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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]It's the importance of Dickens, not whether the book is enjoyable or whether it is read in it's entirety. [/quote]

Oh, I don't know.  People who enjoyed Dickens in the Victorian era would have been forced to consider the plight of the poor, especially children, who suddenly thronged the cities after former rural families flocked to work at the newly emerged factories.  Many of these children and families ended up in horrible situations: forced to join the criminal elements as children, or in work houses, due to no social security after parents/spouse died, etc.  Victorians were forced to look at some of the social ills of their time.

Today, people can learn about the Industrial Revolution in History classes: it is mainly presented as a good thing.  Literature that illustrates the negatives, and the dangers of human selfishness and greed in the face of progress, are the tap on the shoulder we need to ensure that we can't overlook those who are left behind or exploited so that we can get what we want.  That experience won't happen fully if one can't "live in" and enjoy the novels.  Just knowing that Dickens was concerned with the plight of the poor doesn't really communicate the essential issues in the same way that enjoying the novel can do.

That's what I think Dickens would say, anyway.  As an English teacher, I do think it is my job to help students become aware of some of the social issues/culture of the original audience of a piece of literature, as this often makes the book much more interesting and enjoyable than it would have been otherwise.  No matter what I say to them, though, they won't receive full benefits from the text unless they DO read it (and enjoy it enough to be fully open to the nuances and tones).  Enjoying literature such as Chuck's novels helps one to a more complete understanding of history and the evolution of society.  Enjoying and reading the literature is essential for this experience.  This is why my History teacher colleague and I like to do cross-curricular work for some eras.

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