Student Companion to Charles Dickens (Student Companions to Classic Writers) [Hardcover]

Ruth Glancy (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0313306117 | ISBN-13: 978-0313306112 | Publication Date: November 30, 1999 | Edition: First Edition

Charles Dickens was the most popular writer of his age and is still considered one of the world's greatest novelists. This well-written study surveys his unusual and prolific life, relating his fiction writings to his concerns and active involvement with social conditions of early Victorian England. Glancy skillfully takes the reader back in time to appreciate the historical settings that inspired works like Oliver Twist, Great Expectations, and A Tale of Two Cities. An entire chapter is devoted to each of these works, as well as to David Copperfield, Hard Times, the Christmas books, and the early novels from The Pickwick Papers to Martin Chuzzlewit. In each chapter Glancy's analysis of plot, style, and character development bring these imaginative stories to life for the reader. This book examines Dickens's keen understanding of human nature and draws out the themes that make works such as A Christmas Carol as beloved today as when first written. This companion to Dickens will aid students in understanding the social context and literary genius of one of the greatest Victorian novelists. The thorough biographical chapter traces Dickens' life from his childhood through the development of his multi-faceted literary career. The literary heritage chapter examines the tremendous influence Dickens exerted on writing then and now. This volume surveys all of Dickens' work and provides in-depth readings of five of his novels and his Christmas works. The series format makes analysis of setting, plot, character development, and themes for each work accessible to students. The alternate critical perspectives enhance readers' understanding of Dickens' work. The selected bibliography and reviews cover both original and contemporary sources.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Glancy opens with a concise, objective biography of the author's life, emphasizing those events that inspired his work....The analyses of all of the major novels and short stories, with their academic, no-nonsense style, are what make this comprehensive student companion more useful than straight biographies or guides to the individual novels....The well-organized bibliography is arranged by subject. This book fills a gap in collections with a need for beyond-the-basics literary research materials.”–School Library Journal

“I was pleasantly surprised to find myself entertained and to learn some interesting facts about Dickens's life and work. The text is not intimidating or pedantic....If the Dickens volume is any indication, the series will prove to be a valuable addition to any high school library. Recommended.”–The Book Report

“Recommended for all schools studying this author.”–Reference for Students -- GaleGroup.com Reviews

“Admirably accessible....Such a good book is invaluable as we struggle to keep our students engaged in the literature that the call of other media makes more and more difficult to access with ease.”–Students in English Literature

About the Author

RUTH GLANCY is Associate Professor of English at Concordia University College of Alberta.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 176 pages
• Publisher: Greenwood Press; First Edition edition (November 30, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0313306117
• ISBN-13: 978-0313306112
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.3 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,585,134 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Perfect for those that need clear explanations of the novels of Dickens, May 17, 2011

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This review is from: Student Companion to Charles Dickens (Student Companions to Classic Writers) (Hardcover)

If you're assigned to read a Charles Dickens novel for class and you need a lot of help understanding it, this book will be perfect for you! It contains tons of information on most of his works, and it is written specifically for high school and undergraduate college audiences. What it offers better than the Cliffs Notes or Sparks Notes series is probably the way it relates Charles Dickens' works to the society of his times.

Chapter one of this book is basically introduces you to Charles Dickens himself, the important events in his and his family's life, and how those events inspired Charles Dickens to write some of his books. The second chapter gives additional information about what was going on in the literary world, as well as the rest of the world, to help you understand his novels in the context of that era (Victorian England). The rest of the book addresses specific works: Oliver Twist, David Copperfield, Hard Times, A Tale of Two Cities, and Great Expectations, as well as a handful of his early novels and Christmas-themed novels. Each section explains in depth key events, symbols, themes, and other elements of each story, their significance, and how it ties in with what was going on in the real world. The authors have also included commentary on how certain groups of people, e.g. feminists or Marxists, would react to the novels.

If you're looking for something that covers a chapter-by-chapter analysis of a specific book by Charles Dickens, this companion book unfortunately falls short of that, and you should consult the Cliffs Notes or Sparknotes series for that. Still, if you're reading anything by Charles Dickens and you can obtain this book somehow, it is well worth your time.