conditions that existed before the era. if i had to work everyday instead of go to school, i would not learn the basic knowledge that is required to achieve better jobs, but i would be stronger from the manual labor. not going to school would stop me from learning important life lessons, along with necessary skills that you would not learn anywhere else, but getting a job earlier would improve my knowledge of what to do on the job, and i would become a more efficient worker some of my ambitions for life is to go to a good college, and find a job that i enjoy working at. this job would preferably include lots of travel. if i were to receive a large sum of money each month, i would probably invest it, so i would have it when i really needed it. though i would most likely spend most of it at once, i would regret my decision and wish that i had invested it.
ReplyDeleteCharles Dickens and The Victorian Era
ReplyDeleteThe first fact I learned about Charles Dickens was that he had to work eleven hours a day when he was only twelve. Another fact is that Charles’ writing was inspired from visiting strange places, such as asylums and orphanages. Finally, the last thing I found out about Charles Dickens was that he was on a train that crashed and still went back to retrieve his writing. When I found out each of these things I was very surprised. In the USA it is illegal for children to work. Asylums and orphanages do not seem like places where you would be able to spark your brain and get inspiration for writing and to go back on a crashed train is absurd. During the Victorian Era many great advances were made. At this time the Industrial Revolution was underway and urbanization started to grow as well as technology and medicine. Life in this Era was different for everyone. Some lived with great wealth and fortune, while others only knew poverty. For most people today life is much easier than it was during the 19th century. In that time a lot of children it was mandatory to quit school and work in order to support their families. If I was forced to work every day instead of go to school then I would be living a completely different lifestyle. There would be no time to do anything other than eat, sleep, and go to work. I would not be able to experience my childhood or have the opportunity to enjoy my life. In my eyes, if I spend all day working in a factory, then I would just be another machine. My life would not have much value. Also, by not going to school you are closing the door to a large amount of opportunities that could help you achieve goals in your life. My expectations are to have a nice house, find a well paying job, and to have a family. My ambition in life is to travel around the world and experience other cultures. Every summer my family goes on a trip for about two weeks to another country and each time we go I learn something new. It makes me realize how much there is outside of your own life. If I were to receive a large sum of money each month I would most likely use it to help my parents pay all of the bills. I would probably be able to live life more comfortably and worry free knowing that money is not a huge issue anymore. I wish that I could say my personality would not change if I received more money, but I know that money corrupts. I think that if I actually had the money in front of me then my answers would be a little bit different.
It seems like you have a good understanding on what you want to do in life, which is really great because a lot of people do not know what they want to do until a lot later in their life. I also think it is great that you want to experience other cultures in life and step out of your comfort zone to learn something new about the world. Additionally, I admire your honesty about your personality having the potential to change when you are given so much money. It is very easy for people, myself included, to say that money wouldn't change who we are, but as you pointed out, you never really know how fragile you are until you see all of the money in front of you.
DeleteHere is an article about how winning a large sum of money can ruin someone's life. http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/01/14/us/lottery-winners-whose-lives-were-ruined.html?_r=0
DeleteLife During Dickens' Time Compared to Today
ReplyDeleteAfter watching the two videos, I learned many things about the well known author Charles Dickens and the world he lived in. One thing that was shocking that I learned was how Dickens was working by the age of 12 in a factory. He worked 11 hours a day labeling bottles. This makes me think about how I take my life for granted. Sometimes I complain about school and now I can see that during the Victorian Era children had it much worse than I do. Kids had to work all day just to survive and help support their family. Another fact I found interesting was how his first writing job was just writing down people’s names and descriptions of them. This shows that you can start anywhere and become anything you want. One of the greatest authors started out by just writing names. Lastly what I found the most shocking was that Charles Dickens was in a train crash and he went back to the wreckage to get his writing. It is insane to think that someone can be so passionate about something that they will face a near death experience and go back to get what they love. During the Victorian Era, life had its ups and downs. It was the start of the Industrial revolution which brought many positives but also negatives. There were advancements in education, engineering, and medicine. On the other hand life in factories was terrible. People lived and worked in dangerous conditions. Cities were overcrowded and filthy. Also child labor was used in almost all factories. Poverty rapidly increased during this time. If i had to work every day in a factory instead of going to school, i would be miserable. I would be working for many more hours than I go to school and I wouldn’t be able to spend time with friends. Also I would be sick often from the poor working conditions. My life expectations are to be able to go to a good college and find a job that I enjoy doing. Overall I just want to be happy in life. If I was given $5000 every month I would use it to save up for college. Also help my family with expenses and give back to charities. I personally don’t think I would change because I have pretty much everything I need. A vacation once in awhile is all id really splurge on but I’d mostly save or give away my money.
I agree with you that he must be very passionate about writing if he would risk his life to go and retrieve the book from the train wreck. If you really like something most people would try their hardest to try an save it / preserve it.
DeleteI agree that he was very passionate about writing as he retrieved the book from the wreckage and as starting to be a writer Dickens wrote names of people and their traits as any successful writer can start anywhere as they have their mind into it.
DeleteI also agree with u on how u think he was passionate about writing.
DeleteCharles Dickens
ReplyDeleteWhile watching the life of Charles Dickens, I have picked up on some interesting facts about him that I knew nothing about. Something I found interesting that no later than the age of twelve that he had to work force his family, you don’t often see children of twelve working very much these days they’re usually at school obtaining information in order to have a better life and having fun with friends. I thought it was amazing that he worked out to help his parents who had financial issues. Sometimes I see children not helping their parents out when they need it even though our parents give us everything we need or at least try to. Another fact to which I took interest in was when Charles Dickens would often visit those who were peculiar and use them to inspire his works of literature. It was a very different angle of inspiration that caught me off guard and intrigued me. I also find the fact that he founded a refuge for homeless women to be quite interesting, the fact that he was a man of literature he sought out to help those in need was quite fascinating, but also puzzled me that it was only for women and not men as well; seeing as not just women struggle, but men too. Life in the Victorian era was considerable different from how we live today, there were the wealthy and the poor. Even so the time of the Victorian era corresponded to the Industrial Revolution that brought consumer growth and a progression with new markets and propertied classes thrived during this time. The working class were unfortunately poverty-stricken and lived in poor conditions, while the wealthy prospered. Children of poor descendants had to work in order to help their parents financially. There was also a fast paced growth in city population, but there were poor housing conditions and diseases flourished and spread causing premature death; even so, there were advances in medicine.
Link to know more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/victorians/overview_victorians_01.shtml
If I were to work everyday instead of going to school, I believe that I would enjoy the thought of not having to go to school. With that being said, once I’d have to do it I wouldn’t enjoy it very much and would want to go back to school. Education is important, it helps you to get a better job and help you make a living for yourself, essentially without education many people wouldn’t get that far in life. I would eventually after high school and college have my own veterinarian business after working for someone and gaining knowledge as how to run my own business and tending to animals. If I were to gain a lump sum of $5,000 every month, I would most likely give a portion to my mother who has been struggling, but has given me everything I could ever want. I would also given the other portion to animals in need and to build a no kill shelter. I would like to think the money wouldn’t change my personality, but I guess I won’t really know until it happens.
I agree with the fact that you think education is important and will help us go in the right direction.
Delete“Charles Dickens’ Life”
ReplyDeleteCharles Dickens had an interesting and a tough life, I realized after watching the videos. Charles, worked as a box labeler at a young age to support the family while his father was put into debt jail. I found this interesting because he had to work really long hours, like more than 10. In school, we complain about just getting a little worksheet for homework, while then, they had to work to help aid the family. Charles began work as a solicitor's clerk, and he recorded names and the characteristics of the people. Doing that grew his interests in writing, and he used the information he gathered to create books. It is kinda like how you do a job and your do not realize that you have a different calling. He went on to having a family, and writing for plays, books for money and more. Another interesting thing about him was that after a train crash that he was involved in, he helped the injured, and on top of that went back in to retrieve a book he had written. There is no doubt that this is interesting, if you really love what you did so much that you’ll risk your life to go save it, then you are brave. From that fact I could tell that he is a strong, and brave person. Life during the Victorian age, you could say, was hard and easy. During those times there was a lot of child workers. The children did not receive a good full education because their parents were poor, and needed money for the house. There was at least an attempt to fix the poverty at that time and slow long working days. The days where still long but it was a little shortened and people could at least work in factories that paid somewhat better than before. They had industrial revolutions which caused the growth of new jobs and supplies.. Improvements on transportation made people available to travel to work and make the days easier. The also had improvements on education, but most kids worked in factories so it was only in effect for some. But the work days were still long and conditions were horrid So, as you can see, life in the Victorian age was not too easy but it wasn’t the worse, and Charles Dickens lived an interesting life during that time.
More Interesting Facts about Charles: http://primaryfacts.com/251/charles-dickens-interesting-facts-and-information/
I agree with you on how we complain about homework and People like Charles are working long hours to support thier family instead of going to school
DeleteLife Has Changed
ReplyDeleteWhen watching the two videos I came across some very interesting facts about Charles Dickens. School seems very long to me and dragged out. However, Charles would go work for almost twice as long as I am in school for. He did not even get to do anything interesting, only label jars. If I was in his position I would have hoped to go to a school instead of his work. I also discovered that he died of a stroke and not the train accident. I also found out that his first marriage did not end well and there may have been a case of cheating in the downfall of his first marriage. If I had to work instead of go to school I would not be happy. Going to school is a privilege that many kids would love to go to if they had the option. School is a good opportunity to start your life off on the right path, make friends, expand your knowledge, and strengthen your abilities. Most older students have a part time job to earn money. However, this still allows them to go to school and enjoy time with their friends and family. If I were payed a large sum of money for work in not sure what I would spend it on. There are so many things to do with it but I know for sure a portion of it would go towards my college fund. The money Charles made most likely went into supporting himself, while mine would go to a different cause. Getting a large sum of money from work would be great. However, if it takes me away from school or any other opportunities it is not worth it. A link that I have attached is another video about life in the Victorian Era.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0KsAOxu8TM
I completely agree with you about the whole school thing. I honestly can't imagine life without school, without my friends, without the high school experience. A part time job is different, I agree, because you are still at school. Just as you said, I would not want to not go to school.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteA few facts from the video that I found interesting where learning that Charles Dickens had started a refuge for homeless women, that his first piece of fiction was published in 1835, and he started working at the age of 12. I find these facts interesting because it gives some insight of what Charles dickens life was like. During
ReplyDeletethe Victorian Era life was always changing, your quality of life depended on whether you were rich or poor, I linked another video below about what was like. If I had to work as a child my life would probably be very different, instead of going to school and aiming to work towards my life goals, everything I did would be dedicated
towards my job. I aim to become successful in whatever career path that I’m going to choose whether it's becoming a doctor or a teacher, I also plan on starting a family. If I received a large sum of money every month I would give money to my family and
charities, but I would also buy myself things I want such as clothing, shoes, jewelry ect. I think the money would definitely change my life because I would always be financially secure, the money would not change my personality because even though
I would have money that does not change who I am.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48oB_MCmCPs
Three interesting things that I learned about Charles Dickens from these two videos were that he went back into a crashed train to retrieve one of the books that he had recently written. I also learned that Charles Dickens was divorced from his wife after he met a young actress and fell in love with her. I also learned that at the of 59 Dickens died peacefully in his home as he slept. I found these facts very intriguing because I would never imagine trying to go back into a recently wrecked train to retrieve a book that may or may not even be there, when you could write the book again. I also found it interesting that although Charles was happily married he still fell for a young actress and lost his beloved wife because of it. I found it interesting that Dickens died at home at the age of 59 because at that time 59 was quite an old age for people to live to, however nowadays 59 is still seen as either young or middle aged. During the Victorian Era life was very refined and people began to see the finer things in life. During the Victorian Era there was a prolonged time of peace and prosperity. With this people gained more refined sensibilities and national pride swept over people everywhere. The Victorian era also brought forth reforms in the government to please the citizens of a now changing land.
ReplyDeleteIt Can Be Different
ReplyDeleteThe video about Charles Dickens made me learn new things. I thought that it was interesting that two of his siblings died before he reached the age of twelve. I also found that he almost lost one half of a book he was writing in a train crash was really interesting. But what really intrigued me, was that Charles Dickens started working at the age of twelve, with eleven hours grueling daily shifts. I thought these facts were so interesting because they have nothing to do with my life and I can’t really imagine my life like that. The Victorian Era was a bad time for most. Queen Victoria took the throne when her uncle died and put into place some harsh rules. The economy was unstable and they were hard working conditions for the children. On the other hand, in a time of industrializing, there was urbanization. I could honestly never imagine my life if I went to work rather than school. I picture work for those who have gone through school, not for those who are supposed to be in school. Although those time were different, I would always want to be in school. I have pretty much one goal in life and it's pretty average. I want to have a stable job, preferably an actuary, a loving husband, with three kids, two boys and a girl. I just want to have normal life where I have enough money to take my family on vacation but I’m not snobby rich. If I had an extra five thousand dollars every week I would honestly probably spend some especially in the first few weeks. After that, I would limit myself to two hundred dollars a week and save the rest towards college and then my future. Now this is what I would want to do, but in reality, the first week I would definitely have a shopping spree. I would then hope to stop spending. Having five thousand dollars a week would be a reality change for sure.
Attached is a link to a guide to saving money as a teen.
http://www.teensguidetomoney.com/saving/
Life During the Victorian Age and Now
ReplyDeleteAfter watching these YouTube clips I have learned many interesting facts about Charles Dickens. One of them is that when Charles was young his father used to bring him to show the house on the hill and told him if that he works hard he will be able to live in it.Another fact that I learned is that at the age of 12 Charles Dickens had to work in a factory for eleven hours a day labeling boxes. Lastly, on his way back from Paris he was in a train crash and had the courage to go back into the train in order to retrieve his work. The first fact was interesting because he used the house as an incentive to show that it had sentimental value to him as he may have felt a connection between him and his father. The second fact is interesting because he would work long hours to try to support his family rather than go to school to have a better education. Finally, why would someone have the courage and desire to go onto a train after a train crash to retrieve something as some people would think it would be a ludicrous idea. During the Victorian Age had many advances in all areas such as medicine and technology. As this happened they was a big difference between social classes as some were very wealthy or that inherited fortune as for the majority of England during urbanization were peasants who lived in poverty. In the 19th century, if I had to go to work rather than go to school my life would have changed a great deal. You would have no time to do anything else as you would have to go have to work all day and then eat and then sleep as you would have to have to wake up to go back to work. Some of my ambitions and expectations is that I would like to travel the world one day as and to have a good education to find a job that I would enjoy as to live with a comfortable life. If I were given a sum of $5000 per month I would help pay bills for my parents and save up for the future. I believe the sum of this money would slightly alter my personality or not at all if I was able to visually see it.
I also found the fact that he had to work at the age of twelve interesting. It is unfair that he was expected to provide for his family when he is only a child. A child should go to school and become educated before having to work. My life would also change if I had to work at twelve rather then go to school.
DeleteI agree that the house fact was very interesting and that it showed a sentimental value to him as well. I also think that that fact showed his hard work and it also showed a sense of hard work and that he achieve something so great through his hard work and belief.
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ReplyDeleteLife Can Be Different
After watching the video I learned many new things about Charles Dickens. One thing I found very sad is the fact that two of his siblings died before he was even twelve. This can give some insight as to maybe the reason why all of Pip’s family has died except his sister. Another interesting point was that he started work at age twelve also. He seems to have had a hard life which can result in the fact of his novel’s character having a hard life. During the Victorian Era life was difficult and depending on your social status your life could be better or worse. Having to work as a child makes your life very different from our lives today. This is because all of our focus is put towards education, sports, friends, and activities that make us happy. However, back then life was about making a living and working hard. Students today work after school but not to the extent of a job that a twelve year old performed during this era. The picture below explains just this. Charles Dickens life was explained in this picture. He does not expect the joy that we expect today, but instead if he even got a little joy he would be happy. This has to do with the time period mostly and the fact that he had to work so much at such a young age. He is clearly a strong and hardworking boy that never gives up even through hard times. Life is different today, and I am sure Charles did not expect to work at age twelve the way he had to do. In my life I hope to have a good job after graduating college, and have the ability to care and provide for a family. This is what most people do expect in the future. I am not sure what job I would like but I have time to decide, unlike Dickens who had to work at age twelve.
http://www.notable-quotes.com/d/dickens_charles.html
I also thought that of Charles' sibling dying before adult hood was quite sad. I agree on your point that his novels can be based off of things that had happened to him in his past. For example, Dickens working at the age of twelve gave him as hard life. Therefore, the characters in his novels also have hard times in their lives.
DeleteDickens Life
ReplyDeleteOne interesting fact that I found in the video was that Charles Dickens was one of six siblings out of the eight that survived to adulthood. I find this interesting because this time period for children growing up healthy was very different than the way kids grow up today. Another fact I found was that Charles’ father, John Dickens was sent for prison because his debt was not paid. This is interesting to me because he was a wealthy man and usually men with his amount of money were able to pay their debts. A final fact that I found interesting was that Charles Dickens went inside a wrecked train to retrieve his work. This is interesting because he nearly lost his life just trying to get a piece of writing back. It shows how important his work was to him. Life during the Victorian Era was very comforting and wealthy. Also, the population nearly doubled during the Victorian Age. If I had to work everyday of my life instead of going to school, I would become much more tired. Already I become tired from long days of school, and that's only weekdays. Working seven days a week would become exhausting and stressful. Some expectations and ambitions of my life are to get a good job, buy a good house, and make a good amount of money for the needs of my future family. If i received a large amount of money such as $5000 a week, I would use it for the important things in my life. For example, to buy food and pay the bills without hassle for my family. I think the money would slightly change my life because it would leave me a little extra money after the important things are payed off to buy the wants of my family.
here is a link to find out more about Victorian England http://www.aboutbritain.com/articles/life-in-victorian-england.asp
ReplyDeleteCharles Dickens
ReplyDeleteCharles Dickens was born on February 7, 1812 and he was the second child of 8 children. His dad was sent to jail and he visited his father every Sunday. His father pointed out a house to him when he was a kid and told him that if he worked hard he could live there. Later in his life, Charles ending up moving into that house. I think the fact of his birth is interesting because it shows how long ago he was alive and we still read his book. I thought it was cool that Charles had a lot of love for his father that he visited him in jail everyday. It also showed a lot of heart for Charles to work so hard in his life and work to show that he bought the house his father showed him when he was a kid. Life in the Victorian Era was hard on everyone because everyone had to work hard and everyday for most of the day for little pay. It was however an era that brought England stronger and ideas were spread better. There was a great separation between the very wealthy and the poor people. If I had to work everyday instead of going to school I think it would change my personality and life. My personality would change because I wouldn't have as much knowledge and my work ethics would also change. I think I would also have more respect for people and my parents because then I would see what they do. My ambitions and expectations in life are not really decided yet. I want to have a good job after I go to college. I also want to be able to support my family and be able to live anywhere I want to. My biggest dream is to play soccer for a living. If I got $5,000 every month I would put some of it in the bank and spend it wisely. Obviously I would spend some of it for my personal gain and benefit and buy nice things and food for me. I don’t think that the money wouldn’t change my personality because the money itself would not affect what I would think or do.
http://www.biography.com/people/charles-dickens-9274087
Delete"Great Expectations of Life"
ReplyDeleteCharles Dickens lived an interesting life before and during his caterer of writing. At the age of 12, Dickens worked in a bottle factory for 11 hours a day labeling them. As Charles gained fame, rumors arose about his drinking and he was accused of being a drunk. Finally, I learned that Dickens was inspired by asylums and orphanages. I learned from not only these 3 facts but all of them that Dickens was a hard worker from start to finish and was an unique writer. During the Victorian Era, there was many advances in technology and medical forces.
If I had to go work in a factory instead of going to school, I couldn't even imagine living life that way. Since I was five I've been attending school and even before that my mother and my grandmother taught me how to read at age 3. Learning has been a part of my life since I was old enough to remember and being without would be unimaginable. Even though sometimes I have disliked schoolwork and school in general, I love to learn and wouldn't want to give it up to work at such a young age.
Ever since I was young, my career choices have ranged from race car driver to ballerina. Today, I still don't know what I want to be. However, my expectation on life is to finally find a place in a world and hopefully make sure I make a difference with wherever my path may take me. I expect to find not only a great amount of wealth in what I do, but also to love what I do. As a kid the strongest thing I could do was support myself on my own and not need anyone's help.
At age 15, I still wish to achieve that as I become closer and closer to becoming an adult.
If I received a large amount of money every month, I don't think it would change who I was as a person. I've had a very privileged life and have always gotten what I wanted and more. Unfortunately, wealth changes people but I believe money can't buy you happiness and money can't buy love. Therefore, I wouldn't let money change me because life can change in an instance. If I had $5000, I would do what I can to save and also keep what I can to get necessities along the way.
One interesting fact I found about Charles Dickens was that Charles would write down people’s names and write down their characteristics. I found this interesting because normally people don't do that and it may have been when he started to write regularly or more frequently. I also found interesting that Charles got inspired to write about the “unusual people.” I thought that this was interesting because every great writer gets inspired about something and Charles happened to be observing “unusual” people and traveled to different places like Italy for more. The last thing that I found very interesting about Charles Dickens was that we weren't back to go get his book that was left behind in the train crash by risking his life even more. This was interesting to me because it shows how much he is dedicated into his occupation which is writing. Life during the Victorian Era changed a lot and made a huge impact on people's everyday lives. It also made their lives easier because they were exposed to more things. If I had to work instead of going to school then my life would change because I was never put in the position to do something on my own. Everything was handed to me before I could even ask. Working and going to school are to complete different things for people my age. Some have to work to go to college or help out their family. I admit it would be a difficult change for me based on what kind of work I have to do. I expect to have a nice job and to be well settled and be able to stand on my own feet. I want to major in business so I would like open up my own business and have people work for me instead of having it the other way around. If I receive $5,000 every month it wouldn’t change my lifestyle or my personality at all.
ReplyDeletehere is a photo of Charles Dickens. http://www.radiotimes.com/uploads/635851822446101809-Dickens%20jacket.jpg
ReplyDeletehere is a photo of Charles Dickens. http://www.radiotimes.com/uploads/635851822446101809-Dickens%20jacket.jpg
ReplyDeleteFacts about Charles Dickens
ReplyDeletehttp://www.express.co.uk/life-style/top10facts/458382/Top-10-facts-about-Charles-Dickens
More information about Charles Dickens
ReplyDeletehttp://www.biography.com/people/charles-dickens-9274087